Al, 
 
 
 
Good article and you make a great point. How ironic that at the Inbound Marketing Summit of all places, you were harassed by a sales person...perfectly proving an undcerlying concept of the Conference that tradeshows are less and less effective means for sales people to generate good quality leads...attendees are there to educate themselves on the conference topics, not learn about the sponsor's products.

Great reminder. Regardless of the message that you are trying to get across, common courtesy is always required (especially right before lunch). The Inbound Marketing Summit was a blast. I learned a ton. The rules of sales & marketing are changing QUICKLY and more and more professionals are startting to get it

I think it boils down to the fact that I dislike salespeople who don't care about their prospects' or clients' interests. There's something amazing that happens when you care about people and just try to help them. People listen.

Regardless of your marketing method (i.e. web or trade show), you will not succeed if you are not trained properly. This person was obviously not trained properly. Seth Godin wrote in one of his blogs that we need to get them (potential clients) ready to listen. By using great tools like Hubspot has to offer, you are attracting the people that are ready to listen. It is their key words that you build your SEO strategy around. To learn more, I would highly recommend talking with Pete Caputa (his post is above). 
 
 
 
As a trade show strategist, please send me the company's contact information - they sound like a great lead!

It's interesting that good sales practices and, for that matter, business in general is based on common courtesy and respect for others. Thanks for the reminder.

HI AL, THIS WOMAN IN YOUR ANECDOTE OBVIOUSLY DID NOT UNDERSTAND THE THING KNOWN AS ''PROCESS''. THE ESSENTIAL THING IS NOT WHAT IS BEING DISCUSSED, BUT RATHER HOW THE INDIVIDUALS ARE INTERACTING. WITH THE SIMPLE''DID I CATCH YOU AT A BAD TIME'', THE LISTENER IS AUTOMATICALLY RESPECTED AND SHOWN CONSIDERATION. IT IS A KIND OF PSYCHO-KARATE, IN THAT THE MESSAGE IS A WILLINGNESS TO LISTEN, AND AN IMPLIED HOPE OF THE SAME CONSIDERATION. WHAT I HATE MOST ABOUT POORLY TRAINED OR STUPID SALES PEOPLE IS THAT THEY BEGIN TO MAKE YOUR CHOICES FOR YOU , EVEN WHEN YOU HAVE SAID '' I'LL JUST LOOK AROUND''. MY FATHER USED TO WALK QUICKLY INTO A STORE TO GET WHAT HE NEEDED. A SALESPERSON WOULD QUICKLY INTERCEPT HIM SAYING,''MAY I HELP YOU''. HE RESENTED THIS BEHAVIOR SO MUCH THAT HE WOULD SAY, ''YEAH, GO AHEAD AND HELP ME'', AS HE CONTINUED WALKING QUICKLY AWAY FROM THE IRRITATING SALESPERSON. ONE MUST BE ARMED WITH THE ''ONE-LINERS'' THAT GET RID OF THESE PEOPLE. ROSE MILLER

Rose, thanks for the comments. You reminded me of how I have interacted with sales people that had a canned approach to helping. If they caught me when I was in a playful mood I also had some canned responses which I have listed below. 
 
 
 
Salesperson: May I have your name please? 
 
Me: No, it is mine and given to me by my parents. 
 
 
 
Salesperson: Can you spell your name 
 
Me: Yes 
 
 
 
Salesperson: What was your name? 
 
Me: If you mean before Al Turrisi, I don’t know 
 
 
 
Salesperson: Can I help you? 
 
Me: With what? 
 
 
 
 
 

Al, I have a different slant. Strong marketing programs give sales managers and CEO's a different set of problems. Salespeople that used to have to hunt now have people stopping by their booths, filling out forms on websites, calling for samples, etc. When a salesperson meets one of these prospects, they may have a tendency to believe that they're 'more sold' than they really are. They might take shortcuts. Not develop compelling reasons. Assume that the prospects proximity to the salesperson (real or virual) is an indication of readiness to buy. Sales managers need to take great care when leads are plentiful lest they get a reputation like your lady at lunch.

Rick, I think you are right on the money!

Rich, with all due respect I must disagree. When I came out of the session, I had not given this salesperson any indication I was a prospect or had any interest in her product or service. 
 
 
 
From my point of view she saw me as someone to sell to. I find it totally distasteful when a salesperson sees me as a target for their sale without taking me or my agenda into account. This type of behavior is only in the best interests of the salesperson. If that is their strategy prior to a relationship I can only conclude the context will be the same after the sale.  
 
 
 
When the salesperson sees me as someone they want to support, when they see me as someone they want to assist in achieving my goals, I am open to them and will refer them all day long. 
 
 
 
Peter Caputo from HubSpot is a good example of a salesperson that is there to serve his prospect and client in helping them first. He is not there to sell something. He is there to have his client get to the next level of success. AND, I got that from Peter and the HubSpot team. 
 
 
 
Think about this issue in a totally different industry. You come out of a session at a conference and a doctor is at her booth. As soon as she sees you she is in front of you as you attempt to approach the buffet table. She starts to sell you a gallbladder surgery. Oh and by the way, you have never have been to her office, she does not know if you have the condition of gallbladder disease and has not had a conversation with you about your condition or symptoms. Rich, how would you feel and would you say? 
 

Great conversation starter, Al! 
 
This is really pretty simple. If a salesperson wants an individual's attention, then common sense dictates that first he or she must earn that attention. 
 
You don't get attention by speaking, you get it by asking questions and shutting up. 
 
If an individual responds to the first question, then you can ask another as you move from attention to engagement. It's not so much which question to ask as much as it is the act of asking.