Seven questions to keep you client focused

Before you ever set pencil to paper, before your fingertips caress a single key, you should answer the following seven questions. They'll force you to develop a client-centered perspective. If you are a proposal writer who supports a field sales organization, you should ask these questions of your colleagues in sales when they submit a request for proposal that they want you to work on. Without knowing these basic aspects of the opportunity, you can't give them the best possible support. If they resist, point out to them that you don't want to undercut the work they've done during the sales process by delivering a boilerplate proposal.(If they still resist, maybe they haven't done any work during the sales process and don't know the answers. When that's the case, you should question whether or not the opportunity is "real.") SEVEN QUESTIONS FOR A CLIENT-CENTERED PROPOSAL           1.What is the client's problem or need?   2.What makes this problem worth solving? What made this need worth adressing?   3.What goals must be served by whatever action is taken?   4.Which goal has  the highest priority?   5.What products/applications/services can I offer that will solve the problem or meet the need?   6.What results are likely to follow from each of my potential recommendations?   7.Comparing these results to the customer's desired outcomes or goals, which recommendation is the best?