Top Teaming Tips -- An Interview with MBE Connect

Thanks to Betty Cole of WBENC and to Sharon Hadary, for inviting me to share these tips during the recent Women's Business Enterprise National Council conference. WBENC rocks!  And a big thank you to interviewer Kate Armstrong at MBE Connect. Check out all the ways that MBE Connect can help you in your quest for teaming relationships. 

The New 80/20 of Government Contracting ...

...And How To Beat It

You know the regular 80/20 rule. Well, thanks to a new report from Victory in Procurement, an initiative of OPEN by American Express, we now have a new 80/20 rule for government contracts. Actually, it's the 86/20 rule:


First-time federal contractors invest an average of $86,124 and 20 months on the road to success.

They also offer these tips to make your road shorter than theirs:

• Start small.
• Pursue subcontracting -- 76 of winners do, and 54% of them succeed.
• Ensure that government business development is part of your core growth strategy.
• Target government buyers with clear needs that you can meet.
• Develop relationships through calls on agencies, outreach sessions, matchmaking events, and associations.
• DO look into GSA Schedules...but don't assume they're right for you. Less than 50% of first time contractors do business through a GSA Schedule. First, find out how your target buyers purchase, and how your competitors sell.

Want to know more? See:

• GSA Schedules: Seven Things You Must Know (a Summit Insight exclusive guide)
• What Winning Takes (Report from VIP/OPEN)
• Four Easy Lessons in Free Market Research (Instant webinar)