The Importance of Face-to-Face Relationships & Meetings:
Here, you’ll read articles on why we’ll continue to meet in person, based on innate human drives for face-to-face interaction as well as the benefits to commerce, scientific discovery, personal and professional development. Contributors range from events industry groups to journalists and experiential experts.
91% of Business Travelers Say They Miss Meeting In-Person
5 Reasons Why We Need Face-To-Face Meetings by INCON, a partnership of the world’s leading conference organizers and event management companies.
1) They have a positive impact on the local economy
As Vice President of Marketing & Sales at ORTRA, Galit Shimshoni notes, face-to-face meetings contribute to the development of local economies, businesses, and communities by providing a large number of attendees who spend money on travel, accommodation, and city touring. In addition, Shimshoni remarks that face-to-face meetings also allow participants to meet new vendors, potentially creating new businesses opportunities for the local economy.
2) They are flexible and easily adaptable
Face-to-face meetings, as a dynamic, provide a great example of adaptability when it comes to new technological tools. When asked if the digital layer of the event industry (such as live streaming) is a threat or an opportunity for event professionals, Executive Director at DEKON Group Michael Kern answered that it is a good way to promote the event, consequently attracting more participants for future events. On the other hand, as Kern highlighted, technologies such as live streaming are a great opportunity to expand the event to reach a larger audience. In other words, as a format itself, face-to-face meetings are adaptable and “responsive” to new digital challenges.
3) They create a conversational vibe and networking opportunities
As the Group President of MCI, Robin Lokerman suggests that the more connected the world gets, the more we need face-to-face communication. Lokerman emphasizes that apart from flawless logistics and strong content, people expect engagement and involvement during the sessions. They don’t want to be passive participants anymore. They are interested in being part of the discussion. Moreover, the attendees want the organizers to create an efficient networking environment and provide apps that will allow them to connect with other participants. Therefore, face-to-face meetings offer the irreplaceable possibility of building meaningful connections and gaining relevant prospects.
4) They supply emotional engagement and human interaction
Emotion. This was the answer of Roslyn McLeod, the chair of INCON and an internationally recognized leader in the meetings industry, when asked what’s the one thing technology can’t replace. McLeod highlighted that “Meetings’ technology facilitates engagement, but just like internet dating providers, meetings are the matchmakers that provide the personal touch between people who have more of a need than ever to interact with other people.” In other words, people are attracted by the opportunity to connect with others, this way fostering “the desire to meet in-person at conferences and networking events.”
5) They’re an outlet for a powerful transformative experience
In an issue of Skift magazine, the authors argued that we are slowly moving from experiential to transformative events. According to Patrizia Semprebene Buongiorno, AIM Group International Vice President, face-to-face meetings enable this transition by providing a deeper level of engagement, which is inaccessible to virtual attendees. Semprebene Buongiorno notes that event professionals should focus on experimenting with new ways of engaging people who attend events, not only making them listen to or consume the content, but also by directly involving them in the event activities. Nowadays, face-to-face meetings have an active profile, allowing the participants to cocreate the event, feel more engaged, and induce a powerful transformative experience.
https://images.forbes.com/forbesinsights/StudyPDFs/Business_Meetings_FaceToFace.pdf 2008 study
Five Themes Excerpted from the Power of Conferences by Business Events Sydney (See full report PDF below):
1) Creating networks, collaborations, partnerships and support
As well as citing specific connections and collaborations that have been pivotal in their own work, interviewees highlighted the importance of widening their network, building friendships and finding other likeminded delegates who provided future support.
2) Discussion, debate, stimulation, ideas and innovation
The stories in this research reinforce that conferences often bring people with different perspectives together to debate key issues, which in turn generates new ideas and innovations.
3) Attracting funding, trade and investment
Research funding is highly competitive between individuals, research bodies and universities. However, the stories here demonstrate that conferences can provide access to funding sources and encourage investment.
4) Influencing public perceptions and policy and driving social change
Another common thread through the stories is the ability of conferences to influence a wider audience, and shift public and media perceptions.
5) Personal growth, knowledge and learning
By taking delegates away from every day distractions, conferences enable deeper, more focused learning. Attendees often also learn from others outside their own field, which can lead to fresh collaborations and new applications for their own work.
https://www.besydney.com.au/media/1951/power-of-conferences_besydney-summary.pdf
How to cite this book:
Edwards, D et al. 2017. The Power of Conferences: Stories of serendipity, innovation and driving social change. Sydney: University of Technology Sydney ePress. DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5130/978-0-6481242-0-7
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/importance-human-interaction-relationships-online-society-brian-solis
https://www.studio5x5.com/post/what-well-crave-after-coronavirus
https://scopeblog.stanford.edu/2018/03/15/human-interaction-in-the-age-of-technology/
