How much does IRL engagement with your users play into your GTM strategy?

I’ve always operated under the practice that engaging with your first 1,000 users personally gives you the greatest opportunity to learn as you develop and launch. Adding to that, I spent 10+ years in experiential and see the value in that being an integrated part of a marketing strategy. That said, getting people to engage in person isn’t a guarantee anymore given lingering PTSD from COVID. How are you all thinking about it?