Get on your Federal buyers’ Calendar
GovCons are you ready to take on the one resolution?
GovCons, are you ready to take on the one resolution we all need for 2021 success?
Don’t worry, I’ve got you. The single most important thing that drives our success is… Relationships. The most powerful thing we can do this year is to engage our Federal buyers. That’s the key to create, and deepen, those relationships and WIN the business of helping them succeed.
Why not start 2021 having the right conversations, with the right people, at the right time? I can’t promise you it’s easy — in fact, I struggle with that often!
But three things make that easier:
COMMITMENT to do what it takes to find and get in front of the right people
RESEARCH into who they are so you can chat about something meaningful when you reach them
And PRACTICE — It gets better with every call. No one’s expecting you to be perfect. Remember, they’re human–just like you.
“Getting in front of the right people sooner” is the top challenge for over 80% of GovCons and research shows that achieving this one thing will open the door to anywhere from $1 million to over $10 million this year.
There is more than one place where you need to have relationships
If you are submitting proposals time and again and you are losing by just a small margin or worse yet, a Federal buyer awarding work to the other guys at a higher price? Let that be the flag for you that there is a relationship at the end of that buyer food chain, and yours is not as strong as the ones they have chosen.
Contracting officers and specialists often have extremely specific rules about how they can engage, when they can engage, and who they can engage. Users and program managers are relationships you really want to secure long before the requirement is set in stone and developed. You can have them thinking about how your approach might be the lowest risk choice, they will help them with the big trifecta, write these down:
- Follow the rules
- Make it easy
- Make them look good
The former contracting officers are really focused on their mission — NOT YOURS.
I got one of the BEST pieces of advice from one of my TOPGUN coaches*. Will Randolph, CEO of Think Acquisition and a former Federal acquisition professional for 26 years, said it’s all about how you use four words.
He shared, “If you say, “How can I help you?” you’re already creating more WORK for your contracting officer! If instead you show up and start with “How I can help you…” then you’re showing you’ve done the work and you have some idea of how you can create LESS WORK for them!
That’s one great way to get someone’s interest, and be on track to get invited back, too.
How DO we connect with our federal buyers? Start by keeping in mind the powerful things we have in common.
In every conversation, SLOW DOWN.
We share a sense of SERVICE, as humans in the Federal arena. Build on themes of the ways you’re both on the same team, serving America Express gratitude. Thank them for their service, whether they are civilian or military, and all they do for small business.
Take the time for empathy.
This is a time especially in today’s world when you can say “Hey, how are you? How is your family?” And listen and really care about the answer.
People will forget what you said, but people will never forget how you made them feel. Dr. Maya Angelou. Make the impact you want in return. People buy from people.
Have you found your buyers? Knowing who your buyers are and what relationships you need to work on creating is the step before you can win that meeting. If you need to establish those Federal relationships my Players and Layers Methodology can help put your Federal buyers in the P.A.L.M. of your hand. You can download it here and get started.
NOW you’re ready.
Make that call, ask for your meeting, and WIN that meeting. When you get there, engage your fellow Federal humans in ways that make them eager to invite you back… and bring their friends next time.
Oh, yeah: I told you I could make all that easier! 🙂
Here it is: How to Win your meeting and Get Invited Back, the complimentary on-demand power full kit where I share the how-tos and tools to do just that!
You’ll get my 45-minute private lesson, plus the presentation file, and even the transcript. In less than an hour, you’ll know;
- Who Your Federal buyer Really Is
- How to Get in Front of Your Federal Buyer
- The Two Types of Wins You Need
- The Three No-Fail Checklists You Must Have
- The Four Keys to Federal Wins
- And get the resource link: The GovCon Personas Infographic
Unpack all the resources here! And get started today!
Download, enjoy… and share! Maybe even do a shared-screen lunch-and learn with your team, and make a plan to use what you learn!
This is the first time I’ve shared a full kit like this — so let me know what you think, and what you like!