How Face-to-Face Interaction Affects Consumer Behaviour

Whilst digital marketing is undisputedly a powerful form of marketing, nothing quite beats the old ways of face-to-face selling. People really do buy from other people.

Face-to-face interactions are still crucial in lead generation, sales, and increasing brand awareness. They are still widely preferred in cases that have a decision-making process or when there’s a need for significant persuasion.

Most businesses find face-to-face interaction effective as it helps connect with consumers more personally, whereas digital marketing can’t. This interaction allows consumers to see and experience your brand up close and firsthand.

Key Takeaways:

• In-person requests are 34 times more successful than those made over email.
• The close rate for in-person meetings is 40%.
• Executives and business travellers estimate that 28% of their current business would be lost without in-person meetings.

Below is a list of ways that face-to-face interaction affects consumer behaviour:

1. Generates Better ROI
   By interacting with consumers in person, you can shape their experience into a positive one. Someone who has brought your product and was impressed by their experience will then pass on that positive experience and recommendation to others. Being able to present your product in person and let them interact with it is the most effective way to sell it.
2. Builds Relationships and Trust
   Meeting consumers in person can lead to fruitful, long-term relationships. People will connect more with brands they recognise and can speak to your representative personally. By sitting down with a customer or prospect in person, you are already demonstrating you value their business by putting in the time and effort required for a face-to-face meeting. Even for B2B customers, the purchase decision is not solely about the product or service. B2B buyers want to buy from businesses they know and trust.
3. Avoids Miscommunication
   Technology provides increased efficiency but can also leave room for error through the sales process. A customer might miss an important bit of detail over the phone, or a poor connection could lead to a staggered and interrupted conversation. Being face-to-face prevents any issues such as these from arising and removes the barriers that can sometimes be caused unintentionally by technology.
4. Humans Buy From Humans
   Sometimes, written words can be misinterpreted, or the tone can be misread, leaving readers confused or feeling put out. In-person communication can appear more natural as people can see facial expressions and interpret body language. When potential customers can see your staff members physically, this can also help to reassure and convince the customer to buy, as someone is there to put their worries or concerns at ease. This is lost in phone calls and online sales.

   According to Albert Mehrabian’s Communication Model:
   “7% of the meaning of feelings and attitudes takes place through the words we use in spoken communications, 38% takes place through tone and voice, and the remaining 55% of communication takes place through the body language we use, specifically facial expressions.”
   

5. Addresses Concerns Quickly
   Another way to build trust and a relationship between business and consumer quickly is the ability to address concerns quickly. Gone is the hassle of back-and-forth emails and waiting several days for a response. Put your potential customers at ease by answering their concerns there and then.

Never forget that at the end of the day, you do business with people, not entities. Don’t be so quick to discount face-to-face connections for technology you believe would be quicker. It’s also important to put yourself in the consumers’ shoes; how many times have you been frustrated by an automated chatbot, a slow drawn-out email communication, or a fluctuating signal on a call, your customer feels the exact same.

About Coalition Event Services:

Coalition Event Services specialises in creating engaging and impactful events that drive sales and brand awareness. With a focus on face-to-face interaction and community engagement, we strive to deliver experiences that inspire action and get your audience to connect with your brand on a deeper level.

To work with Coalition on your next event, get in contact with our team.