The Power of In-Person
My eyes glossed over a as I took in the sea of people crowded in the lavish hotel ballroom. I regained focus as a familiar face approached me. It was the generally stoic client I had flown in to meet. And he had a big smile on his face. The gesture of me being there in-person clearly meant a lot— and that’s what we’re talking about today. Let’s dive in.
Customers like to do business with people they know, like, and trust, which is why in-person selling is such an important sales technique. Here’s why your customers tend to prefer in-person meetings and agree to more deals:
They know you better:
You’re likely to get more time to talk about non-sales related topics before the pitch, during breaks, and after the meeting.
And while it should go without saying, seeing someone in-person can make them feel more relatable; more human. This matters.
They like you more:
Being physically present makes a product or service feel more real and tangible, increasing its perceived value. Your physical presence itself is valuable because your time should be presented as a premium.
You are trying to get your [potential] client to not only buy what you’re selling, but to buy into you.
Their trust in you increases:
For more expensive products or B2B services, there’s inherently more at stake for the buyer if they get something wrong with the purchase. You showing up puts some skin in the game and displays accountability.
You being there in-person shows commitment to the partnership and a thoughtfulness that’s lacking in the typical in phone+email interaction your client is used to dealing with.
From the sales outcomes side, there are slightly obvious— and important— tactical benefits, like:
Attention: While I’ve definitely had an executive take out their phone and start texting in front of me, that’s the exception not the norm. When in person, you have a much higher chance to command undivided attention. You can control the environment and minimize distractions.
Mirroring: People tend to mimic the behavior of others. People also tend to feed off the energy of those around them. Use this to your advantage when in-person.
Awareness: You can’t fully read the room if you’re not in the room. It’s easier to pick up on all the non-verbal queues when your client is right in front of you.
Set up an in-person meeting with that local client you haven’t gotten around to meeting with yet in the next 2-3 weeks. Plot out the business impact to your manager. Have fun with it!
Stat: A Stanford study found that in-person teams generate 15% to 20% more ideas than virtual ones (source). I’m not here to debate companies requiring employees go into the office 5 days a week; but I am arguing that this isn’t limited to internal teams. If you want to become a trusted advisor to your client, you want to be perceived as part of the team. Meeting in-person opens the door to stronger customer collaboration and thought leadership opportunities.