I spent last evening checking out a local business networking expo. So many people trying so hard to sell their stuff and ‘get ahead’. So many different stories, products and services.
I saw a lot of tactics designed to draw attention; candy (common), drawings, pretty women (not employees), the stand in the aisle meet and greet, walking the show with flyers, and more.
Pardon the analogy, but it was kind of like a business zoo. Each exhibit was intended to get me to stop and look and learn more. Why did I arc around some and walk right up to others?
It wasn’t just whether the service was something I needed. It was trust. The exhibitors each gave off an energy that superseded all of their tactics. Some energy felt more genuine than others.
The bottom line is that tactics are great, but they should be the details not the main event. The main event is you, what you stand for, why you are there and how it connects to your service.
Are you there to help people or ‘capture them’ as leads. When people avoid you at an event like that, it’s because they are afraid that if they get too close, they’ll get eaten.
