|
By Sid Jaffe, CEO, Advantage Consulting, Inc.
Small and emerging
businesses use a variety of techniques for growing their business. One of
the first lessons learned by successful business leaders is that everyone
is a part of the marketing effort and no one should be apart from that
effort. The issue most companies face is training their people to
properly become a part of the marketing effort. The challenge is to
design a system and methodology for your firm that encourages and
utilizes your people resources effectively to grow the business. The
small and emerging contractor has a number of opportunities to grow the
business using set-asides, GSA schedule work, small sole source contracts
and open competitive wins. Another and important tactic is teaming as a
subcontractor which can often account for a significant portion of new
revenue. The process of teaming is more than making a few contacts and
hoping to be a part of the winning team. It is an organized approach and
system for growing your business. Following are some tactics and
techniques to maximize your effectiveness as an organization in becoming
a strong teaming partner.
Invest the Time. Identifying prospective
teaming partners is a continual process for Primes as well as Subs. If
you wait until the RFP is issued it is too late to be on the team of your
choosing. Develop materials that clearly present your message and provide
a business case as to why you can help the prime win. Understand that the
reason a firm will take you on their team as a Sub is because you can
help them win or you can provide access to a decision maker they might
otherwise not reach.
Develop Mindshare
and Attachment.
A successful teaming meeting is one that starts a relationship. A good
business relationship starts with the chemistry between people. You want
your prospective partner to "think of you first" when the need
arises for a company that has your firm’s capability and qualifications.
It is that “first thought” that is the mindshare you want for your
company. Over a period of time your reputation and the reputation of your
company will determine the degree to which others want to team with you.
Ultimately you will develop attachment to your teaming partners.
Attachment is created when your firm is the preferred teaming partner. In
other words, attachment is achieved when the prime would rather use your
firm than any alternative company.
Create Access to
Prospective Teaming Partners. Every business relationship begins with access to
someone in a target organization. Often that access occurs as a result of
a social or casual contact. It is through the initial access points that
you begin to expand your familiarity with an organization and the people
in that organization get to know your firm and people. The relationships
you are creating happen over a period of time and it is incumbent on you
and your staff to follow-up on the contacts you have and the access
points you develop to nurture the relationship.
Know the Decision
Makers and Influencers. There are often specific people tasked with the
responsibility of identifying business teaming partners. While there are
no unimportant people when it comes to business relationships, there are
those people with whom it is crucial that you have access and that know
your compelling story. You need to have earned their attention by having
focused on them and their firm.
Know the End User
Problems. The
reason companies’ team is to win business and ultimately solve an
end-customer’s problem. The more you understand the end user’s dream,
mission and requirements the more likely you will be able to position
your firm and solutions as a requisite part of the overall solution. You
goal is to be in a position to select the team with which you affiliate,
and make that the winning team. Early on in the contact process with the
client and potential teaming partners your people need to confirm the
research they have done that establishes the nature of the end user’s
problem to be solved.
Understand the
Funding. In
this time of changing priorities, policies and perhaps administrations
there are programs that will have better and worse chances, of being
issued as RFP’s, and once awarded becoming funded. The closer you are to
the funding decision and the project “champion” the more valuable you are
on the team. Frequently the decision to pursue an opportunity rests on
the relationship and knowledge the bidding company has with the decision
maker. The relative importance of a program in the overall operation of
an end-user client and the support that there is internally for the
program, is best understood through trusted business relationships. Your
firm having these relationships will make your firm an important teaming
partner. Gain a Competitive Edge. The point of teaming is to have the
right companies, the companies the government wants to work with, to
provide a client with the best solution, at the lowest risk and in the
most acceptable manner. The up front investment in knowing the client and
knowing your teaming partner should result in a significantly higher
winning percentage and excellent client performance appraisals. Done
correctly teaming as an emerging company can generate the revenue and
contacts that become a foundation for growth. Teaming is a Contact and a
Contract Sport. Teaming is an interesting way of doing business. This
morning's competitor is this
afternoon's teammate. Tomorrow's competitor was yesterdays teaming partner.
There are firms and individuals between whom teaming is highly effective
and there are circumstances where it is less effective. There are
certainly situations where the relationship doesn’t work at all.
Everything starts with making contacts but it culminates in formal,
written, teaming agreements. Good teaming partners compete fairly, work
professionally, act ethically, pay promptly, and focus on the end user
client. Give all of that and expect the same of your teaming partner.
It is Your
Responsibility to Due Diligence. It is your responsibility to ensure that the teaming
relationship has the real potential for success, whether you are Prime or
Sub. Be sure to take the time to do your homework Ask the tough questions
and check past performance. Meet the people you will work with and look
at the systems you will use. Ultimately your firm’s reputation and
profitability will be affected in some manner by this new relationship
you are forming. Unfortunately, companies with bad reputations for
teaming seldom make good teammates with you.
Leverage Your Position. Part of the decision to team
with a firm is the ability your business will have to leverage the
success of the team into new business. You need to ascertain what
restrictions will be in place on your firm and what protections will be
in place for your firm. When there are additional opportunities available
as part of a long-term strategic teaming relationship both parties have a
higher stake in the success of the team. Continually fueling the
relationship with the end user client with solutions to their problems is
a win-win strategy. To make that strategy work you need to include the
concept of leveraging in your teaming plan from day one.
Advantage
Consulting, Inc. ™
7611 Little River Turnpike, Suite 204 West, Annandale, VA 22003-2407 USA
VOICE: 703-642-5153, FAX: 703-658-0159
dgiles@acibiz.com
© Copyright 2008
Advantage Consulting, Inc.™
|
