Coming out from behind the screens

I had a great opportunity to attend the American Craft Spirits Convention and Vendor Trade Show in Pittsburgh yesterday, where I was delighted to meet in person - finally - several people I have interacted with on email and LinkedIn for months, if not years.

What occurred to me in the 5 hour ride home was that I feel that I now have a better connection with these people than I did last week. It isn't that we understand each others' products or services more than before. It isn't that either one of us have proposed a transaction or closed an order, or increased our sales targets because we've met. It's simply that we've shaken hands and made eye contact.

There is so much Procurement in the world. There are so many RFI's. RFP's. Web-based e-auctions. And I get it. When you need to keep prices as competitive as possible for commodities, those tools are invaluable.

When we are buying our paper towels, or ink cartridges, Amazon is awesome. When we need a branded promotional pen for our office, buying online is great! But when we want to create a product that makes a lasting impression on our customers, we need to see it in person. We need to see the delight in the eyes of the people developing it. We need to pass it around, look at the brightness of the colors, the drape of the fabric, the way the light reflects off of it. We need to brainstorm, think big, consider crazy ideas. To create real engagement, we need to engage.

So please, make the phone call, don't just send the email. Go to the show and shake hands with your partners and vendors and suppliers. Have a laugh, learn something you have in common. It isn't a sales strategy, its a success strategy. People matter.

And come see me in Portland at the American Distilling Institute Show https://www.distilling.com/events/annual-spirits-conference/2018-adi-conference-schedule/. I'd love to meet you.