Perhaps more information and more questions. Why do you feel business is so poor? Is it only your establishment hurting or is it systemic (housing/financial)? If it’s only your establishment, what do you feel the problem is? What are you willing to change if anything? If systemic, what makes your establishment unique in providing a better service or product? What precisely do you want our advertising to say for you? How much control are you willing to give us? Do you want us primarily to be your microphone/printer much like a classified or do you want us to use our experience and expertise to manage the account (with feedback and collaboation) from A to Z? The fact that you offended the client and he/she may well have had the skin of an amoeba might suggest you did not know enough about the client’s temperment or have enough of a relationship to speak so directly. or gasp!…could it be?… so truthfully. With more sensitive finese, perhaps a relationship could have been preserved. “That is so woefully and sadly mistaken and the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard” vs “Have you considered…” Perhaps the account was destined to doom and beyond hope the first time the client opened the door. Maybe it was doomed because you didn’t have enough Information…Information…Information.

That said, do you proceed with a doomed ad campaign because that is what the client wants? It is, after all, your reputation too if an ad campaign fails.

Free lunch for the staff??? Suggest the triple lobster entree looks good.