Small Business Specialists Share Insider Tips

Get The Inside Scoop

Here's what I heard these top small business specialists say on how they can best help you.

• JP: Jodie Paustian, Small Business Specialist, Internal Revenue Service, Office of Procurement Policy
• KR: Katherine Rachubinski, Navy Inventory Control Point (NAVICP), Philadelphia
• TB: Terry Budge, Industrial Specialist, Small Business Administration, Philadelphia
• MM: Michael Miller, Chief Logistics officer, Department Of Veterans Affairs
• ME: Marcia Easton, Small Business Chief, Army CECOM, Ft Monmouth
• DD: Dave Dickson, District Director, SBA, Philadelphia
  Thanks to AFCEA Small Business and the October 2009 conference team led by Tammy Goehrig.
  

• KR: Know what part of the agency you want to do business with. Even if it's another part of the agency than the one you're in, the small business specialist can usually refer you to the right person.
  
  
• KB: Be thorough, and stick with it. A Company had been brought into SBA for a certificate of competency. Issues came up between the agency and the company, which had to revise their proposal. Then, SBA reviewed the proposed joint venture and its flaws. Over three months, the contract was eventually awarded for $140M over ten years.
  
  
• DD: Explore the opportunities! Of over 300,000 businesses, only 1.2% of small businesses are registered in CCR. Even excepting home based businesses, still only 2.5 % are registered. Not enough small businesses know how to do business with the U.S. government
  
  
• DD: Help government meets its small business award goals. Government just barely made its 23% goal last year. Talk to the agencies you're targeting, get on CCR, complete your certifications on ORCA and represent all the preferences for which you're eligible. If you have several boxes checked, "...you're gold. If you're a HUBZone, Woman Veteran Business owner, the agency can count you in all those."
  
  
• MM: Focus. Nobody specializes in everything. Public Law 109-461 set up VETBIZ.GOV to provide preferences for Service Disabled Veteran Owned Businesses. But even with that preference, you can't register as "specializing" in too many things, or your company looks like it has no actual strength.
  
  
• JP: Make a strong first impression! Here's an example: the IRS had a requirement for a Client Relationship Management System, a $600,000 project which we designated for 8(a) companies. Everyone got invited to make presentations. Four made technical presentations. The first one had done its homework, asked additional questions, and knew we didn't want an IT approach. Another company said they'd develop a web site, so they hadn't researched us at all! And another one showed up a half hour late. Work with the small business specialists, and find out where to focus.
  
  
• KR: Meet us in person, at the small business office. Present a concise capability briefing. "A company cannot do everything!" We talk during the meeting about areas your expertise might relate to in our command. We follow up after the meeting with suggested points of contact, and a blurb about programs you might fit. Then the onus is on you to contact those people, and say you've been in to see us. That usually means they'll call you back...but we want to know if they don't, too.
  
  
• Work your way in: based on those introductions, you should be able to set up another meeting with technical specialist who will be really interested in your expertise. At that point, you want them to understand what your company can do and the special preferences you're eligible for.
  
  
• Be ready to team: If we have a lot of IDIQ's, we may ask you to work through a major prime that holds this contract vehicle.
  
  
• Strong online presence counts! Small business officials check your web site. Procuring agencies and primes use the Central Contractor Registry.
  
  
• Make the most of your past experience. Performance history need not be limited to government contracts. The more you keep that up to date, the more valuable it is. The systems no longer limit the NAICS codes you can use... but don't be distracted, be very specific.
  
  
• ME: Respond to RFI's, even if you can't meet every requirement. CECOM is definitely open to that, and may pass that information on to primes doing source selection, too. IRS also uses RFI's actively.
  
  
• TB: Attend OSDBU events for fact-finding. See who the big guys are who are winning work in your domain. Then be able to explain how you fit into what they do. Just because you're one of those small businesses, that's the icing on the cake. Government wants to know how you can effectively do the job. Start out small, get your feet wet, get a track record.
  
  
• TB: Let SBA help you. SBA has 68 district offices that will teach you how to use these free tools, how to use the system, and coach you through it. Contact the SBA district office that supports you.
  
  
• ME: Stay in touch with the small business office. You don't just come in one time. Things change with your company, and with the command. Come back. I met with 175 companies last year. Your visits keep you fresh in our minds when the primes come in.
  
  
• JP: Keep us up to date! Tell us when you've won a new contract, got a GSA Schedule, completed CMMI. and make your messages complete! If you email me to say "I want help doing business with the IRS", then attach a capability statement.
  
  
• KR: Personalize your message -- beyond mailmerge! Don't send mass email. Your email and its content should be very specific to the addressee and her responsibilities.
  
  
• DD: Be patient and prepared. Many companies ask for introductions to technical officials. Many commands will shield these people from contractors because they just don't have the time to deal with them if they haven't done their homework and are only going to waste valuable time!
  

Go Hug Your Banker.

Seriously.

How often should you visit your banker? A quick Google search found almost nothing on "visit" and "banker," though I did get a DIGG hit on a shark attacking a banker in Australia...

Financing is vital to staying alive today -- especially in government contracts. Get your ducks in a row, now. And make your next visit before you need to.

I just went in to wish my banker a happy new year and bring her up to date on my business as I made my first deposit of 2009 (thank you, GEAR Engineering!). Good news -- I had the best year ever in 2008...but I also really needed my line of credit as 2009 gets started, and needed her support to refresh that.

Boy, was I glad I had just stopped in to say hello last fall to introduce myself. She knew who I was and remembered my business, and was happy to help. I also found out she's going to have her first baby this spring -- which means I also want to be sure I find out who's backing her up while she's away.

Just like with government business development (or even advocacy on Capitol Hill) -- the time to make your first call is when things are going well. Then people know who they're dealing with when you come in and ask for help.

Take Five: PR Tips You Can Use Right Now

More 2009 Jumpstart Tools for Government Contracts

Which of these tips are you going to use first? Leave comment, or Let me know!

Why PR Activity is Critical:
Visibility can open the door to relationships you need.
And in tough times, when many people market less, those who market more STAND OUT!

1. Create A PR Plan For Your Government Market Niche!
   Short on resources? Try Guerilla PR by Jill Lublin...
   - Barter your services with a PR firm, if you're short of cash
   - Hire interns for press release writing and tracking
   
   
2. Write Op-Ed's & Letters To The Editor -- Especially If You're A Woman Business Owner
   - Focus on issues you care about
   - Watch the publication's style, and keep it short
   - Use Google Alerts to identify reporters who are writing about your issues
   - Contact them and establish yourself as an expert source
   
   
3. Plan To Use Online News Releases
   - Learn how to write news releases reporters will love
   
   
4. Review Your Web Site, Including Your Online Newsroom
   - Learn how to make it reporter-friendly
   
   
5. Make Google Work For You
   - Explore whether Google Adwords work for you
   - Consider using second- or third- tier ranked keywords
   - Set Google Alerts for your name, your company's name, your competitors
   
   
6. Apply For Awards
   - Gain Credibility & Visibility
   - Boost Employee Morale
   - Create publicity / news release opportunity
   
   
7. Supercharge Your Email Signature Line
   - Add photo & tagline
   - Link to your social media profiles, like LinkedIn, Facebook, Plaxo, ZoomInfo
   - Link to your blog...and change the message every week
   (e.g. "What's 2009's Must-Have Service? Find out this week on MY BLOG....)
   
   

Take Five: ConnectionTips You Can Use Right Now

Supercharge Your Networking.

I love the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO). My Greater DC Chapter is profoundly focused on giving members tools for business growth. At our most recent session, "Thriving In A Difficult Economy," panelist Joyce Bosc, President of Boscobel Communications, took a page out of her own book by being generous and helpful to all of us.

Her tips inspired my next two sets of "Take Five" -- the first, for building the connections essential to new business:

• Network, Network, Network.
  Attend conferences, meetings, trade shows, events, receptions, galas; look for people you don't know, rather than hang with people you do; seek groups of prospects more than peers; be helpful and generous -- that comes back to you ten times over!
  
  
• Use Social Networks / Web 2.0
  Top picks: LinkedIn (more formal); Facebook (more personal/social); Plaxo (favorite with big corporate America); ZoomInfo (find prospects and be found)... This stuff is real. Feel confused, frustrated, and most of all want to know when you've got time for all this? People who pay attention in just one session with Jen Abernethy, America's First Sales Stylist, generate qualified leads within seven days.
  
  
• Seek Speaking Opportunities
  In Workshops, Panels, Community Chambers/Business Groups...
  Position yourself as a thought leader. Research conferences your prospects will attend; if the program is set, offer to be a backup speaker. Increase visibility, send press releases about your gig.
  
  
• Start a Corporate Social Responsibility Program
  Tough times mean more people need help. Pitch in. Increase visibility. Boost employee morale. Create press release opportunity. Show your character and values and attract like-minded allies who can help you and vice versa.
  
  
• Look for Low-Cost Sponsorships
  In recessions, many people slow or stop marketing...which means you stand out more when you do. Consider: Bronze-level sponsorships; ask about opportunities for small business; barter your services for sponsorships; increase your organic search engine ranking as a result of greater links you generate from your sponsorships.
  

Take Five -- Your 2009 Business Boost: Government Contracts?

Five Ways To Tell!

America evidently wants change -- and that could mean business for you, as post-election giddiness has faded fast to focus government leaders on the pile of urgent priorities.

Good news: you don’t have to be a corporate giant to win government contracts. If you run a healthy business and are already selling successfully, government buyers could represent an untapped market. Imagine finding new clients in places your competitors aren’t even looking! If reliable new customers are important to you, a small investment in learning how US government buys can bring you new business.

Pursuing those opportunities could bring your company long term growth...or waste valuable corporate resources. Five tips suggest whether you’re ready to take on the world’s biggest buyer.

1. Strong Performance Today & Determination For Tomorrow.
   Successful suppliers realize the investment they’ll need to make in order to pursue, win, and perform government business. You never hear them say, “Sure, we’d open an office and expand if we won a big contract. Government customers want reliable suppliers with established track records Some contracts explicitly require vendors to show a couple years’ commercial track record in order to be considered.
   
   
2. A Unique Value Proposition – for Government.
   Successful vendors have researched exactly which government buyers benefit most from what they offer, and craft their marketing campaign precisely to reach those buyers. They create online content and literature to focus on issues and challenges that government buyers face. They can articulate in the buyers’ language how their offering stands apart from the alternative options the buyers have.
   
   
3. Relationship Mastery.
   Successful vendors know that when you sell to government, you’re not selling to a process or an order machine. Government buyers do business with people they know and like and trust, people who understand their needs exquisitely well – even when they have to follow complicated rules to do that. Winners have genuine passion for helping their clients solve problems. They build their own formal networks, like creating a corporate board of advisers that includes former government employees. They are active contributors to industry networks. And they are alert to the casual perfect connection that a friend or neighbor can bring.
   
   
4. Focus on the Details.
   While relationships are essential to attract the business, governments operate under complex rules that vendors must know. Companies who hold government contracts – whether as a prime contractor or a subcontractor – must be aware of and comply with dozens of precise requirements. Non-compliance can bring instant death to a proposal you spent thousands of dollars and weeks of time to prepare. Government contracts carry legal obligations that can include workplace regulations and contract administration as well as product specifications or service performance standards.
   
   
5. Get Some Know-Who, not Just Know-How!
   Spend smart, but don't skimp. Winners seek top insider connections and know the value of specialized help. Successful contractors engage experts and invest in market research to develop cost-effective government marketing strategies. They’re visiting the perfect prospects – and shaping requirements -- long before contract notices are posted online. They know how they’re superior to their competitors in every way. They shop around and check references to hire the best insider experts they can: people who can help them target the best opportunities, connect them with the right partners and buyers, and plan for critical marketing activities and expenses.

Jump start your research with an instant webinar -- see www.summitinsight.com/video.asp.

Find out more! Contact Judy Bradt at (703) 627 1074.

Take Five: Information Experts' Insider Tips

Five Keys to Multi-Million Dollar Success

Meet Marissa Levin,CEO of Information Experts in Virginia, award-winning provider of strategic communications services since 1995. Her company's flagship government contract, with the Office of Personnel Management, is worth over $6 million.

• Tough Times Spurred Federal Pursuit: "After 9/11 we nearly went out of business," she said. "So we turned to the business in our own backyard," and started to pursue government contracts.
  
  
• First Contract: Was surprisingly fast: "We were invited to 2 EPA task order competitions for creative work...because we had strong commercial experience." EPA was also looking for qualified 8(a) companies. But steady profit required time and money.
  
  
• Market Entry Investment: Nearly 2 years and well over $200,000. On what? "We got on several GSA Schedules; built strong partnerships with large integrators; did a lot of marketing, including to many 8(a) shows produced by FBC and ones sponsored by the agencies."
  
  
• Key To The $6 Million Contract: Relationships. "The relationships I formed, and the due diligence I did to get to know them and demonstrate our capabilities, and the research I did with the draft RFP’s, did a tremendous amount to develop the level of comfort and trust that the Office of Personnel Management had with us."
  
  
• Biggest Challenge: Financing. "From the day you win, you have to start executing! But you then have to bankroll your employees for 60 to 90 days," before you might get your first payment. Without financing, that large contract could put you out of business! "My living room had no furniture in it, but I had this contract!"
  

SAIC Teaming Do's and Don'ts From Michael Parker

Insider Teaming Tips From Science Applications International Corporation

Michael Parker is Senior Business Unit Strategist for SAIC, a top federal contractor that's always looking for qualified small business partners. I asked him what his top three tips were for companies seeking partnerships. He said:

• Research SAIC, and find out what part of the company you want to do business with
• Come with a specific opportunity in mind
• Present a business case on how you can contribute to winning that specific opportunity.

What do you think the absolute worst things are you could do when approaching SAIC?

He recommended starting by registering on SAIC's small business portal, and taking advantage of the access points of contact there.

But in real life, how easy is it to get in the door? Got a happy story, or a horror show? Tell all. I've been reporting what the primes say...what's the most effective thing you've done to actually become a teaming partner with these guys?

Gustav: When A Storm Means Business

Disaster Response Contracting Tips

Hurricane Gustav is poised to create a serious natural disaster that will generate huge urgent needs for supplies and services, both immediately and in the weeks and months that follow.

Who is going to win that business to help, where, and how?

I'm in business to to help qualified vendors, even those without experience, connect faster with suppliers who need you. So here are THREE FREE RESOURCES to help you do that right now:

1. 2008 Disaster Response Tips: Ready for Hurricane Gustav -- New White Paper
   
2. Be A Top DisasterResponse Contractor -- Competitive Intelligence from Hurricane Katrina
   
3. Success Stories: Supplying Emergency Shelter and Meals

*********************************************************************************
Here are the details:

1. Save hours of time!Get tips on Hurricane Gustav disaster response contracting by downloading this five-page summary from http://www.summitinsight.com/blogviewd.asp?id=96. Includes:
   

• Links to Disaster Response Action/Status reports
• Where disaster relief centers are being set up
• Which government agencies are doing what
  
• Supplier Registration sites
• Success Tips
  
  

2. "Be A Top Disaster Response Contractor: Version 3.0" , updated from 2005, is jammed with competitive information you want to know. You'll find out:

• Lessons learned from Hurricane Katrina Response in 2005. Emergency supply needs and major prime contractors will be similar this time!
• Top disaster response contractors in 2005 -- those winners may become big suppliers now.
• Vendor keys to success from the Hurricane Katrina response in 2005
• What products and services buyers needed after Hurricane Katrina, and how much

3. Success Stories: Supplying Emergency Shelter and Meals: Keys to success from interviews with two companies , first-time suppliers, who won disaster response contracts worth millions in 2005.

In short, you have a good chance to meet these urgent needs if you already have:

A current government contract vehicle that someone can buy from RIGHT NOW,

Contacts within federal, state, local and NGO agencies with responsibility for disaster response,

Recent communication with people making supplier decisions to meet disaster response needs,

Current information about the emergency management and buying process in the disaster area;

If not...find out what you need to know HERE.

Lockheed Martin Tips For Small Business

Lockheed Martin is looking for good small business partners, too.

Here's 90 seconds of wisdom from Ken Hildebrand, Supplier Diversity Manager at Lockheed Martin in Marietta, Georgia.

You'll find out:

• What kind of "homework" small businesses need to do when approaching Lockheed Martin
• How to improve your marketing materials and why
• And a final key to success!
  

Financing Your Government Contract

Marissa Levin, CEO, Information Experts Tells How SHE Did It...

You may be surprised!

Teaming Tips: Diane Marsden, BoozAllenHamilton

Here's what Booz Allen Hamilton does want to see from small businesses proposing partnership.

HINT: Being a veteran-owned small business, or a small disadvantaged business, or any kind of small business, isn't a capability. It's a differentiator...and not a particularly strong one at that.

To sum up: Come with

• Your Unique Value Proposition
• The Government Clients You Fit Best
• Your Capability
  

Take Five: The 5 People You Need to Meet

Helping Hands That Open Federal Contracting Doors

Once you've figured out which departments and agencies might be your buyers (oh, not sure about that? Start by cruising http://www.usa.gov/), you need to get ready to meet the people who can help you.

The five people you need to know when you want to win government contracts affect what doors you can get through, how they can buy from you, who introduces you (which affects how much initial credibility you have), why they try you, and when they want you.

The Five People You Need To Know

• The Small Business Specialist (at the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization -- OSDBU)
• The Contracting Officer
• The Program Manager
• The Influencer
• The End User

The better you prepare -- know what they care about, and what they can do for you -- the more they're likely to help you. Will planned procurements happen? Will they be set-aside for small business? What are new requirements likely to be? When are pre-proposal conferences?

Companies that sell to government – certainly in the United States – master more than process to succeed. Their sales depend on how well they know the people who make and influence the contract process. They never forget that they’re not selling to a process. They’re selling to people: people whose jobs depend, and are often buying for people whose lives depend, on choosing the best vendor who meets the requirement.

Who are these people? What doors do they guard? What do they care about, and what is the key that will open their doors to you?

Download a free short article now!

Take Five: Executive Coaching Success Tips

Field Notes from Top Businesswoman in Government Contracts

Congratulations to Marilyn Edelson of OnTrack Coaching -- she just won her first government contract! She provides executive coaching, especially for top IT professionals.

I asked how she did it, and she was glad to share these keys to success!

Marilyn admires her government clients, and is proud to help them. "These are real people who work incredibly long hours, doing yeoman's work for our government-- that is, for us! I am amazed at their diligence and dedication, and communicating that genuine admiration never hurts in winning business!"

1. Define the Signs
What are symptoms of the problem you solve?
"A re-organization or turnover in key personnel -- especially if the position would be vacant for a while -- usually suggests the organization will be struggling with the kind of issues we're really good at easing such as change management."

2. Research for the Need!
Marilyn constantly scans industry news for people with those symptoms.
"Sure enough, we noticed a government agency that had that kind of change. Then we researched the specific challenges they were facing."

3. Know Who You Know
How strong is your database? Among your current and past clients, personal and business contacts, is probably someone who can open a door to the person you need to meet.
"My business partner had done a contract for someone else in that agency. He made the introduction and set up the meeting. The trusted relationship and track record gave us a hearing...but we had to be prepared and offer the specific value they needed at that time."

4. Offer Something Easy To Try.
Know the purchasing thresholds and offer some small-scale options for people to try you out. "When they had a group of senior decision-makers at the first meeting, we knew we'd identified a need, and we were ready with ideas. I told them about an analysis tool we could use, and they were thrilled. We also let them know we could offer our services as a 'pilot' project which lowered their risk."

5. Nurture the Right Relationships
...to Move the Contract Forward Once Agreement Has Been Reached
"We knew they were serious but were fortunate enough to work with a Contracting Officer who moved our contract forward with lightening speed. I grew to have a genuine liking for this person as well as for the executive who sponsored us.

Take Five! The 5 People You Need to Know

Helping Hands That Open Federal Contracting Doors

Once you've figured out which departments and agencies might be your buyers (oh, not sure about that? Start by cruising http://www.usa.gov/), you need to get ready to meet the people who can help you:

• The OSDBU Officer
• The Contracting Officer
• The Program Manager
• The End User
• The Prime
  

The better you prepare -- know what they care about, and what they can do for you -- the more they're likely to help you. Will planned procurements happen? Will they be set-aside for small business? What are new requirements likely to be? When are pre-proposal conferences?

Find out more -- download the newest free presentation, The Five People You Need To Meet, in the series "Take Five : Government Contracts Made Easier".

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!

Take Five: RU LinkedIn? 5 Reasons To Check It Out

Q&A Brings Fresh Perspectives on Government Contracting Questions

I've cruised "Web 2.0" over the summer, and concluded -- at least for now -- that Linkedin is my top choice for online business networks on government contracting.

Until LinkedIn added the new Q&A forums, I wasn't sure why I accepted my friends' invitations to "link" when I already had them in my contacts database. Q&A changed that. Now, I can specify the topics I want to follow -- for example, government contracts, small business, and marketing -- and:

• Informally survey my own contacts -- for market research, ideas, or new connections
  
• Put out a question to the whole LinkedIn network
• Showcase my expertise by answering OTHERS' questions
• Refer business to my friends
• Support my colleagues by giving their best answers a high ranking

Not LinkedIn yet? It's free -- take a look.

Unique Value Propositions

Make Yours Rock!

This article and the details in the concluding link were developed in collaboration with Scott Lewis, President and CEO, PS Partnerships, whom I thank for his generosity of time to chat in a recent interview.

Process

Some companies hire someone to lead a $20-$30,000 process to create Unique Value Proposition statements that they use to ensure consistent communications to the marketplace as well as internally. Others do it themselves.

Either way, your goal in creating a UVP is to relate your technology or offering to a business problem or issue that you help solve, and then communicate that connection to your targeted audiences or stakeholders.

• Self assessment: a good hard look at what you really offer
  
• Competitive Analysis & Positioning:Map out the competition, and how the competition presents itself, how they communicate their value proposition.
• Substantiation:Collect case studies that demonstrate your UVP, and create compelling stories that make your company stand out from the competition.
• Drafting: If you don’t have the right communications team, consider engaging professional help to craft language and suggest top priorities audiences for whom a UVP will generate the highest return.
• Define Audiences: You might need to develop several variations of your Unique Value Proposition, because you want to communicate different messages to different stakeholders. For example:
• End-users
• Systems integrators
• Government agency officials
• Non-technical executives
• Buyers
• Chief Technology Officers
• Channel Partner
• Media
• Solution Providers
• Investors
• Your own team/employees

• Testing

Get more on Unique Value Propositions -- examples and details on these process steps

Is SBA looking for a few good women?

In response to recent criticism from the Senate's Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee concerning inadequate achievement of awards to small business, Washington Technology reported the Small Business Administration's plans to launch an Electronic Procurement Center Representative (EPCR) system.

The system, set for October launch, will be among $500,000 worth of SBA's FY2008 initiatives to help government buyers more easily find capable small businesses that can meet their needs.

How much focus will this system or related initiatives have on identifying woman-owned businesses? The federal government achieved only 3.3% of its 5% goal last year. America -- government, citizens, and women business owners -- deserve better.

women business

Sharpen the Knives: Honing Good Tools

Advice I offer clients makes even more sense when I apply it to my own business. I'm just appalled that it sometimes takes me so long to recognize that!

I just got home from picking up my kitchen knives from sharpening. What a pleasure to use good tools that are ready for the job!

If my tools are sharp, I'll have more control and get better results, and enjoy cooking a lot more, too.

Same goes for business development -- mine and my clients. First, I have to quiet the overwhelmed feeling as I learn about all the stuff I haven't done or tried yet. Then I MUST ACCEPT that if I choose good consultants to help me, my sharper focus will more than return my investment of money and time, because I'll win more new business faster and with lower costs.

That's what I do for my clients...and I admit I need help in doing it myself.

(PS -- Did you know that a dull knife is more dangerous than a sharp one? A dull one can slip, because you don't have control of where it's going. Be safe! Precision Knife Sharpening is a professional, efficient operation; pay online and either mail or pickup/dropoff if you live nearby.)