Member Avatar for MktgRob

I read a blog yesterday where the author talks about physical injuries that have resulted because of people who are so obsessed with using their smartphones that they cause automobile accidents or, like the recent incident in NYC, where a young girl was reading a text message and fell into an unattended, open manhole. (For the record, she is suing NYC for carelessness but wouldn't she have seen the open manhole if she wasn't staring at a phone screen?)

The blog made me think in terms of old marketing activites as opposed to new ones. In the past companies would do trade shows, local events, in-person demos, etc., and there would be real human interaction. Now, trade shows are fading away due to costs and logistics as are local events and in-person demos. All are victim to a bad economy and tech advancements. But what is lost, in my mind, is being able to see the reactions of people face to face when giving a demo that are not always evident when you are doing a gotomeeting or a webinar.

So my question is, are we gaining or losing from the ability to utilize new technolgoy, online communities and social media to interact acorss long and not-so-long distances while saving money and increasing the number of meetings and demos that can be done in a day?

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Technology multiplied reach and cut costs, but it also removes many of the subtle human signals that build trust and close deals. As pointed out, remote demos strip away body language; highlighted how channel proliferation can delay decisions; and reinforced the role of multi‑channel nurture. The practical question is not digital versus analog, but how to design processes that retain empathy, clarity and responsiveness while taking advantage of scale.

A simple decision framework keeps tradeoffs explicit: treat channels as tools matched to relationship stage and deal complexity. Low‑touch discovery and broad nurturing work well with asynchronous channels; high‑stakes negotiations, complex product evaluations or strategic partnerships require synchronous human presence (video or in‑person) and a named owner for follow‑up. Capture preferred contact method and decision authority up front so the right channel is used at the right time.

Concrete tactics that make remote work feel human:

  • Default to video for demos where trust matters; require short camera‑on segments rather than long silent broadcasts.
  • Break demos into 10–15 minute chunks with planned check‑ins and live polls to surface reactions.
  • Run a 5‑minute pre‑call tech/role check so the session focuses on content, not connection.
  • Send an immediate personalized recap and follow with a short synchronous touch (phone or video) for any prospect above a predefined complexity or value threshold.
  • Encode SLAs and routing rules in the CRM (preferred channel, response time, single point‑of‑contact) to avoid the “waiting in inbox” problem mentioned by .
  • Train reps to read vocal and textual cues, paraphrase frequently, and convert chat signals into explicit next steps.

Measure what matters: video‑on rate, poll/chat engagement, follow‑up completion, and conversion by channel. Preserve deliberate human touches for retention and complex sales, and balance automation with clear accountability to prevent relationship erosion.

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Member Avatar for InsightsDigital

So my question is, are we gaining or losing from the ability to utilize new technolgoy, online communities and social media to interact acorss long and not-so-long distances while saving money and increasing the number of meetings and demos that can be done in a day?

Though Businesses may be gaining with utilizing social technology with increased productivity and saving money, the human interaction factor may be sacrificed. Now, there are so many different options to communicate in a business setting that understanding the best way to communicate could be time consuming and potentially costly as well. For example, let's say in Company X, person A sent an email to person B and is waiting for an email response. Days passed and person A is still waiting and re-sends email. Person B is too busy and has tons of emails and best way to get hold of person B is via phone conversation or posting a message on the chair, "Call Me". Thus, I have seen this scenario occur so often that I wonder if valuable decisions were postponed due to this.

Member Avatar for MktgRob

Though Businesses may be gaining with utilizing social technology with increased productivity and saving money, the human interaction factor may be sacrificed. Now, there are so many different options to communicate in a business setting that understanding the best way to communicate could be time consuming and potentially costly as well. For example, let's say in Company X, person A sent an email to person B and is waiting for an email response. Days passed and person A is still waiting and re-sends email. Person B is too busy and has tons of emails and best way to get hold of person B is via phone conversation or posting a message on the chair, "Call Me". Thus, I have seen this scenario occur so often that I wonder if valuable decisions were postponed due to this.

I have seen and experienced the scenario you described and I appreciate web sites where they offer options to communicate (one group that handles e-mail, one that is working the phones, one that is handling on-line chats) and I think that is the ideal solution if it is economically feasible for the company. But like I said in my original message, when it comes to the sales process especially, remote meetings, demos and webinars take away from sales people one of their greatest assets. The ability to read a person's body language and facial expressions is a big part of a sales pro's bag of tricks. I also think that some clients prefer some direct human interaction to give them the assurance that they are more than just a sales stat.

Member Avatar for InsightsDigital

It goes along with the saying I developed some time ago based on my own experience: "You can sell the best product or services, but if you dont know how to sell it, the product will end up in the clearance rank."

Member Avatar for MktgRob

It goes along with the saying I developed some time ago based on my own experience: "You can sell the best product or services, but if you dont know how to sell it, the product will end up in the clearance rank."

A former boss of mine said, "You can dazzle them with data or baffle them with bullsh*t but if your product doesn't deliver as promised your a dead man walking."

I take comfort in the fact that 15 years ago when I was still cutting my teeth in marketing everything was about e-mails and faxes as you wanted to document everything and you could not do that with a phone call. Now I am constantly being asked about nurture marketing, which is about relying less on the technology and more about the human interaction. I like to think that social media is striking a balance but I worry that once again business will rely too much on the technology and less on the human interaction. For my part, I shun avatars. Let them see my face (scary as that may be) and hear my voice on the phone and then when they see my comments or blog posts or tweets they will have a better feeling about who they are dealing with.

Member Avatar for Roger.romon

I do not think that old marketing has died despite the new innovations in technology. Many customers like being kept informed on what is happening internally within our company which will help them keep ahead in their business. So a gotomeeting yes is effective but so still is a newsletter, but of course, has to be followed now via other social media channels.
The thrill of talking to someone walking into a booth is always great, but I think even talking to someone on a webinar is equally interesting, considering the huge cost savings. A face to face interaction makes for a lot of difference for sure.

So Multi Channel Marketing works well rather than single channel working especially to make someone a believer from a non-believer. Thx for letting know the same with an example. I am following up on most of my marketing using Virtual Assistants.

Also, knowing the Client’s Purchasing Cycle is so important to make a sales move. In the rest of the time, you need to nurture the lead carefully by keeping them posted on your company happenings, new client wins, etc., That will generate some interest. Especially post something in a customized newsletter more appropriate to their needs. I saw today a free article on this from pro-resource. I think you can download it from {snip}

Edited by jay 11 because: removed link
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