Earnest Consulting Group

A Common Mistake New Contractors Make On LPTA Bids

April 19, 2023 | Business Development, Government

Let’s imagine that you’ve registered with SAM and been awarded a socioeconomic certification like SDVOSB, 8(a), Woman Owned or HUBZone. You see a bid for widgets. It’s LPTA (Low Price Technically Acceptable) and includes the “Brand Name or Equal” clause. You don’t sell widgets as part of your core offerings, and don’t really want to start, but it is set-aside--and you have an SDVOSB certification. You may think, “I could get a quote for this from the specified manufacturer and--if I’m smart--win my first bid.” There are several reasons why you shouldn’t take a grasp-at-straws approach like this, but I…

The Three Biggest Brick Walls in Prospecting–and How to Overcome Them

April 12, 2023 | Business Development, Government

When you’re launching a government contracting business, finding new prospects can be a daunting task. With a complex procurement process and a vast pool of potential customers, it can be challenging to identify and reach out to the right decision-makers. However, your success depends on your ability to prospect effectively. With this in mind, here are some of the most significant barriers you will face--and how to overcome them. Not doing enough research. Many prospective government contractors take a “ready, fire, aim” approach--and often miss the best opportunities as a result. To be efficient in prospecting, it’s important to consider…

Discovering Who Buys What You Sell Using SAM’s Databank – The Webinar!

April 5, 2023 | Business Development, Government

In order to have a successful sales strategy, your company needs to know who buys what you sell. And companies in the government sector have an advantage, since this information is often publicly available. The key is knowing how to use the tools available to you. That’s the inspiration behind a new, free webinar I’m offering: “Discovering Who Buys What You Sell Using SAM's Databank.” On Thursday, April 27, join me at 1 PM EDT, where I’ll present an overview of using pivot tables, to mine SAMs Databank and find out: Who Buys What You Sell When Did They Buy…

What is your number one priority as a business?

March 22, 2023 | Business Development, Government

Today’s post is short and to the point, because it’s all about where your focus should be. As a business leader, your top priority should be how your product or service can relieve your customer’s anxiety. Your ability to help your customer sleep well at night will be directly proportional to your success. When customers are looking for solutions, the root cause is always a problem they’re experiencing. It could be a lack of quality in a product they currently buy, issues with a vendor not hitting deadlines, a lack of responsiveness to their questions or clarifications, or ongoing maintenance…

The Two Most Ignored Areas When Marketing to Government Agencies

March 15, 2023 | Business Development, Government

In my work helping companies do business with the government, I always start by evaluating two seemingly simple things: How they present themselves via email, and How do they handle incoming calls What I’ve learned is that a surprising number of would-be contractors have significant room for improvement in both areas, which also leads to significant lost opportunities. Here’s an overview. Email A professional email is essential because it can impact how others perceive you, particularly in a business setting. A professional email address typically uses your full name or possible first initial and last name. When you communicate with…

Earnest Consulting Group Turns 8 Years Old: A letter to myself in 2015

March 8, 2023 | Business Development, Government

March 1, 2023, marked the eighth 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. In an attempt 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 venture…

How to Hire and Retain Rockstar Employees for your Government Contract: Exit Interviewing

March 1, 2023 | Business Development, Government

When team members leave your organization at increasing rates, it’s important to know why--especially in the current job market. One of the best ways to find out is through exit interviews, which can help you identify opportunities for organizational improvement, improve employee retention, better understand employees’ perceptions, and gain insight into managers’ effectiveness. Team members at all levels should be invited to participate in the process, not just key employees. Even so, only employees that leave the company on good terms should receive an exit interview–you can skip the exit interview for those asked to leave. Keep in mind, exit…

How to Hire and Retain Rockstar Employees for your Government Contract: Dealing with Low Performers

February 22, 2023 | Business Development, Government

If I were to challenge you to classify your employees as high, middle and low achievers, I’m willing to bet you can identify them pretty quickly. You’d likely come up with some truly high performers, a larger contingent of middle performers who serve as the backbone of your company, and a few low performers. This raises an important question: Why do we tolerate low performance? After all, what you permit, you promote. Think about what that phrase means and the effect low performers have on you. If you have a low performing team member, how do you deal with the…

How to Hire and Retain Rockstar Employees for your Government Contract: Keys to Retention Success

February 15, 2023 | Business Development, Government

If you ever watched Seinfeld, you may be familiar with this scene at a car rental dealership: Jerry is told the car he rented is unavailable, and he says to the agent, “you know how to take the reservation. You just don't know how to hold the reservation.And that's REALLY the most important part of the reservation, the holding.” The same is true when it comes to your employees. Hiring them is important, but keeping them is perhaps even more important. This is easier said than done, of course, so in this third of a five-part series on employee recruitment…

Rockstar Employees – Increase the Excitement and Lessen the Anxiety that Comes With Employee Onboarding

February 8, 2023 | Business Development, Government

Photo by Mabel Amber: https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-standing-near-brown-welcome-on-board-printed-floor-map-128299/ This is the second in a five-part series about employee recruitment and retention. I’d like to thank my former co-worker and good friend, Don Barger, for being a major contributor to these articles. He provides years of expertise--and some great stories. When you bring a new team member on board, the bar is set pretty high. Unless it’s their first job, they likely just had a farewell party and were told by their former employer how great they are and that they will be sorely missed. As a result, it’s important to ensure their…

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