We've previously written about ways to make the most of virtual meetings. While this summer has given most workers an opportunity to be more comfortable with that technology, two issues persist: Some people are still resistant to showing themselves on camera and the increasing evidence of virtual meeting fatigue. Pair those with the long established research on the increased sales effectiveness of in-person meetings and many companies are eager to find a way to get back to business meetings. [See this great anecdotal story about a face-to-face meeting during Covid] However, not everyone is ready to get back to full in-person meetings. Some organizations are embracing hybrid meetings: a mixture of in-person meetings (with distancing) supplemented by additional participants joining by phone/video. Generally, a key or senior sales person will meet in person with the decision-maker at a client. This allows for the building of relationships, post-meeting meals and greater opportunity to read body language. Additional participants joining virtually could include someone running a product demo or answering technical questions. This is far from a perfect model, but allows business to proceed while limiting the number of people interacting in person. |
