In an era of Zoom calls and endless email threads, it’s tempting to think we can build meaningful business relationships entirely online. As someone who’s spent decades in print sales, I can tell you: Nothing replaces sitting across the table from a customer. Don’t take my word for it. Science backs that up.
The 34X Advantage
Researchers at Cornell University ran a field experiment in which participants asked strangers to complete a survey – some in person, others by email – using identical wording. The result? Face-to-face requests were 34 times more likely to get a “yes” than email requests.
Think about that in our industry. When you’re trying to close a large print contract or convince a prospect that you can solve their “labels falling off” problem, you’re asking someone to trust you with their business. An email might get filed away. A face-to-face meeting creates trust.
Why It Works
Multiple studies on team dynamics show that groups meeting face-to-face develop trust quickly and reach high cooperation levels, while email-based teams struggle to build the same trust – unless they have some in-person contact first.
I see this in my own day-to-day. A prospect might respond politely to emails for months, but when I finally sit down with them at their facility or over lunch, the conversation shifts. They share real challenges. They ask questions they’ve been holding back. They start thinking about partnership, not just whether to respond to my latest email.
Here’s why: When we communicate only through text, we lose critical trust-building signals. Body language, facial expressions, tone of voice—these nonverbal cues accelerate trust formation.
Show and Tell
In the print world, this matters enormously. When you consider outsourcing label production to a new trade manufacturer, you’re not just evaluating capabilities. You’re evaluating whether you can trust that supplier with your customer relationships. When I walk potential partners through our facility, introduce them to our production team, and show them our quality control process, I’m not just telling them about our commitment. I’m showing it to them.
I’m not saying to abandon digital communication. Email is essential for follow-up and documentation. Video calls help maintain relationships across distance. But the research shows that even brief in-person contact early in a relationship dramatically improves trust in all subsequent digital interactions.
In practical terms? Invest in that initial face-to-face meeting. Travel to see your key prospects and customers. Attend trade shows not just to work the booth, but to have real conversations over coffee.
The Bottom Line
I’ve closed deals over email. I’ve also watched potential partnerships stall out after months of digital back-and-forth, only to come together in a single lunch meeting.
If you want to build trust and increase the likelihood someone says “yes,” nothing beats showing up in person. In print sales, where relationships are everything and trust is currency, that face-to-face advantage isn’t just nice to have. It’s the gold standard.
Bob Saunders is VP Sales of Wise, Alpharetta, GA. Wise manufacturers industrial/prime labels and tags, traditional forms and digitally printed products and services for resale only. To learn more about prescription pads, visit our prescription pads FAQ or email Bob at [email protected].
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