Welcome to Advantage Consulting

As many of you are aware Advantage Consulting has the privilege of serving many charitable organizations. We would like to highlight this years Annandale Lions Club Charities efforts for sight and hearing conservation, youth activities, community service and other charitable projects. The Annandale Lions Club Charities, Inc. is selling the Official 2008 White House Ornament at the same price as the foundation sells it for to retail customers, $17.00. This years Ornament honors the administration of President Benjamin Harrison (1822-1901), the twenty-third president of the United States. Inspired by the Harrison family's Victorian Christmas tree, this 24 karat gold finished ornament interprets the first recorded tree to decorate the White House.

The ornament's cost is $17.00 each, plus $3.00 shipping (while quantities last). For multiple orders the shipping will be adjusted based on quantity. The ornaments can be picked up at Advantage Consulting offices to eliminate shipping cost.

For more information or to place orders call John Landers 703-354-9227 or jlanders@cox.net or email to ornaments@annandalelions.org or order direct at http://www.annandalelions.org/ornaments.htm

The Annandale Lions Club Charities, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) organization. For more information on the Annandale Lions Club please contact Sid Jaffe at 703-642-5153.

We All Have a New President
By Doug Allston, President, Advantage Consulting, Inc.

Whether you voted for or against President-elect Obama, he will become our next President. He will be everyone's President. I would like to paraphrase something that Senator Joe Lieberman once said about the President, "It's time for everyone who distrusts the President to acknowledge he is the Commander-in-Chief and we undermine the president's credibility at our nation's peril." We are all Americans first and Republican or Democrat second. Let us all pray that President Obama has a successful Presidency.

Questions and comments to Doug Allston at 703-627-5820.

We see many contractors focus their organizational efforts for Capture on new business opportunities with effort on recompetes being given less attention. While incumbents do win the great majority of their recompetes, we are seeing with frequency recompetes being structured differently and opened up to greater competition. Fifteen to eighteen months prior to a recompete is not too soon to begin planning and organizing your recompete teams. Consider whether the composition of the Source Selection Advisory Board will differ from the last submission. Will the decision be made on the same criteria? In other words, do your Capture Planning. Part of the consideration should be to decide if your Capture Team for the recompete has the training and processes in place to assure the win. To learn more about strengthening your capture team and process contact Sid Jaffe at 703-642-5153.

It's All About People
By Bill Hamilton, Vice President, Advantage Consulting Inc.

I recently attended a small business planning meeting where a small business owner took great exception to a recommendation that small companies would do well to actively participate in associations where potential customers were also members. His rather emotional comments were founded in his belief that he was paying a significant amount of money for membership and not receiving tangible business benefits from the association membership.

Unfortunately, this misguided impression is not uncommon in the small business community. In my consulting practice, I have frequently seen or heard small business CEO's question the value of an association meeting or event because there was no perceived business benefit (contract or work). The corollary to this is the small business owner comment that says he does not have time for associations because he is focused on the next 30, 60 or 90 days and does not have time to build relationships or even plan relationships.

People buy from other people. A buyer must first know you, then like you, respect you and trust you before they will be inclined to buy from you. To create the cycle that leads to trust, you need access to the people. You gain this access through networking, a process where you meet and get to know the people with whom you do business or people who become your personal friends. Networking takes time. You can meet someone in a very short time but you do not create the body chemistry for them to like you and know you well to respect you or trust you in a short time.

The search for access to people begins with introductions and working or doing other things together. As you work with someone, regardless of the task, you will begin to develop an understanding of the other person and they with you. You will begin to know better what and how they will do something as they will begin to understand you. Out of your mutual understanding will come your mutual respect and trust. Business frequently comes out of respect and trust between people. All this can begin with association participation. The association does not and cannot give you work. It can provide the basis for solid networking and relationship building that can and will build your business. Is association membership and participation important? Absolutely! Is association membership and participation a good thing for business? Absolutely! If you want to expand your network, identify the association your customers support and join. Once you join, get active and stay active. Your business and you will be the better for it. Want to discuss networking and your business, call Bill Hamilton 703-405-8912 and let's talk.

What Is The Job Rate For That Analyst In Texas?
By J.P. Richard, Vice President, Advantage Consulting, Inc.

Need to find out what a job skill is worth somewhere in the United States so you can price out a proposal? www.salary.com collects data from hundreds of companies across the country and collects it in a database. You can buy the database from them or search by job title online by specific zip code for free. The job categories correspond to standard Federal job categories. How do I know? Because I have found the same job descriptions used in RFPs to define the skills required of a given Federal position. There is a lot of information out there to help you. You just need to know where to find it. Tha t's how our Market Research course can help you. Contact J.P. Richard for more information.