Meetings: more than three’s a crowd

It seems straightforward enough. I arrange with PR firm to meet with one of their clients (because I think it’s going to be relevant to what I’m doing) and agree on venue and time. Venue could be either PR’s offices or, preferably, somewhere else that’s quiet and you can get a coffee or - if everyone’s up for it - a beer; basically anyplace that is not where I work and is within easy reach. (One reason for agreeing to meetings in the first place is to get out of the office.)

So far, so good. When I arrive at the meeting, the only person I want to speak to is the one I intend to quote. I don’t particularly want the PR account manager to be there but I realise he/she has a job to do as well: check what the client is saying; follow up on any unanswered questions; appear to be busy; and, it has to be said, pick up the tab. No problem. Fine.

What I don’t want to see on my arrival at the meeting, particularly when an alcoholic beverage is not on the agenda, is a crowd scene worthy of Ben Hur.

For a start, it’s not a good idea to have more than one account manager there. It’s highly unlikely anyway, Bad PR, that this trick alone will convince the client you’re channelling lots of resources towards them and giving them their money’s worth. All it does is make the senior exec even more reticent to speak freely if there’s more than one PR scribbling feverishly on their notepads. This then diminishes the prospects of editorial coverage.

The problem is made worse when the in-house PR bod (or bods) are also in attendance. Throw into the meeting the junior management team as well, who are keeping the senior exec company on his trip abroad, and the whole thing becomes deeply unpleasant.

For one thing, such a scenario usually sets off a competitive urge among the eager-to-impress PRs and company lackeys to chip in with opinions of their own (but think will chime with those of the senior exec, the guy I’ve come to interview, and so impress him).

When these annoying interruptions happen, I always make an elaborate gesture of putting my pen down on the table. When the senior exec speaks, I pick it up again. Even I’m not so rude as to tell you to shut up to yer face!

But more irritating still is when I sense that the meeting’s spectators, sitting at my side, are darting their eyes intermittently towards my notepad to see what I’ve written. Let me say it again: this is DEEPLY UNPLEASANT.

I wish I could say that over-crowed meetings such as these are rare but it seems to be common Bad PR practice. If more people are going to come along than the account manager and the intended interviewee, please have the courtesy to notify the journo in advance. He can then make an informed decision as to whether he wants to have five pairs of eyeballs staring at him when he’s asking a question.

It seems only fair because it’s common courtesy to notify people in advance when someone CAN’T make it to a meeting.