One of the most important things you can do when talking to a prospective client is to find out what they think their expensive problems are. It’s a simple thing to do if you know what to ask, are a good listener, and take good notes.
When you meet with a client, work some of the following questions into the conversation as appropriate. You don’t need to ask them all–pick three or four that you’re comfortable with and memorize them. Modify the wording to suit your style so you don’t feel awkward saying them out loud.
Once you have their answers, you’ll be ready to create a proposal that uses the client’s language and is priced based on the value they themselves have expressed. This greatly increases the likelihood that the client will greenlight your project.
Without further ado, the questions:
HTH!
Jonathan
Many thanks to Kai Davis, Philip Morgan, Marcus Blankenship, David Trejo, and Jorge Colon for their contributions to this list!