In the past and currently I have set up user groups events and roundtable meetings where a group of partners come together to discuss business with the manufacturer and offer adivce and input.

These are both affective ways to get facetime with your clients and gathering business intelligence. Will the prevalence of social media do away with these tools? I for one hope not.

Well actually, there are many companies that are currently either doing this already or are searching/vetting for the right vendor to provide these services. Communispace does something similar but for consumers but I have discovered other vendors that does it for B2B clients. http://www.communispace.com/

Well actually, there are many companies that are currently either doing this already or are searching/vetting for the right vendor to provide these services. Communispace does something similar but for consumers but I have discovered other vendors that does it for B2B clients. http://www.communispace.com/

The communispace idea is compelling but I think that if we keep pushing more and more of our interactions with our customers and partners into cyberspace we are going to lose another aspect of personal interaction that is vital to doing business. I guess I am old school.

I totally agree. The missing factor is the non-verbal communication. Sales people definitely tap to this to make their sales.

I totally agree. The missing factor is the non-verbal communication. Sales people definitely tap to this to make their sales.

And beyond the non-verbal communication there is something else that is lacking, not only in gotomeeting sessions but in all aspects of online communities is the simple act of shaking someone's hand and looking them in the eye when an agreement is made. There is an old saying that "A man's word is his bond" that I would hate to see morph into "A man's emoticon is his bond!"

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