John Leeke wrote:
 > > I consider my proposals to be "tools for understand." If I do not get
 > > any questions or requests for proposal changes I go over it with them
 > > paragraph by paragraph, sentence by sentence to make sure we

Ken replies:
 >>It is different for each of us, obviously. I have a hard enough time
getting people to accept that I actually want to MEET the end client
before sending them a proposal. Getting the opportunity to get any
client to pay attention long enough to go line-by-line through a<<

The purpose of my internal proposal review policy is to force a "meeting 
of the minds" if it is not happening naturally, and the result often is 
a physical meeting with the client before the proposal is signed.

Ken continues:
 >>a hard enough time
getting people to accept that I actually want to MEET the end client
before sending them a proposal.<<

Why is it so hard to meet the client? I think this is our struggle 
because, since the mid 20th century, the corporateers and their 
"consumer marketing media construct" have purposely endeavored to 
eliminate personal relationships from the building/business process 
because these relationships get in their way as they brainwash the 
public into buying their stuff. They certainly don't want knowledgeable 
advisers getting in their way with the truth about buildings and 
products. While the  corporateers focus on end users like homeowners and 
building occupants, they are so effective that they have also 
brainwashed the institutional facility managers, and construction 
industry insider "professionals" like the architects, so even they will 
buy by "brand and faith" rather than their own experience and knowledge. 
Come to think of it, the corporteering pirates probably HAVE targeted 
the industry insiders. Occasionally a BP preservationeer can catch a 
pirate with his pants down.

Listen up boys, it's a long slog across the field of historic 
preservation. Make your way down through the draw before first light and 
hide behind them wide pines. Let the first band of them pirates through, 
then keep a sharp eye for the second. Don't fire until you see the 
whites of their underpants!

-- John (privateering for a good cause) Leeke

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