2. At your first meeting, discuss times and means of communication that are best for your client. Find out if your client has any pre-scheduled, multi-day absences from campus (e.g., plans to attend a 3-day conference out-of-state). Most customers with crowded calendars are fairly flexible over the longer term (e.g., 2 to 3 weeks), so consider pre-booking some time when you anticipate reaching key stages; meetings can always be cancelled as the date approaches if the need to consult has already been satisfied.
3. Some customers may have very clear cut proposal objectives. Others may be open to suggestions. This is real life!
4. Whenever you have questions, ask! These customers are information specialists, but they aren't mind readers!