Make Your Government Sales “New Year’s Resolutions” Now 

October 4, 2022 | Business Development, Government

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

In the world of government sales, the New Year starts on October 1. While you might be tempted to plan your government sales strategy based on a calendar year, I recommend making your “resolutions” now. You’ll have a three-month head start on your goals–and you’ll be much more likely to reach them.

First, I want to disclaim that I’m not a fan of the word “resolution.” It’s defined as “a firm decision to do something,” but that doesn’t infer any commitment to action. Instead, I’m going to use the word “pledge,” which means “a solemn promise or undertaking.” You’ll still have to work hard to achieve your goals, but you may be more motivated when you take a pledge.

So, here are a few things you can pledge to begin in October 2022 that will lead to a more profitable September 2023. But first, let’s make sure you have the basics done:

1. Register with SAM–and do it yourself. There are companies that will offer to do it for you,  but the juice isn’t worth the squeeze.
2. Identify the NAICS Codes and PSC Codes that best represent your business.
3. Make an appointment with your PTAC and learn about the resources they provide. PTACs differ by state and region, so search here to find yours. They might even help you with the first and second items outlined above. 

Now that the basics are covered, here are ten “pledges” you should make as you start the new year:

1. Visit SAM to find out who buys what you sell. Start by reviewing SAM’s Data Bank.
2. Search for resources outside of your PTAC. Some states have resources for businesses that want to work specifically with the Department of Defense, for example.
3. Search for training resources outside of your local PTAC. Some PTACs offer webinars open to companies from outside their region. There are also resources available for as little as $75 through govology.com, among others. 
4. Find out ways to communicate your company’s value through metrics.
5. Set up a focused search in SAM using PSC Codes and Keywords.
6. Draft a Proposal Go/No-Go Decision Chart.
7. Contact the small business office for the agencies that buy what you sell.
8. Make introductory calls to those who buy what you sell.
9. Respond to RFIs asking for information about what you sell.
10. Attend an industry day for what you sell.

See a trend with items 7-10? Notice I didn’t include “respond to a government bid”? I’m not saying this isn’t important. What I am saying is these items above will put you in a better position to respond. Furthermore, if you know about the bid BEFORE it appears on SAM, then you’re likely to win opportunities. 

Which pledges will you commit to in FY 2023? Contact me on LinkedIn or at [email protected] to share your thoughts, if you want to accelerate the process, or don’t know where to start. I’ll help you turn your pledges into reality.

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