As the old saying goes, people buy from people … In today’s COVID-19 world, technology in the United States has come to the forefront to be the main way businesses interact with their customers. However, human interaction is imperative when getting sales leads. B2B sales support teams across the country are relying on a variety of applications and technologies to conduct business and day-to-day workflow. These technologies range from communicating through emails, social media, and with the help of video communication tools like Zoom or Microsoft Teams. As a result, one-to-one sales meetings will be on hold for a while.

Yet, even as B2B lead generation pushes forward in the digital world, it is still important to remember that businesses still need to provide those face-to-face meetings because this personalization offers benefits that no technology can replace.

What Are the Benefits of Face-to-Face Interaction?

The first thing to realize is that although at this time, everyone has been forced to do things online, there are many people that have issues with it and would prefer to do business the old way. It is also essential to understand that there are some people who do not trust computers or technology in general, and for your business to be effective, you will need to accommodate them. And so while most
in-person meetings will be placed on hold, that does not mean that you should completely do away with them for now.

Here are some facts:

• An article in the Harvard Business Review suggest that in-person requests are 34 times more successful than those made over email.
• Virgin.com’s blog suggests that the close rate for in-person meetings is 40% (source).
• Post Planner suggests that you get honest and direct feedback.
• The US Travel Association study prepared by Oxford Economics estimated that 28% of business executives and travelers would be lost without in-person meetings
• And an article on Entrepreneur.com suggested that “The value of face-to-face networking is being recognized as one of the most powerful tools available for increasing one’s personal exposure, creating meaningful relationships and providing growth opportunities at a personal and professional level.”

Remember, human interaction is imperative when getting sales leads.

So, you wonder what can a business do at this time during the pandemic?

Well, the first place to start is to create a safe space with your customers can meet with you without worry of being infected by COVID-19, and wear the required protective face mask. Secondly, be selective with whom you will be meeting. Before you meet each prospect make sure that the person-to-person meeting is the best option to win the sale. The last thing you want to do is put yourself in jeopardy and realize that the potential customer aren’t a good fit for your company. And finally, once you set up the meeting remember to be candid and personable, set a clear agenda and goals that you want to achieve, and be prepared to adapt to the situation. And remember, people buy from people.

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