3 Major Mistakes to Avoid When Bidding for a Government Contract
One of the best possible ways for a small business to grow more rapidly is to get into government contracting with existing products and services. The US government awards contracts to operations of all sizes, and even has initiatives specifically designed to help smaller companies get their own tiny piece of that vast contracting pie.
Here at Asher Government, our government sales training programs are designed specifically to help businesses of all sizes learn how to navigate the government contracting roadmap. We teach you and your associates the skills needed to negotiate contracts, hang onto them, and increase your orders on existing contracts.
Of course, avoiding major mistakes is a big part of this. Here are three big problems we can help you avoid.
Three Ways to Mess Up Your Government Contract Bidding
- Marketing to Every Federal Agency
Trying to cast a wide net in government contracting is a good way of ensuring you catch nothing. Your bids should be precisely targeted to individual agencies – or even individual sub-agencies – and based on deep research into their needs and processes.
Targeted bids won’t just help you identify the best fits for your own offerings. They will also help you write a contract that’s written “in their own language” using the terminology and acronyms the agency is familiar with. That sort of attention to detail is what wins contracts.
- Avoiding Face Time
No matter how the process is streamlined, government contract bidding will always be in part about who you know. Not that people can “steer” contracts to you, but you have to know what they need and offer it in your proposal at the winning price. You want to be getting as much face time with as many officials as you possibly can, gathering names and adding to your personal network of contacts.
Seek out every possible opportunity to meet in person with your buyers and LISTEN to their needs. It will really pay off in the long run.
- Improper Dress
We know a lot of businesses these days like to keep their dress code casual. Well, leave the hoodies and sneakers at the office. Government buyers expect bidders who are dressing to impress, and will not be giving contracts to representatives who look like they wandered in off the street. This sounds like a simple thing, but learning these little things will add up to a lot more wins and long term success.
Anyone who meets face-to-face with government officers should be dressed impeccably every time.
Asher Government Sales Training Programs Prepare You for Success
Whether you’re a newcomer to government contracting or looking for new strategies for a new era, Asher training programs and seminars help you learn the skills you need.
