Demos and Samples – Are your demo units showing up on Pawn Stars? I believe in demonstrations.  I trust that samples placed in our customer’s hot little hands still plays a part in selling.  In an age of internet everything, one critical difference between the well versed knowledge-based salesperson and the web-only competitor is a customized demonstration.  I love demo units.  But, most distributors do a poor job with demo units. Why do I say this?  First, conversations with dozens of distributors reveals massive investments in samples and demos.  It’s not uncommon for even a small sized distributor to have $50,000 tied up in demo equipment.   Secondly, I have visited the storage spaces where demo units are held.  Many could best be described as massive heaps of scuffed cases, dusty products and mangled wires.   A good many have been robbed of parts; rendering them all but useless to any sales activity....