I do have clients on the West Coast and we had lengthy phone calls to build trust. If they hire the wrong person, they can lose as much as millions of dollars. Therefore, I’ve got to personalize the contracting process as much as possible.

Talk to people in forums, youtube, social media, e-mail…if they know you, they’ll come to you first since there is a connection. My area is low in businesses, so that’s not an option for me. But I know how to build a relationship and how to please a client that’s worth my time, so I can make social media and forums work for me. Essentially just get to know people….ask them what they do for a living and learn who they are. Once they find out who you are, they won’t hesitate to hire you.

I agree with Gary and others that meeting in person — as I finally did last week with someone for whom I’d been blogging for three months, weekly — can really push your relationship to a totally new level.

If you hit it off! If you’re funny and charming and present yourself well, I think a face to face meeting can change the game. If you’re not, remaining more hidden is probably wise.

I’m better face to face than through email and I dislike the phone; only over a meeting face to face, when practical, can you get a true feeling for the person you are working with. But I agree that it can backfire; my meeting was with someone half my age and I had dressed quite formally, which I thought might be too much — but he was very well dressed so this likely put him at ease. I really enjoy meeting new people and that energy infuses my meetings.