Editors note: I asked San Diego's master networker his thoughts on the future of personal networking. I decided his ideas needed to be heard. Please welcome my guest blogger, Toby Leflang. Never before in history has, “In-Person Networking”, evolved into something so critical and paramount in establishing relationships that make a difference in business success. Businesses & the people that make up the businesses have so many choices today on who they can do business with.  Because of the evolution of technology with the internet and the wide variety of data that is being collected on almost everyone and everything, decision makers can shop almost every aspect of their needs.  Knowing that almost anything can be shopped, what sets apart the options and can make a huge difference is basic relationships.  Price is not always everything as common wisdom may intuitively know, so how do companies get their products and services communicated other than the traditional avenues?  Businesses get heard with passion through networking and building trust and personal equity that is impossible to communicate via traditional advertising.  The other factor that makes a difference for success is, all things equal, who would your rather do business with, someone you know & trust, or a stranger?  Not a tough question. I have never seen so many Meet-Up groups and networking organizations spring up across the world from BNI to Exceptional Entrepreneurs, the world is networking like crazy.  Trade Shows and media blasts are not enough anymore because isolated markets and buyers are not isolated anymore with a few clicks of the key on their computers.  People still count & in a high tech world, now more than ever. Technology can play a part in relationships with, Join.me, hook ups and blogs, but I believe it is that person to person networking that's still the most effective means to establishing that long term relationship.  Once trust is established price becomes less important over the long term because dependability & accountability is priceless.