U.S. General Services Administration Office of Small Business Utilization Small Business Solutions 6 Steps to Marketing for the New Government Contractor Christy L. Jackiewicz Outreach Program Manager

2 Purpose  Provide 6 Steps to Marketing 1.Identify the Customer 2.Analyze the current and future needs 3.Listen to the Customer 4.Talk about what matters 5.Be the Solution 6.Be Better than their last experience

#1 Identify the Customer 3

Identify the Customer What are your questions?  Who is buying what you sell?  How much are they spending?  Where did they buy it from?  What is the current trend?  Where is the Procurement Data?  Who are the top spenders? 4

Identify the Customer The Federal Procurement Data System provides:  Geographical Analysis  Market Analysis  Congressional and Presidential Initiative Impact  Socio and Economic Analysis  And more… 5

FPDS Data Example – Top 10 Contractors 6 Benefits of Data? Seeking Partnerships?

7 Find New Customers  – Advanced Search  Pre-solicitation, Sources Sought, Solicitation/Synopsis  Classification Code  NAICS Code  Recovery and Reinvestment Act  Collect Contact Info Always  - Forecast  NAICS Code  Title  State

8 Find New Customers  Cold Calling  Authority to Purchase  Contact Information  Quarterly/Biannual Updates  s as follow-up only  Conference Attendance  Set Goals  Anticipate potential partners – not just buyers  Determine Needs  Network, Network, Network

#2 Analyze the current and future needs 9

Analyze and Anticipate  Current and future trends are the source of success  Current –Sustainability –Telework –Mobile Office –Cleaner and Greener 10

Analyze and Anticipate  Current and future trends are the source of success  Future –What makes sense? How is the demand changing?  Mandatory Home Office?  Eliminate Toxic Sources  Better Tools for a Mobile Environment 11

How to Analyze and Anticipate  Listen  Watch  What is the need now?  How has it changed?  Where is it going?  Successful companies are intuitive and move with the direction of the current. 12

#3 Listen to the Customer 13

14 How will your Customers Decide? Past Performance Price Options Warranty Availability Location Buyer Discretion 508 Compliance Green Options

Listen to your customer  What are their needs and challenges?  What is their pain/heartburn?  How can you be the solution? Be the solution to the problem! 15

#4 and 5 Talk about what matters and Be the Solution 16

Solutions?  Determining what matters?  Customers Concerns  Customers Budget  Customers Support System  Customers Resources  Customers Vision  Customers Last Contractor Experience  What else matters? NOTHING!!!  Take care of the customer! 17

18 Seeking Partnerships/Resources  Contractor Teaming Arrangements (gsa.gov/cta)  GSA Schedule Vendors ONLY  Total Solution  Paid Separate  Team Plans Process  Subcontracting (gsa.gov/subdirectory)  Any size prime  GSA Schedule Projects  Piece of the Pie  Mentor Protégé (gsa.gov/mentorprotégé)  GSA Schedule Vendors  Prime Directed Projects  GSA Approved  Subcontracting Agreement

#6 Be Better than their last experience 19

20 Business/Marketing Plans help!  How?  Blueprints of a Business –How do we make a difference? –Who does it better than we do? –Who will buy our products/services? –How will we get new opportunities? –Short and Long term goals –How much it will cost? –What are we missing?

21 More Support 11 Regional GSA OSBU and SBTA’s OSDBU for all agencies Procurement Technical Assistance Centers Customer Service Directors

SMALL BUSINESS SOLUTIONS Christy L. Jackiewicz General Services Administration Office of Small Business Utilization OSBUGSA 22