What products, applications, services can I offer that will solve the problem or meet the need?

Usually there are several ways to solve a problem or meet need. Brain storm. Look at all of the approaches as uncritically as possible. At this stage, consider anything. For example, you might be able to meet the needs of a client who is seeking a training? Program by offering a one-day seminar at the client's site. Or you might be able to do it via the Web. Or you might propose developing a computer simulation that can be issued on a CD and reused throughout the organization. Or maybe you could just give the trainees a book to read, followed by a test.
The more creative you can be in combining what you know about the client's needs and goals and what you have to offer, the more likely you are to separate yourself from the pack and develop a truly client-centered solution.

Types of outcomes Clients typically seek

TECHNICAL: Automating *Adding flexibility *Improving quality *Removing process steps. BUSINESS: Improving profitability * Increasing market share * Accelerating growth rate * Reducing cycle time * Leverage data.
SOCIAL
INTERNAL: Morale * Absenteeism * Turnover EXTERNAL: Higher Customer satisfaction * Brand loyalty . Proposal writers often attribute their own values to the Customer. For example, in working with one of the world's largest professional services firms, one said "I found that virtually every proposal contained the same value proposition" "We offer a greater breadth of services than any other firm,"it went. "We can do it all. Nomatter what kind of analysis, implementation, or outsourcing service you may need, we can do it."The problem was, as research into the values of their Customer base revealed, Customers didn't care about breadth of services as a differentiator. What they wanted was much more task specific: Speed of delivery. Risk minimization. Performance guarantees. Relevant prior experience. Introduction of new technologies that improve productivity. Breadth of services was strictly an internal focus, something the partners in this firm were proud of but which had little meaning for Customers. Don't forget to follow my blog, or leave a comment as a blogger to get more back links.

Which goal has the highest priority?

You've identified the client's desired outcomes. Now Which one matters the most? You need to know what's most important to the decision maker for two reasons.
First, you want to present your ideas in the same order that they matter to the reader, because seeing them presented from important to least important will create the impression in that reader's mind that you think the way they do. This is the primacy principle all over again: they assume that what you say first is what is most important to you and an indication of where the proposal as a whole is headed.
Second, you want to know which goal is most important so that you can use it as the bases for developing your value proposition. Presenting an ROI based on improving quality in a production environment may be easy, given the features and functions of the nondestructive test system you sell, but if the Customer is primarily looking for a way to increase market share, it may not be very convincing.

Analyze your personal goals

PERSonaL GOals, finally, include all the outcomes that affect the decision maker's own career, income, or prestige. If the decision maker owns the company, there may not be much difference between personal goals and business goals. But in a typical situation, the decision maker may be looking for an opportunity to be a hero, to climb the corporate ladder, or simply to avoid making a career-damaging mistake. As we noted above, the most defensible goals are those that are organizational in nature, so be wary of making somebody's personal agenda the basis for your proposal.