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Do you believe in-person sales can build stronger client relationships when done right?
So do I.
Industries like commercial real estate, service providers, and local marketing benefit greatly from face-to-face meetings.
But here's the key: In-person sales work best when paired with digital follow-ups like email, SMS, calls, and virtual meetings.
38% of B2B companies collect prospect contact info through in-person events like trade shows, proving that physical presence still plays a major role in lead generation.
And it’s not going anywhere. Nearly 9 in 10 companies planned to maintain a hybrid sales model (2024), combining in-person connections with digital tools to close more complex deals.
This guide breaks down how to master in-person sales, especially if you’re prospecting local businesses.
Local business owners are busy. They’re juggling operations, staff, and customer service, so when you walk through the door, they don’t want a rehearsed sales pitch.
They want to feel understood.
Start by showing empathy. Mention challenges they likely face, like staffing shortages, seasonal slowdowns, or getting more foot traffic.
Acknowledge those realities, and you’ll instantly build more credibility.
Then, focus on listening, not talking. Most salespeople rush into product features. Don’t be like most salespeople.
Instead, match your communication style to the prospect:
Finally, actively listen. Mirror their body language. Ask open-ended questions. Echo back their concerns to show you’re paying attention.
The best reps never walk into a meeting cold. 82% of top-performing salespeople do research before making contact.
That prep work builds confidence, and it shows the prospect that you're serious.
Before any outreach or visit, use tools like Resquared to gather key info:
When it comes time to pitch, don’t lead with features—lead with outcomes. Business owners aren’t buying software or services; they’re buying solutions to problems.
Try framing it like this:
“Most businesses we work with are struggling with [specific challenge], and we help them [specific result].”
That kind of tailored message shows that you’ve done your homework and positions you as a problem-solver, not just another rep with a product to sell.
Your playbook is your team’s go-to guide before, during, and after meetings. It should include:
In-person sales can feel chaotic without the right systems in place.
That’s why top-performing teams lean on digital tools to bring structure, speed, and strategy to their outreach, especially when juggling multiple meetings and territories.
Start with a CRM like HubSpot or Salesforce to keep your contacts organized, log conversations, and track every deal stage.
Scheduling tools like Calendly or Chili Piper eliminate the back-and-forth of finding meeting times and let prospects book directly into your calendar.
For live coaching and better meeting performance, platforms like Gong offer insights into conversations and help you refine your pitch based on real data.
One tool built specifically for local, in-person prospecting is Resquared.
It gives you access to over 12 million local businesses, helping you quickly filter and identify prospects by industry, location, or business type.
You can launch personalized email campaigns, track engagement, and automate your follow-ups—all in one place.
"We just had our best sales month ever, and I need to thank Resquared and their customer success team. We've seen a 20-30% growth compared to the previous month."
— Mike Stewart, Founder at Rise Local
If your sales strategy involves meeting prospects face-to-face, platforms like Resquared turn manual prospecting into a repeatable, data-driven process.
It’s how sales teams scale without losing personal touch.
In-person meetings are powerful, but they’re even more effective when backed by smart digital outreach.
Starting with email campaigns lets you gauge interest, warm up prospects, and focus your in-person efforts where they’ll count most.
Let’s say you’re targeting a specific neighborhood or zip code. You can launch a cold email campaign to local businesses in that area using a platform like Resquared.
Once the campaign goes out, track who opened the emails multiple times or replied with interest. These are your most engaged leads.
Instead of knocking on every door, you now have a filtered list of businesses to prioritize.
Reach out to schedule an in-person meeting with those who engaged. If they don’t respond, that’s your cue to show up in person and make a follow-up call.
This hybrid approach helps you work smarter, not harder.
Objections are not rejections; they’re a sign that someone’s seriously considering your offer.
If they bring up the price, reframe the conversation around long-term value. Talk about the ROI, the time saved, or how other businesses like theirs saw growth or new customers after working with you.
If you sense a lack of trust, share stories. Mention other local businesses you’ve helped, drop a relevant testimonial, or explain how your team supports clients after the deal closes.
People trust people like them, so the more relatable your proof, the better.
If they’re worried about the work involved, break it down. Show how simple the onboarding process is, what your team handles, and how little time it takes on their end.
Make it feel easy, not like another item on their to-do list.
Remember: Objections aren’t roadblocks. They’re opportunities to show you’re listening
Meetings take time and resources, so your follow-up should never be an afterthought. Use these strategies:
For example:
"Here’s a quick summary of what we discussed. If you’re ready to move forward, we can have your campaign live by next week."
In-person sales will always have an edge because people buy from people.
When you combine personal connection with smart tech and proven systems, you don’t just close deals, you build relationships that last.
Want help finding the right local leads and building your outreach plan? Try Resquared.
