Why In-Person Business Connection Matters Again in 2026

How social platforms reshaped trust, why “random internet intros” now stall, and how face-to-face meetings restore signal in a noisy economy

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With all the promise of connecting folks from vastly different backgrounds and/or geographical locations, and a great deal has been accomplished in the positive column, the internet, and even more specifically social media, has also introduced a lot of angst and mistrust into the marketplace. In the early days of social media, if we are all being honest with ourselves and each other, it was not unheard of to find a business partner or co-founder by way of a simple DM sent to you, or perhaps you sent one or two out: “Hey, I saw your post about your new company, and I think we could collaborate and work together.” Then, after a few messages back and forth, y’all would find yourselves in a coffee shop hashing out your plans to take over your chosen niche.

Then COVID happened, and one thing led to another, and let’s just say folks became a bit more weary of random internet intros, the very thing social media, specifically platforms like LinkedIn, were built to do. You don’t believe me? How many unanswered direct messages do you have sitting in your inbox right now, and what’s the reason for not talking to these folks? Ah, I don’t know… looks kinda shady, right? Ok then.

So, we are all on these platforms to connect, but yet we are super weary about connecting with folks we don’t know. Now, by “connect,” I am speaking strictly in the business sense. So this is why in 2026, it is important to try to connect with folks in person. Heck, this will give you an advantage over your competition since everyone seems to have gotten weird about face-to-face interactions, and the agoraphobes are pretending they don’t have an issue.

It is time to want to meet with potential business partners, clients, associates, etc. Sure, we can still connect online, initially, but quickly ask to meet them in person, to let your personality, your greatest asset, shine. Go out and have pointless coffee meetings, which is meetings with folks just to meet them, with no specific pitch in mind. Lord knows I have done a bunch of those, and those pointless meetings lead to insights, breakthroughs, and yes, friendships. For my Gen-Z-ers, a friend is someone you hang out with, talk to, and go to places with, not for collabs or clout, but just because you like them.

The first time I realized the DM era was over

It wasn’t some big announcement. Nobody sent a memo that said, “Hello everyone, trust is canceled.” It was smaller than that. It was the moment I caught myself doing the same thing I used to complain about: ignoring a perfectly normal message.

Not because the person did anything wrong.

Not because I’m above talking to people. But because my brain did that little risk calculation in the background: Do I have time for this? Is this real? Is this a pitch? Is this going to turn into ten messages and a calendar link? And that’s when it clicked. The inbox changed the way we all behave.

The new reality: your inbox is a triage unit

In the early days, DMs felt like conversations. Now they feel like intake forms. You’re not reading a message. You’re scanning it for danger, for vagueness, for a script, for the moment where they reveal what they really want. That’s why even good people get ignored. The environment trained everyone to sort fast.

So the problem isn’t that people stopped wanting relationships. The problem is that people stopped trusting the process.

What actually builds trust fast

This is where most advice gets lazy. People say “build trust” like it’s a motivational poster. Trust, in business, usually comes from three things:

1. clarity

2. consistency

3. shared context

Online, you can get clarity sometimes. Consistency takes forever. Shared context is hard because everything is filtered. In person, all three move faster. You don’t need months of messages to know if somebody is serious. You can tell in one conversation if they can explain what they do, if their story matches their actions, and if they respect your time.

The point of “pointless” coffee meetings

Now let’s talk about the so-called pointless coffee meeting, because it’s only pointless if you’re expecting it to behave like a sales call. A coffee meeting with no pitch is not designed to “close.” It’s designed to reveal:

• whether the person is credible

• whether the connection is worth a second conversation

• whether there’s overlap you didn’t see online

• whether they know people you should know

• whether you enjoy talking to them enough to build something over time

That’s not fluff. That’s research. That’s due diligence. That’s how adult relationships form, business or otherwise.

The one rule that makes this work

Here’s the rule: don’t let online be the relationship. Let it be the introduction.

So yes, connect online, initially. But quickly ask to meet in person. Not after three weeks of messages. Not after the conversation dies. Early.

Because early is when curiosity is alive, and curiosity is when people are most open.

How to ask without sounding like a weirdo

Keep it short. Low pressure. Specific.

• “If you’re local, want to do 20 minutes in person next week? No pitch, just conversation.”

• “This feels easier to talk through face-to-face. Coffee near your office sometime next week?”

• “You seem sharp. I’d love to meet and compare notes.”

That’s it. You’re not proposing marriage. You’re proposing a conversation.

What you do in the meeting

You don’t need a deck. You don’t need to perform. You need to be present.

The best coffee meetings usually follow a simple rhythm:

• What are you working on right now?

• What’s the problem you’re trying to solve?

• What would make the next 90 days a win?

• What kind of help would actually matter?

If there’s something there, it’ll show. If there isn’t, you’ve still collected useful information and maybe a real human connection.

In 2026, the advantage is not that you’re on LinkedIn. Everybody is on LinkedIn.

The advantage is that you’re willing to meet in person, early, without forcing a pitch, and let your personality do what it’s supposed to do: make people feel like you’re real.

Just launched your new business and need resources to ace direct marketing at lower costs with higher ROI?

Check out Salesfully’s course, Mastering Sales Fundamentals for Long-Term Success, designed to help you attract new customers efficiently and affordably.

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