So, you're not in politics. Or a lobbyist.

One of the reasons that the yellow pages worked for so many years was that if someone was listed and paid to be in a particular category you knew they were serious about the product or service that they were offering. So while this does not mean that someone has something interesting to say if you are purchasing products or services for your company (or looking for ideas to fund) having someone have some skin in the game and not mass spraying everyone, to me anyway, has benefit.

Added: I was told the other day by a business owner that they received a rc helicopter by UPS the other day, minus the transmitter which the salesman would bring if they would hear his pitch. That's skin in the game obviously they had expense to send out the heli and it shows an additional level of commitment to targeting vs. traditional cold calling or direct mail.