Earnest Consulting Group

The Shortest Game Plan Newsletter to Date

March 14, 2024 | Business Development, Self Help

Image made in Canva In this world of government sales, especially in the beginning, we must ensure we cheer others on. We can’t compare our success to others' success. We all have your game plan to win. Your path to winning will be different from others.. Here’s how I generally measure my overall progress. Self-awareness is critical with all of these. Did I do my absolute best? Was I true to myself? Did I lift others up along the way? Am I still an awesome husband and father to my family? The last one is crucial for me. If I…

Earnest Consulting Group Turns 9 Years Old: A Letter from Me to the Me of 2015

March 7, 2024 | Uncategorized

Image made in Canva March 1, 2023, marked the ninth anniversary of Earnest Consulting Group. Having been a successful business owner and government contractor, I thought it would be easy. I was wrong! One big difference is that this gig was my first as a solopreneur. To say I've learned a lot in the past years would be an understatement. To help others avoid some of the mistakes I’ve made, I’ve written a letter to the 2015 version of myself, with a recap of everything I wish I knew when I started. I hope this helps people start a new…

Growing Your Government Sales through Federal Access Advisor Group Coaching

March 1, 2024 | Uncategorized

Image made in Canva For about two years now, I have been a Certified Government Sales Coach through RSM Federal. Collectively, RSM Federal and our team of coaches have helped over 2000 companies win over 14 billion dollars worth of government contracts. I personally have over 20 years of experience in government contracting including spending the first 10 years of that time either owning or working for a company that was a prime contractor. As a team, our coaches at a minimum possess 20 years of government contracting experience. The Difference A main differentiator between us and others that work…

My Top Ten Most Useful Links for Government Sales

February 22, 2024 | Uncategorized

Image made in Canva Here are some important things to understand about this list. One, its not comprehensive. Two, they’re not in any specific order. I put them down as I thought about them. Three, this is my list. I” 'm sure other folks top ten will be different. So here they are: SAM.gov: This is your official gateway to federal contracting opportunities in three ways: Registering of your business is necessary to win a government contract. Use the SAM Databank to review award history. It takes some practice to master but a lot of competitive data can be found…

Six Insights From The SAM Databank To Enhance Your Government Sales Strategy.

February 4, 2024 | Government

Image made in Canva In government contracting, knowing your target market is crucial for success. Unfortunately, some companies sell lists of known government contracting officers and tell their customers to spam the entire list. It's the spray and pray method. Some just say its a numbers game. In my experience, this method doesn’t work in government sales. Fortunately, the System for Award Management (SAM) Databank offers information that can provide valuable insights for your government sales strategy. You only need access to the databank, which requires a login.gov username and password and a spreadsheet pivot table. I personally prefer Google…

8 Ways to Improve Your Business Operations in 2024 for Better Contract Delivery

January 17, 2024 | Business Development, Government

Image made in Canva In government contracting, awards are what we want. They stand as the benchmark of success. However, more than simply winning contracts is required; delivering on those contracts efficiently and effectively is equally crucial. I’ve seen too many companies win one and never win again. Some of this may be due to a lack of a sales strategy, but other times, they could not deliver on what they promised effectively. The back office plays a pivotal role in ensuring the successful execution of contract awards. Businesses should optimize their operations to streamline processes and enhance contract delivery.…

Top 10 Activities for Your 2024 Government Sales Strategy

January 10, 2024 | Government

Image made in Canva I haven’t seen too many Top Ten Lists since David Letterman retired, so I thought the advent of a new year deserved one. While ours may not be as funny as the Top Ten Prom Themes or Top Ten Rejected Crayola Crayon Colors, we hope they help you with your government sales strategy for 2024. So here you go! 10. Figure Out Who Buys What You Sell I’m not just discussing doing NAICS Code or PSC Code Research and looking at the department level. No. Use Keywords. Dig down to the agency and the contracting office,…

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…

« Previous Page — Next Page »