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The Nature of Selling AI Products and Platforms
Everyone is ignoring the elephant in the room
I’m finishing my first in-person mega convention in Florida in two years. I’m here to tell you everything about conventions and selling has changed. It feels like a major structural shift happened over the past two years and many people are stuck.
I understand the need for us humans to socialize. We like to get together in places, eat, laugh, and feel part of a group. After the COVID pandemic, I expected the convention to be at capacity and standing room only.
The problem with AI-related products is that one size doesn’t work at all
Attendance at the event was roughly 50% of its peak when I was there last in 2019. Our booth traffic was steady but questions and discussions were succinct and targeted. They always ended with a “let’s follow up on Zoom.”
People were still hesitant to interact too much with people. The convention dropped the mask mandate a day before it began, so I understand the caution. Still, the nature of direct face-to-face selling has changed after COVID.
Part of that reason is working from home (WFH). People would rather get on a video conference instead of traveling. Granted, you want to do…
