[This is the fourth and final in a series of articles by guest author Judy Bradt. If you are considering making a commitment to government contracting, or even if you are already involved, I think you will find a lot of value in Judy's insights. Enjoy! — LWF]
Guest Author: Judy Bradt, Principal and CEO of Summit Insight LLC
The Program Manager
The Program Manager (PM) has a lot of power, and can be hard to reach. That’s why strong meetings with the Small Business Specialist and the Contracting Officer can pay off. The PM defines and controls spending priorities among activities. PM’s care about how best to deliver the Agency mission, including how to define requirements to select the best vendors.
If you’ve established your credibility as a reputable problem-solver with the Small Business Specialist and the Contracting Officer, the Program Manager is far more likely to agree to hear the technical details of your solution and your approach.
This meeting is your opportunity to learn, not pitch. You want to find out as much as you can about his or her priorities — how you can help solve the PM’s most important problems. If you can demonstrate that your firm is a good fit, you’re much more likely to get a hearing, and possibly an introduction to the End User.
The Influencer
The Influencer could be a colleague, friend, writer, reporter, or blogger that the decision makers trust. The Influencer could be a member of the technical community, a program manager from another part of the agency or department, a well-known innovator in the end-user community, or a top professional from a major prime contractor.
So why would an Influencer care about you? Find something you can bring to him or her. Keep an eye out for articles or inside tips on market trends and leading edge suppliers. Influencers like to share hot stories — good and bad — about vendors, problems and solutions. Be sure they have yours!
If you know an Influencer who’s impressed with your company, you can ask him or her to help you meet key Program Managers or End Users.
If you don’t know an Influencer, where do you meet them? The best way is to meet them in person at events and conferences. You can also look for them online. Set up Google Alerts, then check out the groups on forums such as LinkedIn and industry association web portals.
The End User
The End User is the front line employee or person in the battle space. She or he cares about getting the job done with the resources available. Get the End User’s attention with a clear Unique Value Proposition — communicate how you will make his job easier. Make it clear how well you understand his problems or constraints.
Now is the time to have a detailed discussions about what’s working and what’s isn’t. When the time is right, explain why your approach to the problem is worth considering.
Once you’ve made your case, End Users can ask senior managers to support your solution. End Users can also be your best source of intelligence on the strengths and weaknesses of current suppliers. They can also provide insights into what qualifications the ideal candidate would bring to the table. These insights can give you a tremendous advantage in the final decision-making process.
Judy Bradt, Principal & CEO of Summit Insight LLC of Alexandria VA, is an author, speaker and consultant who has been covered by Entrepreneur Magazine, Fortune Small Business, the Financial Post, ABC Radio, PINK Magazine, SBTV, CTV, Rogers Business Television. You can learn more atwww.summitinsight.com.
Filed under: Government Contracting, Marketing, Professional Services | Leave a Comment
Tags: end user, Government Contracting, government procurement, influencer, program manager
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