I had a couple of interesting conversations this week with publicists just starting out in the restaurant area. One is very experienced in PR, this is just her first restaurant client. The other isn't, just starting out.

Yet both told the same sad tale about clients who don't respond. 

"We meet, we agree on the plan, then they don't follow up, don't respond to emails. So nothing gets done. It doesn't make sense!"

No, throwing money away doesn't make sense. Ever. It doesn't matter if you are busy or hate email or can't get to a computer or whatever other cockamamee excuse you dish up. It doesn't matter why, it matters what you do.  And you are, in fact, throwing your money away if you do any of the following:

• Don't respond to your publicist's emails in a timely manner.

* Ask for their advice and then ignore it (if you don't trust the advice of the person you hired to give you advice, well, I am not even writing a post on that, you need to seek medical help).

• Tell your publicist you will get her something for a journalist and then don't do it.

It's ironic. The restaurant who hired the newbie did so because they "couldn't afford" to hire experienced help. Yet they are rich enough to throw money into the toilet, and flush.