The Power of Human Interaction

We recently hosted a new client at our offices, a wonderful woman who is launching a new product that meets a real need in the marketplace. (Note: More to come on this!)

We could have arranged introductions via the electronic world we all inhabit: We could have conferenced her in, emailed our ideas and followed up via text, and friended her on Facebook to social network our way to a working relationship.

Instead, she suggested the old fashioned approach: meeting face to face. She flew in to meet with us on our home turf. We listened and learned about her expertise, saw her quick laugh, experienced firsthand her wonderful wit. We brainstormed ideas together, having fun all the way. We broke bread together. We pondered approaches and made great progress. As we drove her to and from the airport, we chatted about kids and family, interests and hobbies. It was time well spent, indeed.

How many times do we take the shortcut in human interactions? How many times do we send a text or an email when it would be better to pick up the phone? How many times do we send our expressions of concern when our presence would make the difference?

Years ago, I developed media tours for a new product launch, one to the California tech market, the other to consumer media in New York. On the way, my client and I stopped at a nondescript Midwestern suburban hotel restaurant to meet with an editor of a small journal. We ate a rather bland meal while the local Rotary Club sang “God Bless America” loudly in the next room.

The editor reflected, “No one ever comes to see me.” But we did. He tried out the product, liked it and wrote a positive review, which was later syndicated in U.S. and Japanese newspapers. My client landed a positive business deal as a result of the overseas coverage.

Face to face is powerful; sometimes you just have to leave home. Never resist the impulse; it can make the difference because, when all is said and done, we are human beings first, business people second.

- Mary Lilja