[thelist] client works sheets - good or bad or just homogeneity?

[Joel D Canfield]

> So prescreen everyone with the form and hey presto - no tyre kickers!

treat everyone as if they're timewasters instead of customers, and
that's what they'll become

(you weren't saying this, so this isn't directed at you it's directed at
the comment above which you don't seem to agree with)

it's painful, but it's part of business to rummage through the responses
and glean what's wheat and chaff yourself. my clients *rarely* know what
they want when they come to me, and I doubt that even one would fill out
an online questionnaire of some kind unless we already had an
established relationship (in which case they're glad to provide plenty
of info asyncronously so they don't have to sit through Yet Another
Meeting.) remember, these people may despise technology (I'm working
with a couple bands who do not have email, or internet access.) doesn't
prevent them from seeing a need and filling it.

so, short answer: online questionnaires come after you've established a
relationship with a potential client, and even then they require
judicious use to avoid scaring off perfectly qualified prospects. your
short and to-the-point form makes sense to me.

joel