<a href="http://twitter.com/#!/shashib" target="_blank">Shashi Bellamkonda</a> from Network Solutions gave the keynote yesterday at <a href="http://wwpr.org/" target="_blank">Washington Women in PR'</a>s annual luncheon. Here is a link to<a href="http://www.networksolutions.com/blog/2011/wwpr-annual-luncheon-keynote-theme-its-all-about-human-relationships/" target="_blank"> his presentation</a>, which is well worth a read if you work in PR and/or social media.  He spoke about the importance of establishing connections, in person when possible. He's absolutely right. Too many people substitute an email or my least favorite, a text, for a phone conversation or an in-person meeting.  I have said it before on this blog but it bears repeating: people do business with people.

Recently, I met David Heyman in person. Up to that time, I knew him on Twitter only as <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/dcborn61" target="_blank">@dcborn61</a>.  We have had breakfast together and chatted. We've also done business. That is the power of connection.

I first met Shashi as @shashib on Twitter too.  I met him in person at a casual Tweet up and have had the fortune of seeing him at many other events since.

Get to know someone better. Go for coffee or a beer. Try to connect in person--you will get to know each other better.

How do you connect?