BNET had a great post recently – “19 Things To Do During That Boring Meeting.”  I read through the list and had to laugh. I thought I had seen them all during new business presentations, but this list added some good ones.

The premise of this piece was that people had a choice in going to certain meetings and that often they didn’t have an active role and therefore could be bored.  So maybe I’ve been guilty of that once or twice.  But think about a new business presentation.  An agency wants a piece of business.  They are engaged in a review to win.  The agency is in a meeting to present and everyone has an active role.  But still someone is distracted and maybe even not interested.  Here are some of the things we have seen:

#1 (and most offensive):  Someone is emailing, not just once or twice, but throughout most of the meeting.  This shouldn’t be done at all.  What does the client think?  The individual is rude and they don’t want the business.

#2:  A team member pays absolutely no attention to others from their agency team as they are presenting.  Daydreaming, looking around the room or drawing - clients notice.  Again, it doesn’t bode well for the agency.

#3:  Passing notes and making visual expressions like laughing – clients become distracted, wondering what is being talked about and ultimately think it is rude and gives a poor impression of the agency.

Something to think about:  What do you do during meetings that you know you shouldn’t be doing, but are?