I recently tried an old-school business development technique called a sales blitz. It is a type of roadshow with a focus on in-person sales meetings. It is a nice change of pace to the daily Zoom routine. And more productive than you might think.

The case for in-person meetings. In general, I believe people miss human interactions. We are born with an innate need to be with others. There is a non-verbal language that is lacking with remote meetings. Face-to-face interactions promote positive energy resulting in healthier relationships. Or the meeting sucks, and you know exactly where you stand.

The sales blitz is an in-person effort in a particular location over a few days in which you book as many F2F meetings as possible. Here is my playbook.

• Pick a city where you have at least 20 grade A contacts.

• Build a broader list of contacts, prospects, and past and current clients.

• Reach out individually and create a meet-up event.

• Keep the messages simple and personal. For example, "I'm in New York during these (dates); let's grab a coffee and catch up. Also, I'm having a small meet-up at (location) with some outstanding professionals in the area. Are you open on this (date)?"

• Follow up with a professional invite and a reminder.

• Have a minimum number of meetings that make the trip worth it, say 15. If you cannot book that threshold, cancel the trip and event and switch the individual sessions to remote.

• Suppose you have a sales team, even better. Hit the city together and add some in-person drop-bys to the mix, depending on the industry. Blitzing with a sales team is a great way to share techniques and improve team dynamics.

The sales blitz is not without risk. There are travel, planning, and event costs. Meeting in person is a considerable time commitment. And last-minute meeting cancellations/changes in a city you are unfamiliar with are exhausting.

However, executed well, the sales blitz is worth it. In-person meetings/events create a space to provide and share value. A meet-up, in particular, is a meaningful approach to building a community. By introducing and facilitating discussion, you are driving credibility with prospects and re-engaging with clients.

Be careful not to be too pushy. Keep the conversations organic in the first meeting or at the meet-up. Listen and participate in the discussions without a set agenda but take mental notes of challenges or issues the prospect is experiencing. This knowledge enhances preparation for a follow-up meeting.

I hope this simple concept is helpful. Don't get me wrong; I appreciate the productivity and efficiency of remote meetings. But the counterweight of F2F provides some needed human balance, at least for me.

Thoughts?