Government Sales Training to Win Government Contracts – 4 Reasons Why Government Contract Proposals Fail

Asher Government Training has a long history of providing government sales training to win government contracts, and much of that is focused on helping our clients avoid common mistakes that lead to missed opportunities.  For newcomers, government contract bidding is a difficult and risky process.  We want to help as many contractors as possible avoid common pitfalls.

There are many reasons a contract bid might fall through, and sometimes it’s not even the “fault” of a bidding company.   However, when people come to us looking for government sales training to win government contracts, these are some of the key areas we focus on.

Four Major Missteps to Avoid When Bidding on Contracts

1 – Misunderstanding the Buyer

This is a basic aspect of sales in any field, but one which many contractors fall foul of:  Not understanding their buyers’ wants, needs, and desires.  These contractors pitch their product, rather than pitching solutions to agencies’ problems.  They probably don’t do enough research, or don’t get face-to-face with their buyers, and fail to provide the solutions which agencies are looking for. Look for someone to coach you on needs, in an up-front legal manner.

2 – Not Offering Enough Value

Forming a clear value proposition is at the heart of successful contract bidding.  It’s not enough to have (X) service at (Y) price.  You need to differentiate yourself from everyone else who’s also providing (X) service.  Other failed contractors make claims they cannot back up.  A winning contract provides substantial value and makes it seem totally plausible that such value will be realized.

3 – Too Little Preparation and Field-Work

We could fill books with the stories we’ve heard of promising companies who rushed through the RFP process and skimped on their research, leading to failed bids.  Or perhaps they waited too long, trying to jump on a bandwagon that’s already left them behind.  Either way, the solution would have been more work and thought up front. 

4 – Lack of Leadership Support

Contract bidding is truly a whole-business process. Senior leadership cannot think itself “above” participating in RFP development and the larger bidding process.  This isn’t a “fire and forget” process where a leader can say “make a contract bid happen!” then wait for successes to take credit for.  They need to be hands-on throughout.

Asher Provides Proven Government Sales Training to Win Government Contracts

If you’re ready to kick your bidding into high gear, contact us today for information on our training programs.