Take 5 :Top Tips For Government Contract Wins

Woman-owned small business? Intent on GSA Schedules? Some other plan?

Here. Get off to a fast start.

What New Year's Resolutions are shaping your 2008 strategy to win more government business? A quick and dirty survey of small firms in government contracts revealed ideas like:

• "Help one colleague gain access to at least one contract or prime contractor" (Nice -- what comes around goes around!)
• "Bid on 5 bids per week" (250 bids a year -- big effort for a small firm...)
• "Find a prime contract" (How about WINNING one?)
• "Beat the rush for funds" (That's getting more strategic!)
• "Find and pursue the obscure government agencies I haven't met yet" (How about looking for the ones with money to spend on what you offer?)

Here are my top 5 suggestions.

• GSA: Make The Pain Stop.
  Need help figuring it out? Download GSA Schedules: 7 Things You Must Know.
  
• Learn from Last Year.

• Get Political...Or At Least Think About It. (It's an election year: leverage your legislators!)
  
• Start Now for Next-Year-End 2008.
  
• Check Out State and Local.
  Learn more: Download Winning State and Local Contracts.
  
  Get the Details -- Link Here to the full article

Ten Tips for Fiscal Year End

Goverment buyers often have use-or-lose money...and US Federal fiscal year end is September 30th! If you've got prospects, these ideas can help you close the business.

(Excerpted from Government Marketing Best Practices by Mark Amtower -- Buy The Book!)

1. Ask for referrals from your best customers.
2. Offer year-end specials by telemarketing to current government customers.
3. Create white papers for downloading from your web site, and post-call follow-up.
4. Refresh web content weekly (specials, news, links) through mid-October.
5. Update your online profiles (GSA Advantage, Central Contractor Registration, prime contractor portals).
6. Use multiple tactics (direct mail, web, PR, telemarketing, events), not one-shot.
7. Include info decision-makers need (price, URL, 800-number, contract vehicles).
8. Put the SmartPay logo on your materials!
9. Visit GSA Sales Query, even if you don't have a schedule. See who the leaders are in your GSA Schedule category, and look at their ads and web site.
10. Answer the phone!