If you live or work in a big city, you’ve surely encountered people who are paid to give out flyers or product samples to passers-by. But what amazes me about these street promoters is how much effort they waste on people who are the least likely to even look their way. Here are some signs that a given person isn’t worth pursuing:

– You’re selling tourist services like bus tours, and the person walking by is wearing a suit. This indicates they’re probably local, since tourists tend to dress, um, casually at best.

– It’s unexpectedly warm or cold, and the person is dressed totally wrong for the occasion. Chances are, the only thing on their mind is getting indoors or back home to fix that imbalance.

And my personal favorite:

– The person walking by is carrying a cooler, grocery store bag, or other parcel indicating there are perishable foods inside. Typically, when I’m carrying refrigerated items home, I’m not exactly a great candidate to stop and check out the latest sale on random crap, hop on a boat tour, etc.

I doubt that very many street promoters spend any time refining their craft, since it seems like a job that someone can only do for a short while before going crazy. But if there’s a few dedicated individuals out there, perhaps these tips can help them target their audience a little more effectively.