No Substitute for a Face to Face Meeting!
May 18th, 2009 by Andy Likes
I recently returned from a three-day trip to Orlando. No, there was no theme park visit and although it was 89 degrees and sunny, there was no golf either. I was in Orlando for the National Association for Government Communicators (NAGC) expo and communications school.
It was a tremendous opportunity to meet new people, see what they are doing for communications, learn a little and talk face to face. I can honestly say I would never have met some of the folks who attended the conference, if I had not been there in person.
In this communications age where we live and die by email and cell phones, it was very refreshing to have a one-on-one conversation that wasn’t over a conference call line. I met some very interesting people and learned that we may be able to partner with them on a project or two in the future.
Those simple conversations turned into new business opportunities. In this economy, what business couldn’t use a few new contacts?
I will likely be returning to the NAGC expo next year in Washington, DC. This time, I hope to present during one of the seminars. I encourage everyone to rethink their travel budget in 2009; it could net you some business that might otherwise have passed you by.
There’s something about face-to-face that can’t be replicated no matter how inventive the online outlets become. It’s easier to start a conversation in person and for me, a big part of it is eye contact. I miss eye contact with the online communications. And there’s no way to see someone smile. These are big parts of making connections that can lead somewhere meaningful.