This is a good topic,I think the old customer more important than the new customer.
As the old customer have placed many orders to you before,and they bring you the chance to help your company earn money and help you to develop in this company better and better.
For the Canton fair,most companies invest a lot money and sales staffs on it, but I always heard from them that this time the Canton fair is not good just got few orders.

of course, "a" is more important, maybe they should take their laptop with them and do both "a" and "b"

I think both are important. but , the point is the way we deal with them at  the same time .

I'm Nancy, comes from Lixian Shuangying Textiles Co.,Ltd which an exporter of various towels. maybe tha cantom fair is not good as we imaged before,

New Business means growth for everyone. BatteryMan

Why not discuss this problem with your supplier ? The way of solve this problem is communication , speak out your unhappy and unsatisfy ,  they will understand it and will serve you better .

 

"a" is not contrary to "b" ! Need the balance 

suppliers treat it as mutally exclusive, that's the problem.

Once they go to the fair, that's it, no more contact for a few weeks.

Now, I get emails left, right and centre from suppliers, sorry I have given my business to someone else already

I think maybe you can be busy at the Canton Fair at daytime and reply your customers at night on e-mail. But of course, you will be tried, just work hard then you will get more.

I can't beleive how lazy you lot are. You rather give away business than do a bit of work at night.

Well don't complain when you don't get any orders.

I think if a company can attend Canton Fair, it shows that this company has the ability to do world business. Everything has two aspects.