Backyard deer hunting

Engaging passers-by in an interesting way about your product can encourage them to take a photo of it with their Smart Phone and save you money that would otherwise be spend on cards and single-sheet handout materials.

At the International Knife Show in Atlanta, I was exhibiting my knives as well as announcing the publication of my new business book, Create Your Own Job Security: Plan to Start Your Own Business at Midlife.  Because the softcover version of the book was not available at the time of the show, I only had a copy of the book’s cover to represent that product.

A very successful approach was to engage teen and 20-somethings who were walking by with an opening line, “I have something for you.” In almost every one of 50 such approaches, I would attract from one to three people at a time to my booth. Although I was…