Are Trade Shows a thing of the past?

[tony404]

Originally Posted by Toby

Tony, I have to disagree. There are just some things that are more effectively handled face to face where each person can see the facial expressions, body language etc. of the person they're talking with. Also, there are things that are said face to face that just wouldn't be mentioned via email, ICQ or over the phone. Maybe I'm a bit old school in this regard, but being able to look someone in the eye as you shake their hand goes a long way to establishing a trust factor.

In my case, as strictly an affiliate webmaster, being at the shows demonstrates I'm not some surfmaster wannabe living in Mom's basement doing this on the side.

Also, as I've mentioned in the past. Shows for me isn't strictly about doing business. I also get some new perspectives and some fresh ideas just from the interaction with others that you just don't get from boards or other online communication.

You really should watch Liz work a show just once. She'll talk to more people before lunch on the first day than I will during the whole show. If she didn't bring in enough new and additional business to justify the cost of sending her to shows I'm sure AEBN would have stopped sending her ages ago. They've never been one of those companies that toss money around wildly just to make a splash.

I placed boardroom level executives as a head hunter and never met anyone it was all on the phone. One of my biggest clients who paid over $100k in fees to this day I dont know what he looks like. and I found him making cold calls from a directory.I can tell you about face to face at webmaster access atl the ceo ibill shook my hand and looked me straight in the eye and told me I was with a winner.