Why it matters to be seen if you run a business

Anyone in business will tell you that, despite the rapid advances in communications technology, face-to-face contact remains the best way of bringing in new contracts and retaining existing ones.

For many businesspeople, the place to do that is conferences, exhibitions and trade shows: humans still have a fundamental need to look each other in the eye when communicating.

Flexible and efficient as it is, the Internet simply cannot satisfy that basic requirement and many people like to do their business face to face at such events.

Events are also excellent because they offer companies the chance to present their wares in a way which encourages visitors to spend a little time browsing through the material on offer. In an increasingly fast-paced world, having the chance to take a little time is invaluable.

That initial interest in your products and services can, in turn, allow for conversations to start, relationships to develop and deals to be struck, either on the spot or in follow-up meetings after the all-important exchange of cards.

Many a longstanding business relationship started with a chance meeting at a conference.