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Just Lost a Bid and Want to Protest? Read This First!
December 13, 2023 | Government
Image taken from Canva Losing a bid can evoke negative emotions such as sadness, anger, rejection, and fear. These feelings may drive us to make irrational decisions both in our personal and professional lives. However, in the realm of government contracting, it can be beneficial to ask questions about why we failed to win the bid. It's recommended that companies gather as much information as possible regarding how the government evaluated their offer. This will help them to improve their response to future opportunities. Unfortunately, sometimes instead of learning from the experience, we tend to look for inconsistencies in the…
8 Essential Components of a Capabilities Brief
December 7, 2023 | Government
Image made in Canva When working in the government sector, it is expected to provide a Capabilities Brief as a part of the sales process. The number of slides in the presentation should generally be between 10 and 15, but the exact number will depend on who you are presenting to. For instance, a Small Business Liaison Officer (SBLO) may not require as much detail about the product or service as an end user. Therefore, it is recommended to have fewer slides in the presentation when presenting to an SBLO. Here is a table that outlines the eight essential components…
Mastering Government Sales Calls: Seven Essential Tactics for Success
November 29, 2023 | Government
Image from Canva Making successful phone calls to prospective buyers, especially in the government sector, can be challenging. Here is some fundamental guidance to help you navigate this task more effectively: Plan and Prioritize: Create a list of prospective buyers and rank them based on their potential value to your business. This helps you focus on the most promising leads first. Allocate specific times on your calendar for making these calls, treating them as important appointments. Also, don’t commit to making all your weekly calls in a one-time slot. If you aim to make 25 calls weekly, break it into…
Six Things To Consider Before You Bid When You Don’t Have Past Performance
November 21, 2023 | Business Development, Government
Photo by simarik on Canva Companies new to government sales face challenges when entering the space. Success in this area hinges on an astute understanding of one's competitive advantages and a systematic approach to bid preparation. Simply saying, “This is exactly what we do,” isn’t enough. This article delineates six factors to consider before submitting a government contract bid. Have you completed comprehensive competitive pricing research? A fundamental step for prospective bidders is to ascertain the competitiveness of their pricing strategy. This necessitates a comprehensive analysis of prevailing market rates and a thorough understanding of governmental budgetary constraints for similar…
4 Biggest Mistakes Made In Government Business Development and How To Overcome Them
November 16, 2023 | Government
Image taken from Canva This table outlines key pitfalls in government sales strategies, such as insufficient market research, overreliance on bidding sites, and delayed sales strategies. It details the implications of each mistake and offers tailored solutions. This quick reference table is a resource for new and seasoned business developers alike, helping them in the effective decision-making and strategy formulation process.
Why Wait? Kickstart Your Goals This Nov New Year
November 1, 2023 | Self Help
Image taken from Canva I have never liked the concept of New Year's resolutions. Most of them are abandoned by February, and for the most part, they don’t bring about any type of change. The concept of "Nov New Year" revolves around a pre-emptive start to one's resolutions and goals, capitalizing on November 1st rather than waiting until January 1st. Let's delve deeper into this idea. Origin and Philosophy: The "Nov New Year" recognizes that for many, the last two months of the calendar year can become a whirlwind of holidays, events, and end-of-year tasks. Translation: Lots of distractions. Furthermore,…
Lack of Government Sales – The Cause and the Cure
October 26, 2023 | Government
Image taken from Canva In government contracting, many companies typically are embroiled in a seemingly endless cycle of frustration and disappointment. The problem isn't always the lack of effort or passion. The Problem: Blindly Responding to RFPs Falls Short A typical approach to government contracting often involves a brute force strategy of blindly responding to RFPs listed on SAM.gov. Companies dive headfirst into a sea of opportunities, hoping to secure contracts that will propel them to success. They meticulously prepare proposals, invest significant time and resources, and eagerly await a response. However, this approach often leads to frustration and disappointment as…
Treat Everyone as Your Customer: An Organizational Paradigm Shift
October 11, 2023 | Business Development, Communication, Self Help
Image taken from Adobe stock The notion of treating everyone as a customer began with me in 2011. Our organization deployed an employee opinion survey, and the business segment results I led were not good. On a 1-5 scale, with five being excellent, our company (more like me) received a 3.8 for “work environment,” which addressed cleanliness, equipment maintenance, having the proper equipment to do their work, and physical conditions (light, climate, and appearance). Since I was directly responsible for all of these items, it sent me a message that I was not adequately giving our employees the environment needed to…
The Truth About GSA Schedules and Winning Government Contracts
October 4, 2023 | Government
Image taken from Shutterstock For the past few years, I have pontificated about how getting a GSA schedule does not guarantee success in government contracts. When seasoned government contractors or companies new to the game tell me, “I need to get a GSA schedule. Can you help me get one?” My response is almost always a question, “Why?”. There are plenty of companies out there that would be delighted to provide any company with a GSA schedule and take your money. The problem is that many companies don’t share that GSA sales aren’t guaranteed or know how to create a…
Six Fundamental Strategies to Navigate the Threat of Government Shutdowns: Operational and Business Development Insights
September 27, 2023 | Government
Image taken from: Unsplash Operational Resilience Amidst Shutdown Threats Review Contracts Proactively: In light of a potential shutdown, assessing your contracts can offer foresight on possible interruptions. Keep a keen eye out for "stop-work" notices and familiarize yourself with the expiration dates of contracts. Furthermore, understand which agencies are “business as usual” due to their essential nature like the VHA. Our contracts, when we were a prime contractor to the VA were never affected by a government shutdown. The best way to understand how your work might be affected is through ongoing communication with your contracting officer. Foster Open Communication:…
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