marketing to win how to identify the real decision makers ... tools required • perfect...

Marketing to Win: How to Identify the Real Decision-makers and Tailor Your Message

Gloria LarkinPresident, TargetGov

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©TargetGov2016

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Agenda• Disappearingact

• Firstimpressions

• Mitigatingrisks

• Identifyingrealdecisionmakers

• Layersofdecisionmakers

• Howandwhytheychoose

• Marketingandpositioningtools©TargetGov 2016

Disappearing Act?

• In2000,$200BillioninContracts– Over100,000contractingandacquisitionstaff

• In2013,$500Billionincontracts– Fewerthan23,000contractingandacquisitionstaffemployed

• In2015,governmentexperiencinga23%retirementofbabyboomersinContractingandAcquisition

• Cannothiremoregovernmentemployees

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©TargetGov 2016

Decision-makers vs. Spending Years 2000-2015

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Take-away?

Decision-makershavenotimeto(waste):• Educatevendors• Developuniquecontractvehicles• Researchvendors

Decision-makersneedinformed,solid,strong,stable,experiencedvendorsnow!

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GovernmentRecommendations

©TargetGov2016

First Impressions are Critical

• Be professional– Ex: email, website, typos– No clip art, stock graphics

• Know your niche!• Do not try to be all things• Lead with your expertise• Prove it!• Mitigate risk

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©TargetGov 2016

10 Steps to Mitigating Risk1. PerfectregistrationsinSAMandSBDS2. Createastrongnichestatement3. Practicea20secondelevatorpitch4. UseapowerfulCapabilityStatement5. Pastperformanceisking!6. Financialstability7. Capacity8. Partners9. CraftstrongRFPresponses10. Debriefing- winorlose

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©TargetGov 2016

Perfect Registrations?

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Today,howdoesyourfirmlookintheeyesofyourfederaltargets?

SAM.gov and SBA Profile at dsbs.sba.gov/dsbs

©TargetGov2016

TypicalscoringonSAMandSBDS• A =clearlysetyourselfapartfromcompetitors,

notrisky,memorable Less than 2%

• B =possiblechance• C=average=failure• D=lifesupport• F=deadinthewater

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98% will fail the first cut

Perfect Registrations?

©TargetGov2016

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Source: “Inside the Buyers Brain” (email me for entire book as PDF) Published by Hinge Research Institute

©TargetGov2016

The Impact of Customer-Based Research

• GovernmentContracting:StrictProcessaspertheFederalAcquisitionRegulations(FAR)

• Not Top-Down• Threelayersofdecisionmakers• Sizeofpurchasedeterminesdecisionmakers• Eachlayerhasdifferentpurposeandresponsibility

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Identifying The Real Decision Makers

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ContactsHaveDifferentRoles/Concerns

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• SmallBusinessRepresentatives:

TheSupport(OSDBU,SBRep,PCR,CMR)

• Whatassistancedoyouneed

• Whathaveyoudonealready

• WhatCertificationsand/orSet-AsidesExists

• OSDBU’sareNOTYOURSALESFORCE

©TargetGov2016

ContactsHaveDifferentRoles/Concerns

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• ContractingOfficers(CO)or(KO)- TheRules

• Doyouknowtherules?

• Streamlinedpurchasingaccess:vehicle

• Whatisyourpastperformance(relatedtoopportunity)

©TargetGov2016

ContactsHaveDifferentRoles/Concerns

• ProgramManagers(PM)- TheWork• Yourknowledgeofouragency’sproblem• Yourabilitytosolvetheproblem• Yourabilitytooffervaluetoyoursolution

• EndUsers- TheSource• Sourceofinformation• Howarethingsdonecurrently• Howcouldyoursolutionbenefitthem

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How Decision-makers Choose

• 50-80++companiesreachingouteveryday• Can’tmeetwitheveryone• Howtonarrowdownthelist• Choosebestcandidates• Spendwhatlimitedtimetheyhavetomeetwithqualifiedvendors

• Developtrustedrelationships

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Know How the Government BuysPurchaseVehiclesMakeiteasytodobusinesswithyou!

• CreditCard:P-card,purchasecard• GSASchedule• GWACs• BPA• IDIQ• HUBZone,8(a),WOSB,SDVOBCertifications

©TargetGov2016

Size Matters to Decision Makers• Under$3,000pertransaction

– Immediatecreditcardsale(anyone)• Under$25,000pertransaction

– 3bids, samedaydecision (CO)• Between$25,000and$150,000

– Advertised,bestvalue(CO&PM)• Over$150,000

– Competitivebid,3-6+months (CO,SB&PM,entireteam)

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Where to Get NoticedPersontoperson§ Conferences§ Vendoroutreachsessions§ Agencyandbaseevents§ Matchmaking§ Associations,socialevents

Virtual§ Email,blog,Facebook,§ Twitter,LinkedIn,Google+

Referral§ Fromdecision-makers

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©TargetGov2016

Marketing Tools • Governmentregistrations

– SAM,SBDS,Agencies• Yourbusinesscard• YourtargetedCapabilityStatement• Yourwebsite• Casestudies• Whitepapers• PublicRelations• CRMsystem• Contractvehicle• Advertising(?)• Leadgenerators(no!)

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ActionStep:Reviewyourmarketing toolsforeffectiveness

©TargetGov2016

Business Card• Usebothsides• Notcoatedpaper• CompanyName,Name,Title• Allcontactinformation:phones,address• Whatdoyoudo?Isitclear?• DUNS• NAICS• Certifications• Contractvehicles

Actionstep:Updateyourbusinesscard

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Positioning Tools Required• Perfectregistrations• Opportunityidentifier:Past,present,future• 1pagetargetedCapabilityStatementtoidentifyyour:

– CoreCompetencies– PastPerformance– Differentiators– CompanyData

• Bid-no-bidprocess• Quicklyidentifythedecision-maker,her/hisresponsibility&levelofinterestinyourbusiness,targetthemessage!

• Contractvehicle• CRMsystem

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Audiences for Your Capability Statement

YourTargets:• Agency• PrimeContractor• TeamingPartner• JointVentureToobtaindecision-makermeetings!

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Remember the Government Recommendations?

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PerfectRegistrations?Today,howdoesyourfirmlook

intheeyesofyourfederaldecision-makers?

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ContactTargetGovforaReviewandRecommendationsofyourrecords.ü CapabilityStatementü SAM.govü SBAProfileEmailfordetails:GloriaLarkinTG@targetgov.com

©TargetGov2016

Session Evaluations

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ReminderPlease complete the Speaker/Session Evaluation Form located in your program guide and place the form in the basket in the back of the room.

Questions?

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GloriaLarkin• President,TargetGov• Author:TheBasicGuidetoGovernment Contracting• FAST™ProcesstoAccelerateFederalSalesContact:GloriaLarkinTG@TargetGov.comToll-free:866-579-1346

www.TargetGov.com

©TargetGov2016