15 Surprising Stats on Networking and Face-to-Face Communication

Now that HubSpot has seven offices and our team spans 10-plus time zones, we meet virtually way more often than in-person. In fact, at the typical meeting half the attendants are on their laptops in random parts of the world, while the other half is sitting together in a conference room.

This might be the new way to work, but it has its disadvantages. Talking in person is extremely powerful. To learn why you should network and meet face-to-face whenever possible, check out these 15 statistics.

Networking Statistics

• Eighty-five percent of jobs are filled through networking
• Seventy-two percent of people say their impressions are impacted by how someone appears and their handshake
• One in four don’t network at all
• 41% of networkers want to network more frequently but don’t have enough time
• 68% of entry-level professionals value face-to-face networking more than online
• Only 11% of LinkedIn users have more than 100 people in their network

Face-to-Face Communication Statistics

• According to one survey, around 9 in 10 people say small meetings are their favorite communication method
• Eighty-three percent of people work remotely at least part of the time
• Seven in 10 millennials say going into the office isn’t necessary
• But 84% of people prefer remote meetings
• Remote meetings generate on average 10.43 ideas, while in-person meetings generate an average of 13.36
• Nearly 100% of people say face-to-face meetings are essential for long-term business relationships
• For every dollar companies invest in travel, they receive $12.50 in value
• The close rate for in-person meetings is 40%
• The average company would lose 17% of its profits if it eliminated business travel