opinion

Nothing Beats In-Person Meetups for B2B Deals

Nothing Beats In-Person Meetups for B2B Deals

I’m writing this article from seat 5F. The window. It’s sunny where I’m taking off and it will be cloudy where I land. I’ve packed a jacket but no skis (would have been fun but this is a work trip). I’m on the road again for face-to-face meetings.

That’s me. You? You work in an internet business. Why else would you be reading this article in this particular magazine? You may also be someone who travels a lot (or if not you, then certainly someone in your company is often traveling).

Why is the expense and time of being face-to-face still necessary? Shouldn’t our reports, our endless chats and our video conferences be enough? Nope. We still need to meet people face-to-face.

The promise of the internet was that we could reach the world instantly. That the world would come to us. We wouldn’t have to leave our hometowns.

Today we consume and produce more information than ever. Why is the expense and time of being face-to-face still necessary? Shouldn’t our reports, our endless chats and our video conferences be enough?

Nope. We still need to meet people face-to-face.

I’ll probably being seeing you soon, reader. Because, in the near future, you (or someone from your team) will also get in a plane to go somewhere and we will meet up.

In December, my executive team spent two days face-to-face with one of the top executive coaches in the world. I had recommended that we do it by video (easier to schedule, cheaper, lots of my team members are all over the world anyway). He’s based in Chicago. The meeting happened in Europe.

Over the course of the two days he facilitated discussions about our company’s future. We talked about what we do, why we do it and how we do it. We developed ways to improve each of those things. We have a big vision for ourselves and for our company. We’ll be incorporating these changes over the course of 2018 and beyond.

The two days were intense. Each of us faced uncomfortable facts. We explored the reality of our company and ourselves. They were things that we normally don’t discuss because of fear. There were truths we had hid and missed opportunities for growth.

Could it have happened remotely? Yes. It could have. But it would have been much less powerful. Maybe we would have gotten 30 percent of what we produced with most of us sitting in a room together face-to-face. The things that needed to be communicated would have stayed below the surface.

Since face-to-face meetings are necessary for us to meet our goals, then how do we get the most out of them? How do we get the highest return on investment (ROI)?

There are three key tools or “technologies.” We use all of them at the one-day, face-to-face event we run with XBIZ called the Paysite Meetup. Check out PaysiteMeetup.com to attend one.

First, focus on high quality information. Most of what we get (and give) in this industry is Low Quality Information. It’s practically useless. We all complain about it. But we all participate in it. How did we change it at the Paysite Meetup?

It helps to accept that we have “monkey minds.” Our thoughts are electrical/physical activities that occur randomly. They’re a jumble. At Paysite Meetup we accept that reality. We organize those thoughts into meaningful information. We do that using a tool called Ideal State Action Planning (ISAP).

Tool #1: Ideal State Action Planning (ISAP)

The ISAP came out of work some engineers did in the 1970s on information processing. We create three categories: Present, Pathways and Ideal. Everything we talk about goes into one of those three categories. At the end of the conversation we have a map of our thinking about where we are, where we want to go and how we want to get there.

It’s a tool that I learned from some of the most successful people I know in business. It’s no surprise that many people who have attended Paysite Meetups are now using this tool in their own businesses and conversations with partners. It works.

Tool #2: Information Saturation

The next step for getting high quality information is to get to information saturation. This is the point where you know the answer to 80 percent of the questions you ask. 100 percent isn’t the goal. Just that you know the other person’s thinking well enough to accurately predict what they are going to say about the topic you are discussing four out of five times. Until you’ve reached this point you have low quality information ... you haven’t really grokked what the other person has to share with you. Your job isn’t done.

Tool #3: Integrated Information

You are also looking for integrated information. You don’t want some casual response or some partial information that may turn out unreliable or not true.

You can see that you have integrated information by observing eye movements. You want to get visually, kinesthetically and emotionally integrated information. You get this by asking questions and observing eye movements. Do the eyes go up? Are they in the middle? Do they go down? Eye movements reflect different types of information recall and processing. Just one direction (up for example) is not enough for you to have gotten integrated information on the topic at hand. These concepts were first developed in neuro linguistic programming (NLP).

When we say that everyone in his industry talks a lot of bullshit, we’re right. Everyone everywhere talks a lot of bullshit. It’s your job to sort through it to get to “high quality information.” The best way to do that in person is to use ISAP, information saturation and information integration.

To use all three tools you need to learn how to create safe conversations. They happen at the Paysite Meetup. In fact, that’s the big secret. People feel safe to share. They know they will be listened to by others. And they know they will learn from other people who are doing the same thing. Without safety, none of this will work. The best book I’ve read on creating safe spaces for conversations is “Crucial Conversations.”

When people tell me “that’s the best meeting I’ve had in the last X years” they mean it. And it happened because we were together, face-to-face, in a way that maximized each other’s ROI.

Use these tools to get the most out of your face-to-face meetings going forward. Don’t keep wondering if you should have just stayed home and saved the time, money and hassle. Use these three “technologies” in a safe environment to get what all of our other communication tech just can’t provide.

Looks like we are landing now. The flight attendant just told me to fold my tray table and close my laptop. See you soon!

Mitch Platt is co-founder of Vendo, which uses artificial intelligence to power its billing platform that allows merchants to continuously improve and grow their businesses.

Related:  

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More Articles

opinion

WIA Profile: Lainie Speiser

With her fiery red hair, thick-framed glasses and a laugh that practically hugs you, Lainie Speiser is impossible to miss. Having repped some of adult’s biggest stars during her 30-plus years in the business, the veteran publicist is also a treasure trove of tales dating back to the days when print was king and social media not even a glimmer in the industry’s eye.

Women in Adult ·
opinion

Fighting Back Against AI-Fueled Fake Takedown Notices

The digital landscape is increasingly being shaped by artificial intelligence, and while AI offers immense potential, it’s also being weaponized. One disturbing trend that directly impacts adult businesses is AI-powered “DMCA takedown services” generating a flood of fraudulent Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) notices.

Corey D. Silverstein ·
opinion

Building Seamless Checkout Flows for High-Risk Merchants

For high-risk merchants such as adult businesses, crypto payments are no longer just a backup plan — they’re fast becoming a first choice. More and more businesses are embracing Bitcoin and other digital currencies for consumer transactions.

Jonathan Corona ·
opinion

What the New SCOTUS Ruling Means for AV Laws and Free Speech

On June 27, 2025, the United States Supreme Court handed down its landmark decision in Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton, upholding Texas’ age verification law in the face of a constitutional challenge and setting a new precedent that bolsters similar laws around the country.

Lawrence G. Walters ·
opinion

What You Need to Know Before Relocating Your Adult Business Abroad

Over the last several months, a noticeable trend has emerged: several of our U.S.-based merchants have decided to “pick up shop” and relocate to European countries. On the surface, this sounds idyllic. I imagine some of my favorite clients sipping coffee or wine at sidewalk cafés, embracing a slower pace of life.

Cathy Beardsley ·
profile

WIA Profile: Salima

When Salima first entered the adult space in her mid-20s, becoming a power player wasn’t even on her radar. She was simply looking to learn. Over the years, however, her instinct for strategy, trust in her teams and commitment to creator-first innovation led her from the trade show floor to the executive suite.

Women in Adult ·
opinion

How the Interstate Obscenity Definition Act Could Impact Adult Businesses

Congress is considering a bill that would change the well-settled definition of obscenity and create extensive new risks for the adult industry. The Interstate Obscenity Definition Act, introduced by Sen. Mike Lee, makes a mockery of the First Amendment and should be roundly rejected.

Lawrence G. Walters ·
opinion

What US Sites Need to Know About UK's Online Safety Act

In a high-risk space like the adult industry, overlooking or ignoring ever-changing rules and regulations can cost you dearly. In the United Kingdom, significant change has now arrived in the form of the Online Safety Act — and failure to comply with its requirements could cost merchants millions of dollars in fines.

Cathy Beardsley ·
opinion

Understanding the MATCH List and How to Avoid Getting Blacklisted

Business is booming, sales are steady and your customer base is growing. Everything seems to be running smoothly — until suddenly, Stripe pulls the plug. With one cold, automated email, your payment processing is shut down. No warning, no explanation.

Jonathan Corona ·
profile

WIA Profile: Leah Koons

If you’ve been to an industry event lately, odds are you’ve heard Leah Koons even before you’ve seen her. As Fansly’s director of marketing, Koons helps steer one of the fastest-growing creator platforms on the web.

Women in Adult ·
Show More