Synchronous communication is more effective than the contrary approach in every aspect that requires persuasion. Consumers are less likely to ignore face to face marketing experts over their audio podcasts. This is the reason consumer interaction meets are still popular in the current social media frenzy age where everyone’s attention span has reduced to thirty-second snack-time content. Despite the evolution of podcasts and virtual meetings, the first and final calls are often taken during in-person meetings. Research conducted through several experiments has proven that closing a deal and convincing the opposite person to agree to a common ground has been more productive during face-to-face meetings.
We live in challenging times where computer-mediated communication like text messages, emails, audio notes, and video calls take precedence. Virtual connections have the advantage of crossing the barriers of time and geographical locations. However, it is difficult to invest time and money unless that trust factor is signed off. This is the reason people prefer to believe in what they see rather than what they hear and insist on meeting in person at least once or twice before closing the deal. Using virtual communication tools as an addendum to face-to-face marketing strategies will yield more benefits than relying only on the former. Here are a few benefits of face-to-face marketing that can elevate your pitch:
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Slips Between Cup-AND-Lip
Non-verbal communication like eye contact, body language, and gestures communicate the confidence of the orator. It exudes the trust that the consumer is seeking, which cannot be calibrated, from even video calls where the camera fails to capture finer lines. It also helps the person delivering the pitch gauge the response of his audience and clear any misunderstandings even before they are voiced out.
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Engaging Approach
The human mind operates in varying degrees at the same time. Your audience can slip unless you cast the spell that attracts their rapt attention. Engaging the audience and checking if they are actively listening, noting the verbal and non-verbal communication gestures, and asking relevant questions are straightforward and uncomplicated in face-to-face meetings.
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Comfort of Handshake
Greetings, whether as per local gesture or a comfortable handshake, are known to be better ice-breaking strategies than cold-calling and emailing. When your opening pitch’s reception is warm, the target audience opens up and asks more questions relevant to your sale.
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Easier On-boarding
Movie stars interact with their audience regularly to check the pulse and market their upcoming movies. Even the biggest brand can on-board greenfield consumers only when they interact with their prospects and ask them for their patronage. You are more likely to vote for a candidate who shook hands with you and asked for your support than the one who sent an audio clip of his promises.
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Quicker Feedbacks
When feedback is taken seriously and changes made accordingly, the trust in the brand increases. You can even generate more traction for your brand for actionable claims than a brand that does lip service to their constructive criticism.
Conclusion:
Technology should not substitute every element of how we operate completely. The semantics are easier to interpret during in-person meetings. Trying to replace it with only computer-aided communication channels has to be discouraged.