Falling into a Numbers Trap at Trade Shows ?

by Julia O'Connor:

Here’s the Scenario –
There is an attentive attendee in front of you. You two have chatted for a couple of minutes and now he says -

o Sounds good. How much is it ?
o What will the maintenance contract cost me ?
o What are your financing options over 3 years?
o What’s the best deal you can give me ?
o What are the dimensions of these three models?
o Can you up the capacity 14% ?
o How many hydraulic spring return actuator for 3200 psig
do you have in stock ?

WHAT TO DO?
Many folks fluster around if the question is not part of their direct expertise. Maybe you are an engineer but don’t know inventory levels or financing details. Maybe you know those answers but not the intricacies of engineering ABCs. You certainly do not want to look bad, so perhaps you come up with a quick retort or bluff or just lie. You figure maybe he won’t remember what you said, or you will have time to get the right info to him after the show. Chances he will. You will not. On the floor, Numbers may be money, parts identifiers, chemical formulas, shipment documentation, production schedules, or the time to meet for a drink. Numbers float
around and it is easy to fall into a Numbers Trap.

TRY THIS QUICK QUIZ. After you take it, read it out loud to
your fellow staffers. Allow 15 seconds for an answer.

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