Working the Floor…do or don’t?
Likely the best place (for someone like me) to spot new business is at a trade show. One can see, first hand, what the competition’s doing and which exhibitors need a helping hand. Is it tacky, though, to work the floor during - or even before - the show? I knew someone who would take notes/pictures of crates during the install…thereby noting who was where. He also actively “worked” the exhibitors. Some reacted positively; others were annoyed. The same scenario plays out during the show: exhibitors dotting the list at RSNA, for instance, include Siemens Medical Solutions, Quest Diagnostics, GE and Philips. Big names. The ones you want in your portfolio. Do you contact them after the show or meet n’ greet on the floor…knowing there’s a risk of turning them off? The same can be said for email vs. telephone pitches. Calling a prospect fosters reactive communication and while emailing is contrarily impersonal (and a veritable shot in the dark), it does allow the reader to review at his or her convenience.