Anti-Tech – Take It Face to Face for a Refreshing Personal Approach to Business

How many times have you been in a meeting or at a restaurant with someone who is constantly checking their phone? Did it make you feel like you were unimportant in that situation, or feel disrespected? In this instant technology age, business people spend more time interacting with their screens and devices than they do their colleagues. This can make others feel discounted or overlooked. This is not a good way to conduct business. There are many business-savvy people using buzzwords like “connection” and “engagement”, but they forget that true connection happens when you put down the devices and deal with people face to face. The Personal Touch Technology is wonderful and makes it easier to market a business than ever before, but it can’t be the beginning and the end of your marketing plan. There’s an advantage that you gain by reaching out in a personal way to salespeople and distributors that you can’t achieve by sending a text.  Our society is losing that personal touch. If you can bring a personal level of connection into your dealings with your business associates and customers, it will make a difference. Meeting Face to Face One of the greatest gifts you can give to someone is your time and attention. It’s an honor to have someone stop everything and make another person their complete focus. This type of personal attention is a rarity, and will definitely be noticed by the other party. The next time you schedule a meeting, make it a conversation, not a conference call. Give that person your full and undivided attention. No distractions, no devices, just a one on one interaction. You’ll be amazed at what you will accomplish.  Allot enough time for the meeting so that neither party feels rushed or pressured to cut the conversation short. Follow Up Resist the temptation to send a text or email follow up. Even if the other party doesn’t pick up your call, they should get a personal message on voicemail. Keep it short and sweet, but do call and thank them for taking the time out of their busy schedule to speak to you. After that, an email reviewing what was discussed and any action items from the meeting is appropriate to send. Interact with Your Staff One mistake that business people, CEO’s and managers in particular often make is to stay in their office. Certainly, there is work to be done there, but employees and staff like to see that the boss is part of the team and not isolated behind a door marked “Do Not Enter”. A good manager is a good leader, and good leaders are there in the midst of their team learning and doing alongside them. Taking the time to get personal with your staff boosts morale and helps to invest the team more fully in the venture. They will want to do a better job for you, not just for the paycheck you provide. While there’s certainly a line that needs to be maintained between employer and employee, this doesn’t mean you can’t get to know your staff on a more personal level. Meeting Your Public Stories create customers and sell products. The impact of getting out and meeting the public face to face to talk about your business cannot be underestimated. Putting a face to the name is a wonderful way for you to bring the personal touch to your sales and marketing. Go to trade shows and festivals. Show up and talk to people about why you started your company. Tell your customers what your product or service can do for them. This is the basis of networking. You never know who you might meet when you step out to talk to customers. There might be a future business opportunity waiting for you out there that you will miss if you don’t go. Give your potential customers the same focus and undivided attention that you would a business colleague. This is a rare gift. People will remember you and associate you with the product you promote. They will tell others about the day they met you and how impressed they were with your achievements. When you become well-known, they will be loyal to you and say they “knew you when.” Bringing a personal touch into your business dealings might take a little extra time and effort but the benefits are surely worthwhile. PBFY Flexible Packaging wants to show a great example of how personal interaction enhances your customer experience. Contact us when you’re ready to move your business ahead with a wide variety of packaging options.