I know folks who are involved the "table work" in NYC, and what matters most to them is the numbers (no surprise). They might place 80 books a day and 100 magazines. This is impressive to them, they're getting the word out, at least that's what they believe.
I told them Wow, that's pretty impressive! But how many bible studies have been started that have progressed to the point of baptism in the past 2 years of your congregation doing this?
Answer: none.
So in hte end, thousands of hours have been spent, tens of thousands of pieces of literature have been placed, hundreds of conversations have occured (yes, some New Yorkers do stop and talk. But more often than not they are quite on "the fringe" if you catch my drift) and in the end, the final result is: 0.