Jon Henbest and Michael Gummel were manning the booth for Paradigm Technology Consulting earlier this week at the ReNew Jersey Business Summit & Expo, eager to talk to any or all of the approximately 1,000 members of the business community about their services.
They were confident they wouldn’t convert a single customer by the end of the event.
And that was OK.
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Henbest and Gummel — part of more than 50 vendors at the event — were playing the long game in business development.
Allentown-based Paradigm Technology Consulting is an IT and business consulting firm that helps organizations improve operations by implementing and supporting ERP systems, custom software and managed technology solutions.
Hiring Paradigm is never a snap decision.
But when it comes time to consider a new provider, Henbest and Gummel are hoping a few minutes at an expo is the first step to a relationship.
Henbest, the president, said the expo helps the company gain name recognition.
“Our business is about timing,” he said. “It’s not one of those things where somebody’s going to wake up in the morning and say, ‘I think I need a new IT system or a new ERP system today. I’ve got to get it by noon. I’ll go pick one up.’
Gummel, the VP of business development and client success, agreed.
“Our goal is to remain top of mind,” he said. “So, when a company realizes six months from now that they need some help, they’ll say, ‘I remember we met those guys from Paradigm at a show, let’s give them a call.’”
Henbest and Gummel are confident their plan will work. History says it will.
It’s why Paradigm has been a State Chamber member for years. It’s why they each have worked there for more than two decades.
“We know we have superior services,” Henbest said. “We just don’t know when a client will realize they are needed. But when they do, we’re ready.”
