The Importance of Meeting in Person If you rely solely on the phone and e-mail to build business relationships, you're missing the boat. Learn why "face time" is critical to your success.

Don't get me wrong-I love technology. I'm thrilled every time I can say to someone, "If you want to know more about me and what I do, go to my Web site." I save the time and money of having to mail out packets of information, and potential customers get to immediately evaluate what I have to offer.

However, there are times when nothing takes the place of a face-to-face meeting. The benefits of meeting in person are many, including:

Picking up on details you might otherwise miss: When you look customers in the eyes, you communicate your sincerity and confidence. Their eyes communicate the trust they have in you-or let you know if they have unanswered questions. If there's more than one person in the room, your peripheral vision can keep you informed as to how others are responding-something you might easily miss even in a videoconference.