Recently, I had somebody come to me looking for help. He was frustrated. He’d spent three weeks negotiating with a client, and his team had invested numerous hours preparing a proposal. In the end, they didn’t get the job. This experience highlights a critical lesson: Why Client Meetings Matter Most.
Meetings are not just about sharing proposals—they’re about building trust, understanding the client’s needs, and creating strong connections. Without this foundation, even the most thorough proposal can fall short.
What a waste of time, right?
At the same time, putting in all that effort is a necessary evil one might say.
Well, not really.
Business owners spend a lot of time writing lengthy proposals because they traditionally view them as essential for winning a project. Unfortunately, they often waste this time.
The reason – not only have they structured the proposal incorrectly, but they also fail to connect with the prospect.
How to do that?
Client meetings are the foundation for crafting winning proposals.
Focus on your meeting with the client, instead of the proposal. This is where the real work lies. It’s your chance to:
- Ask thoughtful questions to understand their struggles and goals.
- Show genuine interest in their business to build trust.
- Dig deeper to uncover underlying issues or challenges.
- Use what you’ve learned to offer a customized solution.
The proposal then should be just a quick summary of what you’ve identified together with your prospect, written in THEIR LANGUAGE –your prospect will go with whom they feel truly “gets” them.
What do you do with proposals to win business?
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