Of course having the capacity to bid on and win contracts is essential, but so too is a smart marketing strategy. In construction, high, tight and consistently used messaging about what your company does best is essential. Follow these practical tips on the path to winning more publicly funded work.
High and Tight Presentations
A critical precursor for pursuing public funds is choosing and putting in place a contract vehicle, enabling the government to efficiently procure services through your company if you are chosen. That said, getting selected requires extreme clarity on what you offer, and why you are the best firm for the job at hand. When preparing to pitch to the government always think “high and tight”:
Since a majority of meetings with public officials are held virtually, it is necessary to structure a sales presentation in a specific way. Public officials are too busy to appreciate chit-chat on the call and surely don’t want to be questioned. Instead, they want to see a presentation that includes a short introduction that speaks to the company’s credibility and then moves quickly into a simple presentation about what the presenter has to offer. Consider the questions that will be in the official’s mind as you are presenting. “Is the offering a ‘must-have’ or a ‘nice-to-have’? How is it priced? How attractive are the benefits it offers? Would it be easy to work with this company and this sales representative?”Marketing material should be short; a one-pager is usually preferred. One should never hand a marketing packet to a government official. It will end up in the trash can in most cases.
Follow-Up Is Key
Be ready to implement a smart follow-up plan after every conversation. Even when the pitch goes great, you can still be forgotten. Remember, best practice before any meeting ends is asking: “What are our next steps? And, “May I send you a short overview of what we discussed today?” Clarity, specificity and brevity are key to all your interactions, as is persistence. Other marketing pointers to keep in mind when aiming to win public work include:
Send a brief email request for a meeting introducing yourself and the company you represent.List the highest value benefit of what you want to present.Mention some other government references if possible.Ask for a short 30-minute meeting….If you get no response, send another shorter message directly over your first note….
Have a great….presentation with no more than five slides. Make it colorful, with not too much text….Begin by thanking the public officials for their excellent work.Spend no more than four minutes introducing the company….Be specific and selective about what you present and explain that you’ll follow up with a brief one-pager….Move quickly to the benefits you can offer and how your offering works. Plan for this part of your presentation to last no longer than 15 minutes and encourage questions.
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