Earnest Consulting Group

𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗮𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗰𝘆𝗰𝗹𝗲𝘀.

March 2, 2026 | Uncategorized

𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗮𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗰𝘆𝗰𝗹𝗲𝘀. In government sales, effort alone will not save you. More bids. More SAM searches. More capability statements. That is activity, not strategy. Long cycles reward focus. Knowing which agencies buy what you sell. Understanding how they buy it. Shaping opportunities before they hit the street. Saying no to low probability bids. You can outwork everyone and still lose if you are aiming at the wrong target. In long sales cycles, clarity beats hustle. The question is not how hard you are working. It is whether your effort is pointed in the…

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗴𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘀𝗮𝗹𝗲𝘀?

March 2, 2026 | Uncategorized

It is not your 8a. Not your SDVOSB. Not even your GSA Schedule. More than half of set aside firms did not win a single contract last year The most valuable asset is credibility backed by proof. Clear metrics. Mapped experience. Demonstrated results that show you belong in the room. Agencies buy from firms that reduce risk. When you lead with outcomes, efficiency gains, user impact, and real performance data. You shift the conversation from status to value. Contract vehicles and set asides may make you eligible to bid. Credibility is what wins the contract. Are you leading with checking…

𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻…..

March 2, 2026 | Uncategorized

𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻….. Apparently, I dominate the credit union market. I know this because I got 437 emails last week that say I’m a rock star in the credit union sector. I am not. But according to the internet, I am a liquidity strategist, compliance expert, fractional CFO, and core banking thought leader. Alternate Universe Me is out there: Wearing a Suit Crushing Deposit Growth Strategy Drinking my sixth cup of coffee before 10 am in a “I ❤️ Credit Unions” mug. Saying things like “Let’s circle back on your deposit growth strategy.” Using the word synergy without blinking. Actual Me is…

𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀 𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆. 𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁.

March 2, 2026 | Uncategorized

𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀 𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆. 𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁. In government sales, I’ve seen this mistake many times. “We know the agency.” “We have a great relationship.” That is not a strategy. If you are not aligned with the right contract vehicle, the right buying office, the right timing, and the right solution to their problem, Relationships alone will not save you. But when you do have a clear strategy, Relationships accelerate everything. Access improves. Feedback sharpens. Positioning gets stronger. Strategy gives direction. Relationships increase velocity. Today, are you leading with relationships or with a strong strategy accelerated by your relationships?

Growth hides a broken process until it doesn’t.

February 17, 2026 | Business Development, Focus

Growth hides a broken process until it doesn’t. Early on, revenue can cover a lot of flaws. Loose qualification. No bid strategy. Inconsistent follow up. Pricing done on the fly. It works when volume is low and the founder is involved in everything. But as you scale, cracks start to show. Missed deadlines. Thin margins. Unpredictable wins. A pipeline that looks full but does not convert. Long term, growth doesn’t fix broken processes. It actually shines a light on the issues we need to address. If your revenue feels harder to win than it should, the issue may not be…

You do not have a pipeline problem. You have a focus problem.

February 13, 2026 | Business Development, Focus

You do not have a pipeline problem. You have a focus problem. Every week I hear it. “We need more opportunities.” No, you don’t. You need fewer targets and better discipline. If you are chasing five agencies, three contract vehicles, random SAM posts, and every shiny RFP that drops, you are not building a pipeline. You are creating noise. Government sales rewards precision. Who buys what you sell? How do they buy it? When do they buy it? Pick your lane. Map your value. Go deep. A scattered strategy creates a starving pipeline. Focused execution creates momentum. Where are you…

Conferences go beyond the agenda.

February 10, 2026 | Business Development

Conferences go beyond the schedule. In government sales, they start weeks before registration opens. They end long after the last booth comes down. Winning in government sales starts with research. -Speakers. -Exhibitors. -Agencies. -Prime contractors. -Social media conversations. It starts with posting that you are attending, exhibiting, or speaking.. It starts with at least three meetings scheduled before you arrive. It starts with a prioritized list of booths to visit. It starts with a plan to collect business cards and enter every contact into your CRM. Then the conference ends and the work begins. -Follow up calls. -Follow up emails. -LinkedIn…

If Suffering is Part of Your Strategy, Something’s Broken

February 9, 2026 | Business Development, Leadership, Time Management

If Suffering is Part of Your Strategy, Something's Broken Don’t confuse this with discomfort. Discomfort is normal in government sales. Cold outreach. Learning a new agency. Walking into your first conference solo. Presenting to a contracting officer who has zero patience. That’s growth. Suffering is different. Suffering looks like this: 60 to 80 hour weeks Proposal after proposal with no lift. Back-to-back conferences. Constant travel. Client meetings stacked on top of each other. Contract startups that never seem to stabilize. And after months of it… nothing changes. Same pipeline stress. Same revenue pressure. Same fire drills. That’s not grinding. That’s…

What is the most valuable asset in government sales?

February 6, 2026 | Business Development

Here are the top five most valuable assets in government sales: 5. Process 4. Proposal Team 3. Past Performance 2. Perceived Value 1. Competitive Intelligence Five through two can shift based on a company's situation. Number one remains. Where are relationships? It's implied. The best competitive intelligence requires relationships. The best competitive intelligence comes from 80% human sources. Less than 20% publicly available. How are you cultivating your most valuable asset? Which one do you think is missing? …… Think someone would benefit from this content? Forward this message to them and have them sign up below! https://mailchi.mp/betteryourcompany.com/sign-up-for-newsletter

Most people think government sales is all about knowing the rules……

February 4, 2026 | Focus

Most people think government sales is all about knowing the rules. It’s not. It’s about knowing where you fit. Right agency. Right timing. Right message. Everything else is noise. If you had to pick one agency to focus on this year, which would it be?

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