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Web video conferences, telebridge technology, email, and virtual meetings have their place.  They can aid in efficiency and reduce costs; however, when it comes to company retreats, summits, training programs, product launches, or significant business deals, face-to-face interaction does more than create cash flow. Face-to-face meetings foster better business relationships and also help generate financial gain.  In fact, studies show that face-to-face meetings have benefits that far outweigh those of their high-technology counterparts.

Here are 15 reasons why in-person meetings are vital to an organization’s overall success:

  1. 99% of executives believe that face-to-face meetings have helped them grow in their careers. (1)
  2. Executives agree that in-person interaction improves team engagement by 94%, collaboration by 91%, professional development by 88%, and productivity by 84%. (1)
  3. 85% of executives state that face-to-face meetings are more effective than virtual meetings and teleconference options. (4)
  4. 92% of executives plan to invest as much, if not more, this year in face-to-face meetings, conferences, and other events as they did last year. (1)
  5. Eight out of ten executives prefer face-to-face meetings over virtual meetings and teleconferences. 85% believe in-person conferences and meetings build stronger, more meaningful relationships.  75% state that in-person events allow for more social interaction and bonding with coworkers, clients, and networking, and nearly half believe in-person meetings and conferences allow for more complex thinking. (5)
  6. Four in five executives who attended a face-to-face meeting, conference, or event believe that the meeting would not have been as successful if it were held over any form of media, such as video chat, email, or conference call. (1)
  7. When asked about what method provided the best outcome or success, face-to-face meetings were consistently cited by executives. Leadership (87%), engagement (85%), inspiration (85%), decision making (82%), brainstorming (73%), strategy (73%). (5)
  8. 86% of executives state that networking is best done face-to-face. (1)
  9. 93% of executives say meeting in person increases their likelihood of closing deals. (1)
  10. Face-to-face meetings were 34 times more successful than emails in getting positive responses. (3)
  11. 97% of executives say face-to-face meetings earn a return on investment, and 53% say it is a great return (1)
  12. Face-to-face meetings ranked at 82% as one of the highest investments executives make for their business. (1)
  13. When measuring professional development, 95% of executives believe actively holding in-person client meetings is vital. 93% believe continuous training and education are essential for growth, and 86% believe industry conferences are very important to professional development. (1)
  14. 81% of planners, marketers, and executives believe their meetings and events are effective in driving revenue, increasing leads, building awareness, and are worth the cost. (2)
  15. 64% of executives cited being able to combine business and personal travel as a value-added benefit of face-to-face meetings. (2)

Are you planning a corporate meeting?  Contact Gavel International to learn more about how we can help you with our outsourced meeting planning programs.

SOURCES:

1. http://www.meetingsmeanbusiness.com/sites/default/files/MMB%20Business%20Leaders%20Survey%20Key%20Findings.pdf
2. https://www.cvent.com/sites/default/files/files/2018-04/2nd-annual-global-event-industry-benchmarks-study.pdf
3. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S002210311630292X
4. https://www.meetingstoday.com/magazines/article-details/articleid/32153/title/proving-the-value-of-face-to-face-meetings
5. https://images.forbes.com/forbesinsights/StudyPDFs/Business_Meetings_FaceToFace.pdf

This article was last updated on June 11, 2025

Eloisa Mendez
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