Social Media is quickly becoming the business delivery system of choice. Can your potential clients meet with you outside of Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or the dozens of other social media avenues, including email? Will they get a live person on the phone when they call?

This new wave of the present and future is causing many to lose opportunities to build real-life connections. This is an excellent selling strategy for those who are willing to break away from the social media pack and blaze a new old trail. That trail is called face to face connection.

Go Face to Face
There’s nothing like a handshake, eye contact and the feeling that your company is embraced and understood by your prospective client. While online bonds offer their own unique benefits, a face to face connection is a stronger bond than the bond you create online. Your customer relationships are the foundation of your business.

While your competition is going the way of technology you can outsell them by making yourself accessible offline. Don’t trade in that face to face meeting for a webinar or teleconference. Offer to meet clients the old fashioned way. I know it may seem a bit out of the current trend and that’s exactly why you should do it. Use face to face meetings as a way to set your business apart and offer it to clients on your website. Tell them the days and hours that you’ll be available for meetings. If you can’t get out to the field every day, then schedule a day when you can get out and let your prospective clients know about it. Give them the option of how they want to meet with you. Your client may still opt for the technical connection; but they will feel more trust and confidence in you or your company because you actually offered to connect with them in person.

Sales trainer Joanne Black, of No More Cold Calling encourages her clients to do whatever it takes to get in front of their clients. She has found that face to face business negations often lead to more projects, speaking engagements, more services and products sold, longer lasting and stronger relationships.

Time Saving Ways to Meet Face to Face

-Schedule a day to meet with clients or go out to the field.

-Plan an event, seminar or conference and invite your clients to connect with you.

-Create an event that will serve the whole life needs of your client such as a family day or parenting seminar. Let your clients know that you care about them, their families, their over-all needs and wants.

-Contact your clients and ask them what is their preferred way of connection, let them know you care.

The possibilities are endless when you think about connection from your customer’s point of view. While your competition is busy grabbing the latest technology to connect quickly, with as few words as possible, you will outsell your completion by doing the exact opposite.

When you give your clients the gift of the personal connection, they will do the same and go out of their way to remain committed and loyal to you and your brand. Outsell your competition and go for the handshake instead of the send button.

Jordan Mercedes is the Host of Thrive Connect Radio and a Personal Development Professional. She's passionate about helping women connect with resources that will help them reach their goals and dreams. She's a Life Coach advocate, and has recently become a member of a coaching community called Compass. She is dedicated to bringing life coaching to women and girls around the county.