how to lose a prospect in thirty minutes.

Here's a shining example of ugly PR:

About a year ago, I was working for an organization that put out RFPs for a new advertising agency. After wading through the submissions, we narrowed it down to four firms: our current one and three equally well-respected local agencies.

All the pitch meetings were held back-to-back with time in between each for our committee to huddle and compare notes. Each team came in well prepared, eager to work with us and eager to share with us a strategy for marketing our organization (a membership organization). Well, all but one. Their pitch felt sloppy, hackneyed, unprepared and totally devoid of any understanding of what we do. It was embarrassing, honestly, to sit through a meeting with two people who seemed like they were just pulled out of another meeting to wing it with us.

Needless to say, we chose to not work with that firm. The only thing they did for us was give us a half hour of pure laughter after they left. In 30 short minutes, they went from a shining star to the bottom of the pile. In fact, they lost us moments after 'hello'.

What was most puzzling about their pitch is it didn't match the RFP they submitted. Their product was top notch.

I don't know how that firm is doing today, but I promise you I'll never forget them.

And I'll never work with them.

Take that to the bank.

So what's the takeaway? Simple: don't half-ass the pitch meeting, preparation, research or expectations.