Seems a very logical and good way to go. Decide what features you are looking for, which pins fit the bill, and should be tested on location or during an expo.

What I did to choose my first pin was not as clever. I had a list of two pins (Black hole and Banzai Run) I loved playing at the arcade some decades ago. I started looking for these two and these two only. Even worse, I started looking with Xmas dangerously close. Needless to say, prices were high for BR. Could not find a BH nearby. After 6 months, I decided I needed a pin and found a Spectrum in very good condition. A rare pin with very unusual features I would not have considered otherwise. Still in my collection. Later on, I found one of my holy grails, Banzai Run, and realized it was not as good as I imagined. Sold it after 10 months.