Providing a Solution

["Tamara Reyes-Muralles" <trm -at- telusplanet -dot- net>]

Hi Everyone,

I started making sales calls last week. My second call resulted in an
appointment. I met with my potential client today, and he has work. He wants
his company's operation/business manual placed on their Web site. His
concerns are budget and time. He started the manual's table of contents, but
he does not have a lot of time to finish determining the content or
retrieving the information from his staff. During our conversation, I
discovered that he does not know how the manual could look on the Web site,
or how the manual could be built (his options). He does not want to purchase
software to build the manual for the Web site, and he does not want anyone
to have the ability to change the manual's context (just him). He does not
have any knowledge about how files are placed on a Web site server. In the
past, every time a change was required to their other manual, they would
email the change to their Webmaster. Now, the Webmaster does not have the
time to make anymore changes. He is training this client on how to maintain
the Web site. The potential client suggested that maybe my company could
develop the manual's structure (shell), they could develop the content, and
my company could polish (copy edit) the content. I think the client's
suggestion is appropriate. Sure I would like to write the entire manual, but
he does not have the budget. If I provide him with a workable solution, I
may be able to get a referral from him.

I asked him if he wanted me to be involved in getting his files on the Web
site, or if he wanted me to concentrate just on the writing and editing. He
asked me to email him solutions. He wants to know the amount of the time and
money required for each solution. This is my first estimating experience and
client (possibly). I am a little nervous.  I am asking everyone on the list
for support.  I have some solutions for this client. Do you guys think they
are okay? I know there are many people on
this list that have years of experience and could provide positive feedback.

I have three solutions (brief descriptions provided). Please note I have
added questions to some of the solutions.

Solution One:

Write the content in Word. Use hyperlinks in the Word document. Save the
word document as a html file. Place the html file on the Web site (ftp).
Provide a hyperlink to the file. If changes need to be made, they could be
made in the
word document, and the word document could be saved again as a html file.
The only problem with saving a word document as a html file is that
formatting can be lost. However, the html file could not be manipulated by
the employees. A word document on a Web site can be saved as a different
name and then manipulated, right?

Solution Two:

Write the content in Word. Convert the word document to a pdf file (they
have Adobe Writer). Place the pdf file on the Web site (ftp). Provide a
hyperlink to the file.  If changes need to be made, they could be made in
the word document, and the word document could be saved again as a pdf file.
Can pdf files be edited with Adobe Reader? If a person has Adobe Writer, can
a person rename the pdf file and then edit it?

Solution Three:

Write the content in FrontPage. Save the entire manual as a html file. Place
hyperlinks at the top of the html file to the manual's corresponding
headings. If changes need to be made, they could open the html file in
FrontPage and
resave. I would suggest that they buy FrontPage because it does not cost
much, and it is easy to learn.

Well, I would appreciate any positive feedback or suggestions.

Thanks so much.

Tamara Reyes-Muralles