The better you understand a new business opportunity, the more likely you are to make an informed decision about whether you should bid. Similarly, the better the government understands your firm’s capabilities, the more likely they are to want your company to compete. Meeting the client is an essential first step in this process. You must conduct face-to-face information-gathering meetings with clients to increase your knowledge about the opportunity and to begin positioning your firm as a leading competitor for the procurement. While market research provides a running start at understanding the opportunity, the clients are the ones closest to the opportunity and can provide information that outsiders cannot. By holding true conversations with a client as soon as possible in the opportunity identification and qualification stages – versus holding thinly veiled marketing meetings – you can gather information that helps you to understand the client’s requirements and objectives,  tailor … Continue reading 7 Reasons to meet the client before RFP release →