The Rules are Different Here

Negotiating from Strength?

Imagine yourself in this scene: A non-descript conference room in any media property in Florida. It could be a newspaper, radio station or TV station. Warm coffee in styrofoam cups. Donut crumbs on the conference table from the morning sales meeting. A piece of 8.5 X 11 paper on the floor next to the fax machine. A broken pencil on the windowsill…

There are five people sitting around the table. Client, ad agency rep and media team. For whatever reason, someone makes a remark about the client needing to protect herself from potentially violent competitors. “I carry a gun” she says matter-of-factly… The conversation then briefly veers off to a discussion of guns and it turns out that 3 of the five people are carrying concealed weapons in their purse or briefcase at that very minute. Apparently, advertising in Florida really is a cutthroat business.