Small Business Growth Acceleration Lessons learned from business success and failures Presented to Industry Advisory Council Small Business Shared Interest Group April 2003 Michael Lisagor See the Business Development Guide to Selling to the GovernmentBusiness Development Guide to Selling to the Government for much more detailed guidance on selling to the government Copyright 2006 Celerity Works
Helping executives accelerate government business growth 2 When in doubt, tell the truth. You will gratify some of the people and astound the rest. - Mark Twain
Helping executives accelerate government business growth 3 Agenda Be willing to change Learn to listen Plan Focus Build a sales process Don’t over expand
Helping executives accelerate government business growth 4 Agenda No bid! Delegate, motivate & measure Team to win Subcontract carefully Work Smart – Play Nice
Helping executives accelerate government business growth 5 Be willing to change
Helping executives accelerate government business growth 6 Leader Orientation Out –Personality driven –Detail obsessed –Emotional decisions –Pet projects –Taboo subjects In –Delegation –Vision oriented –ROI based decisions –Investments –Open dialogue
Helping executives accelerate government business growth 7 Learn to listen
Helping executives accelerate government business growth 8 Plan Simply pushing harder within the old boundaries will not do. - Karl Weick
Helping executives accelerate government business growth 9 Focus I always wanted to be somebody, but I should have been more specific. - Lily Tomlin
Helping executives accelerate government business growth 10 Build a sales process
Helping executives accelerate government business growth 11 Capture Planning BD = Sales CM = Capture Manager PD = Proposal Manager
Helping executives accelerate government business growth 12 Don’t Over expand International? Commercial? Hardware Software
Helping executives accelerate government business growth 13 I don’t know the key to success. But, the key to failure is trying to please everybody. - Bill Cosby No bid!
Helping executives accelerate government business growth 14 Delegate, motivate & measure
Helping executives accelerate government business growth 15 Manage to your budget Lost My Profit Work to your objectives but...
Helping executives accelerate government business growth 16 Team to win! “Hey…let’s get on that team! They look like nice people.”
Helping executives accelerate government business growth 17 Subcontract Carefully How dare you question my subcontract clauses! Why I oughta’… I’m sorry. No role - no deal! But, I already have 32 IDIQ contracts.
Work Smart - Play Nice Snowflakes are one of nature's most fragile things, but just look at what they can do when they stick together. - Vesta Kelly © 2006 Celerity Works