How big of a deal is it really when a huge account falls through? Secret Sales Guy's about to find out:

We lost a big one today: Big Electronics Company decided to pull the plug on Project New Media, a $300,000 whammy of a sponsorship with more bells and whistles than my daughter's new tricycle. It had everything: print, online, live events, Webcasting -- the works. It was the project that proved #1 Industry Magazine was more than just the leader of the pack in terms of market share -- we were a cutting-edge Publisher, ready to "deliver the leading edge in content-based marketing."

The saddest part is that our plan worked. We produced beautiful advertorials about Big Electronics Company's latest equipment. We built them a Web site with famous people using their gear. We packed auditoriums full of enthusiastic business consumers, ready to get the latest technical information about their products, and offered them a "hands-on user experience" with Electronics Company's latest products.

More here.