Why is in-person communication important?
In today’s world, the 21st century, or the digital age we have countless tools that allow us to stay constantly connected to anyone, anywhere. In fact, according to the U.S. Career Institute, approximately 16% of U.S. companies are now fully remote and rely solely on technology to run their business and service clients. At CossmanPR, we understand the importance and convenience of these tools and the advantages of remote work, but we also encourage a balance between in-person and online communication. This ensures we never lose sight of the relationships we build and maintain, both within our team and with our clients.
As a remote agency, we can relate to the challenges of distance and the need for flexibility within busy schedules. Virtual meetings and email are often the best ways to accommodate these challenges, allowing us to be there whenever we are needed. While we’re on calls with our clients weekly, we’ve found that meeting face-to-face from time to time helps us build stronger connections and offers a variety of benefits for both parties. Let’s discuss the advantages of keeping the balance and incorporating face time into our business strategy.
Builds Stronger Relationships
We LOVE talking with our clients. Whether online or in-person, we recognize the importance of building strong relationships, no matter if our clients are just down the road or a flight away. Establishing deeper personal connections with our clients is one of the main reasons we maintain a healthy balance of screen time and in-person visits. Face time takes our approach to the next level, providing us invaluable opportunities to build relationships with strong foundations of trust and rapport.
Enhances Communication
Face-to-face communication fosters clearer and more empathetic conversations with our clients. It enables us to pick up on important verbal cues, such as body language, facial expressions, and tone of voice. These elements are crucial for effective communication and are most accurately interpreted during in-person interactions. We’ve found that this approach encourages greater engagement and focus from all parties and ultimately boosts productivity. This is essential, as it allows us to better understand client expectations and gain deeper insight into the products and brands we are marketing. Additionally, these conversations often lead to impromptu brainstorming sessions, which we love because they help us see the bigger picture of current and future ideas and determine the most successful strategies for execution.
Allows for Better Problem Solving and Real-Time Feedback
Another advantage of making time to meet with clients in person is it allows us to have more dynamic discussions and accelerate decision-making. Face-to-face interactions help us collaborate more efficiently and offer a time when clients can provide immediate feedback and we can adjust our approach on the spot. While we can certainly carry out this process through virtual meetings, phone calls, or email, interactions in a personal setting can be more effective as they make it easier to read the room, gauge reactions, and manage complex or sensitive topics more smoothly. This is an invaluable asset when it comes to managing client expectations, executing ideas, and better understanding how we can help our clients to the fullest extent.
Shows Commitment, Professionalism, and Confidence
We believe that taking the time to meet with our clients shows how much we value our relationships with them and demonstrates our commitment to providing them with excellent service across the board.
This approach sets us apart from countless others in the industry who rely solely on digital communication, which can sometimes make relationships and the interactions within them feel transactional.
That’s why we emphasize a healthy balance of formality and personability when meeting with clients. A strong, lasting impression can be made by showing confidence in your abilities while still allowing clients to connect with the personality and background that make you the driven, PR powerhouse you are.
Personalizes Client Experience and Strengthens Client Retention
In-person meetings allow us to tailor our approach for each client, offering them their own unique experience. With our approach, no one is overlooked as we cater to all integral parts of a brand, from its leadership teams and beyond. Through these interactions, we can showcase our attention to detail and just how well we understand the needs and challenges of your brand. This significantly enhances our relationships, fosters innovation, and drives business growth.
While virtual meetings have their place, the value of face-to-face interactions remains strong, especially for building lasting, impactful partnerships. This is why we believe that face time with our clients helps us stay top of mind and creates opportunities to expand our roles in their success.