When you know better, you do better. ~Maya Angelou
There is plenty of time still left in the fiscal year to use what you know to gain more wins before year end. As always, Team Parabilis is committed to learning and growing with you so we can better service the needs of the GovCon community. Much of what I do is gather information from reliable sources to build my education for pursuing government contracts so that I can relay back to my network what I have learned. The intention is to give our community access to information you can use to grow and succeed in the industry. Interestingly enough, growth is not always found in doing more, but in doing better every time. Here are a few tips to make Q4 your best yet.
Stay focused
Newer and growing GovCons are in constant pursuit of that first win, which is no surprise because past performance is the only way to grab traction in the industry. Without the win, it is tough to show proof of your work. But don’t be discouraged if you get passed up in your first attempts. We have seen in our experience that clients who win big at the first try at it, often have difficulty replicating the process to continue the positive momentum. Also, they sometimes believe the win is indicative of what’s to come, so they proceed to go after anything and everything which can steer the business off course. If you are not winning the contracts you are pursuing, it is totally acceptable to ask the agency or prime where you missed the mark. Also beneficial is researching who has won the work in the past, and who received the award instead of you so you can compare and contrast your offerings and see where improvements need to be made. But whatever the case, stay focused on your objectives and give your strategy a chance to stabilize.
Stay in your lane
It is a great feeling to win the work you bid. No doubt it is encouraging to see how far you can go to grow. However, we have seen some businesses try to do too much out of the scope of their business capabilities in pursuit of contract work. What I have learned from experts in the industry is that it is wiser to spread your expertise across different agencies rather than pursue and promote your business in different competencies. Focus on what you know you can do best, and do some research about what sets you apart in the marketplace and market with multiple agencies rather than spreading yourself thin in trying to create competencies just to suit a contract opportunity. This way you multiply your opportunities in your portfolio while remaining true to your core competencies and capabilities.
Make connections
Who you know in this industry can do a great deal to assist in gaining opportunities. Did you know that there are agency representatives, procurement leaders and contracting officers for nearly every government agency and major Prime contractor on LinkedIn? Who better to connect with than the buyers and customers you want to work with based on your ability to assist their mission? Do your research on where your goods and services are needed and then begin to connect and network with the agencies or Prime companies you can assist. What better way to learn what is needed than straight from the source? The best connections are friendly and conversational interactions so you can get to know the person you want to do business with first. Making friends first is a great step in the right direction! Ask for help and guidance rather than being too bold and boisterous about your work. No one likes a blow heart!
I imagine when you read this I haven’t told you anything you don’t already know. Most of this is common sense, but it is to remind you to focus on what you have control of so you can better position your business for success. Make friends in the industry and ask the experts for their advice and help! You can catch more flies with honey than vinegar!