It’s a metaphor at Stern And Company for simple courtesy. We’re frequently approached by prospects to visit and determine whether or not we’ll work together. We always follow up those meetings with a brief proposal (For obvious reasons, we have a policy that precludes providing comprehensive strategies and programs prior to engagement).
We always follow up the transmittal of those proposals, of course, with a telephone call. In two recent cases, both rather interesting enterprises and solid news and feature topics, those calls were never returned. Now, it’s not that we minded that we were not retained (“lack of fit,” fee structure, and so forth), but we do believe in those simple courtesies. More frequently than not they pay significant dividends for those who feel similarly so, especially in challenging economic environments.
Ironically, a local reporter called today and asked if we had any ideas for a “Nevadan at Work.” We frequently get this sort of call and always have ideas for this high profile feature. Those two prospects were in that idea bank, not having heard from them (and again, the “up or down” vote wouldn’t have mattered), we just recommended an interesting local entrepreneur who owns a tropical fish and aquarium store.
In purely mercenary terms, not exercising simple courtesy cost two businesses what’s frequently been calculated at between $7,500 and $10,000 in extraordinary positive publicity.
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