Plane Conversations

Way back on October 16, Allen Howell wondered if Social Media would replace or simply complement face-to-face meetings.  The topice has generated a tremendous response which continues even now, months later.  Here’s what you had to say:

Social Media as a Precursor to Face to Face

Chris Stompolos, Principal and Producer at Rolling Boulder Films, LLC

“Business will always, and still does come down to people knowing people, trusting people, collaborating with people. I think social networking platforms has made things considerably easier to break the ice, but when it comes to closing the deal, its always so much of a nicer way to do business sitting across from someone. Bottom line really: You want to do business with people you trust and like.”

Gary Copher, Regional Leader at Primerica Financial Services

“I may be able to start the relationship building process on a social media site, but rest assured, a client is not going to sign over their multi million dollar investment portfolio to me based on a few Facebook chats, no matter how much they like me. … I find social media to be a valuable tool in the networking process.”

Khoushik K, Business Development Executive at UnitForce Technologies

“Social or Professional networking sites help you to extend your reach & eliminates the geographical barriers. …it cannot replace the trust & comfort that is intrinsically built in case of a Face-to-Face meet because humans are tuned to trust / believe a person he/she has met in-person.”

Bright Ibeawuchi, Director at Business Aviation Network

“Social networks in their current state will not replace face to face communications. Not even the most sophisticated video conference system can match the tactical feel of a handshake and eye to eye contact.”

Nazmi Sankary, Regional Marketing Manager at Hadid International Services

“I believe that social media has affected our life patterns a lot but it can’t replace face to face contact at all specially for who prefers to read others by looking at thier eyes!”

Social Media as a Complement to Face to Face

Rusty Keighron, Insurance Practice Leader at Docstar

“FB also enhances FTF communication. Just returned from a trade show where there were folks I needed to see who are FB friends but weren’t in the exhibit hall. By sending them FB reminders that I was there, I was able to see them and make a FTF contact that would otherwise have been left to chance (or not have happened at all).”

Anthony Kirlew, Social Meadia Marketing Strategist, Author, Speaker

“The role of Social Media as a marketing tool is to increase the company’s outreach and brand awareness. It is a complement to an online marketing strategy, but its goal is to make a connection with the intention of moving to an offline engagement where business can be conducted.”

Pawel Rzeczkowski, Experienced Finance Professional

“Social networking will not replace the need for personal contact but it will augment it resulting in lower business travel frequency. Once the contact is established you will need less face to face contact to sustain the relationship. But at the same time you will be able to manage more contacts. Not sure if it will be net a gain or loss or wash on travel.”

Charlie Davenport, Senior Recruiter at Dampier Recruiting Associates

“Social media lets us know when the person landed, when they got off the plane, when they were approaching the baggage claim, when they left the rest room, when they first saw their bag, when they first realized it wasn’t their bag, when the got done lol’ing, and on and on.. but as noted in the article linked to this discussion, social media will never replace the face to face.”

Mercedes Soria, Development Channel Manager at Deloitte

“Completely agree, social media has replaced much face-to-face communication but it is not the end-all of face-to-face meetings. People are still people and 80% of communication is body language which gets lost in social media types of communication. … Social media has its place specially for brand awareness, marketing but it needs to be proceeded by well thought planning efforts. It is just one more tool out there for Marketing (yourself or your business) and it should be treated as such.”

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