Selling to the Government: Amtower on B2G

There is networking, then there's connecting, then there is being "connected": The Waldo Factor, part 7

noreply@blogger.com (Federal Direct) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 17:02:00 +0000

In the governnment contracting community there are arguably only a handful of networking events where there are a significant number of "power players" in one place at one time- senior executives from the top contractors, senior government officials, key press contacts and others.

One such event is the annual Deltek holiday party, now held at the Ritz in McLean. Due to Fire Marshall issues, it has become an invitation only (gotta be on the list) event.

This event was started byTom Hewitt when he ran Federal Sources. Of all the people I have ever met in the government market, Tom knew the value of networking and went out of his way to meet people, make introductions, create networking venues and help as many as he could. He is a truly gracious guy. On many occasions I was the recipient of introductions by and invitations from Tom, and I remain grateful for both.

Hewitt was the epitome of being connected. He was the LinkedIn of the 1990s.

He started the annual holiday party in the late 1980s and held it at the McLean Hilton as an open, anyone can attend event. There was no fee to attend and it remains so to this day, although you need to bring a $20+ toy for the US Marines "Toys for Tots" program.

When I attended this event for the first time (according to my old Day-Timer collection, 1991), I looked around the room and thought, "These are the people I read about in Federal Computer Week, Washington Technology and Government Executive - and here they are!"

My job that evening was to meet as many people as I could, gather as many business cards as possible, and see if I could develop some consulting business. I had some minor name recognition at the time through my newsletter (hardcopy, snail mail), from being on the Board of Advisors for FOSE, a little word-of-mouth, and a few speaking engagements. But I was far from being "well known" in the contracting community.

So I'd gather the business cards, drop people a note (snail mail), follow up with a phone call.

The results were not stellar, but they were OK.

Tom Hewitt may have known many or most of the people in that room but I certainly did not. But everyone in that room knew Tom Hewitt. His rolodex and influence was truly unparalleled in this market throughout the 1990s.

So 20 years later I find myself at the Ritz at the annual holiday party and I'm looking around and I am thinking - "These are the people I read about in the trade magazines, hear interviewed on Federal News Radio, see on LinkedIn - and here they are!" The attendance is around 1,200 of the most influential people in the contracting community.

While I have better name recognition and good overall market visibility, I still don't know everyone I'd like to know. So I still collect business cards.

So my goal with the business cards is to make certain that while I may not know everyone in the room, I want to have most of them in my "network" - so I invite the key players to connect with me on LinkedIn, making certain my business card collection pays some dividends.

There may be 1,200 people in that room, similar to the way it was in 1991. But the difference for me is by connecting to key players (by offering them a reason to connect with me), I have reduced the number of degrees between me and anyone in the room. My network now includes all top contractors, many senior government executives, much of the government trade press, and more.

I may never have the power or influence of Tom Hewitt, but my goal is to emulate certain of his behaviors so my reach in the market is as broad and deep as possible.

So far, so good.

LinkedIn Master Workshop

noreply@blogger.com (Federal Direct) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 20:57:00 +0000

I just hosted the inaugural LinkedIn Blackbelt Master workshop this morning and there are now 8 more intelligently armed soon-to-be LinkedIn experts out there.

This is a 3 hour workshop with very limited seating so everyone attending gets some one-on-one coaching along the way.

Without a doubt, LinkedIn has become the premier social network for business professionals. With nearly 140 million business professionals and over 2 million individual company profiles, LinkedIn is the place to be found for business professionals, and to find and connect with influencers in your market niche.

However it is estimated that fewer than 25% of those registered to use LinkedIn do so effectively, and less than 10% maximize the value this powerful tool can bring to you and your company.

Unlike some other social networks, LinkedIn is all business all the time. If you are not maximizing this extraordinary tool, you are losing mindshare.

I currently host this session monthly near BWI, but should be hosting a Virginia monthly session in the near term - hopefully no later than March.

The next BWI session is Wednesday, February 29 from 8:30-11:30 AM.

Drop me a line for details on upcoming sessions.

mark@federaldirect.net

Overused Buzz Words- The Waldo Factor, part 6

noreply@blogger.com (Federal Direct) — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 14:13:00 +0000

LinkedIn has released it's list of the ten most overused buzz words that show up on LinkedIn profiles, resumes, etc. In order, they are -

1) Creative
2) Organizational
3) Effective
4) Extensive experience
5) Track record
6) Motivated
7) Innovative
8) Problem solving
9) Communication skills
10) Dynamic

Each of these terms has a use, but apparently, just about everyone likes and uses them.

Does this mean they necessarily should be removed from your profile? Not automatically, but if replacement terms can be used, you need to consider it. A simple thesaurus check in Word can yield some decent results:

Creative (original, inspired, resourceful, innovative)

Dynamic (lively, active, energetic, vibrant, self-motivated).

Your LinkedIn profile can potentially be seen by over 135,000,000 professionals, so it really needs to resonate with those you wish to influence. Feel free to be creative and experiment.

Using tired, overused terms and phrases does not make you stand out.

What can you do for 2012 to stand out in your niche?

Starting Off 2012: Boom...or a Bust (The Waldo Factor, part 5)

noreply@blogger.com (Federal Direct) — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 15:00:00 +0000

What are you going to resolve to do to make 2012 a boom year for you and your company?

The government contracting market is going to get even tougher in 2012. With no Congressional agreement on budget cuts, a 10% across the board cut in agency spending looms like a big, dark cloud on the horizon. Add to that the perpetual continuing resolution that will most likely linger for yet another year and we have a massive squeeze on the contracting community.

Standing out, your ability to be found by potential partners and customers, to stand out as an expert in your niche, is critical due to the budget crunch. This is true for both companies and individuals, service companies and product vendors. Being viewed a s a subject matter expert of thought leader in your niche is more important now than ever before. Generalists will not make the cut.

Using web 2.0 tools and social networking can help.

On October 18 Market Connections released the 2nd annual "2011 Social Media in the Public Sector" study. Among many other findings, the study showed a dramatic rise in the use of social media year over year, with more than 90% of government employees using some form of social media- an increase of 41%.

Another finding was that 70% of government employees used LinkedIn and 93% of contractors were using LinkedIn, both big gains over the previous year. Market Connections study stats on how contractors use social media:

1) Marketing/promotion - 85%
2) Thought leadership promotion - 84%
3) Increased collaboration - 75%
4) Improved customer access to company information - 74%

(SOURCE: www.MarketConnectionsInc.com)

More and more I am seeing job titles like "Social Marketing Manager" at companies of all sizes.

So here are my questions for you as we approach 2012:

Are you "on" LinkedIn without being active?

Are you on LinkedIn but with a bare-bones profile?

Are you among those who think your customers and prospects are not on LinkedIn?

Do you still think social networking is a fad or waste of time?

How effectively are you using LinkedIn to position your company or yourself as a thought leader in this hyper-competitive market?

Developing a social media strategy has become a "must do now" rather than a "we'll get to it real soon" task.

What are you going to resolve to do to make 2012 a boom year for you and your company?

Amtower & Company offers LinkedIn & Social Media Strategy training for individuals, businesses and associations. Contact me at Mark@FederalDirect.net or call 301 924 0058 to see how we can help you. Look me up on LinkedIn- www.linkedin.com/in/markamtower and see how I practice what I preach.

The Chicken or the Egg: The Art, Science and Benefits of Being Different (The Waldo Factor, part 4)

noreply@blogger.com (Federal Direct) — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 12:35:00 +0000

The "chicken or the egg" conundrum has reared its confusing head yet again.

I have made several of presentations over the past 3 years on maximizing the power of LinkedIn: leveraging this great platform for differentiating your company; attracting partners and prospects; positioning your company as a subject matter expert in a niche so agencies and primes will better understand what you do and where you fit; strategically growing your network; then staying in touch with your ever-expanding network by sharing good information. This is the process that leads to more visibility and differentiates you from most, if not all, of your competitors.

The audiences always seem receptive to what I am saying, paying serious lip service to their desire to employ social media to differentiate, then reach out to the market. "We're gonna do it....real soon...."

Then comes the caveat: "We really need some sales first."

Differentiation, how and why you are different from your competitors, is one of the major keys that will lead to your ability to sell more products or services. Social media, when used properly, helps you display the attributes that legitimately differentiate your company from others. Until you differentiate yourself and become visible to your target audience, the likelihood of more sales is minimal.

"But we really need some sales first...do you have an email list of (fill in the job title here: procurement officers, facilities managers, CIOs, etc)"....

Chapter 8 of Selling to the Government is devoted to differentiating, and Chapter 11 (near the end of the book) deals with the deployment of web 2.0 tools, especially LinkedIn. I devote a fair amount of space in this book to these because they are critical to your success.

There is a reason that 25%+ of GSA Schedule holders make $0:
- little or no differentiation
- little or no targeted marketing
- and little or no use of social media.

Being on the GSA Schedule is not a guarantee of sales and being on GSA Advantage is a requirement, it is not a differentiator and it offers no real advantage (no pun intended) to the contractor.

If you are not trying differentiate, to legitimately stand out in a crowded field by clearly enunciating what makes your company different, you are already on a downward spiral.

So what comes first, the chicken or the egg?

Market Connections study stats on how contractors use social media:

1) Marketing/promotion - 85%
2) Thought leadership promotion - 84%
3) Increased collaboration - 75%
4) Improved customer access to company information - 74%

SOURCE: www.MarketConnectionsInc.com

And btw, Amtower & Company offers coaching for companies and individual coaching on leveraging the power of LinkedIn and we also offer a half-day workshop to get companies started on LinkedIn.

Stop whining and start working smarter: get active and get found! (The Waldo Factor, part 3)

noreply@blogger.com (Federal Direct) — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 16:19:00 +0000

"I have been on LinkedIn for six months and it hasn't done a thing for me...."

This was a comment from the audience where I spoke recently. When I returned to my office later that day, I took a look at the profile of the person who made the comment, and here's what I found:

- no recent activity- none. No new connections, no new groups, no information posts. Nothing.
- profile- bare bones. No decent job description or company description, the "Experience" section only had the most recent position (read: no history).

In short, they might be a "member" of LinkedIn, but they are doing absolutely nothing to participate and become noticed.

This is like joining the key trade association for your niche and not attending meetings or networking functions.

Think of it as a "drive by" membership, where you can drive by the networking event, honk and wave when you are in the general vicinity of the venue, and hope someone notices you.

"I have been on LinkedIn for six months and it hasn't done a thing for me...." is the swan song of the couch potato, the person who always has something impeding the "thought meets action" process. LinkedIn doesn't work unless you do.

In this case, the impediment is the assumption that simply by being on LinkedIn will lead to results, when what it will really take is to stop whining and start working smarter: get active and get found!

10/24/11 Update:

On October 18 Market Connections released the 2nd annual "2011 Social Media in the Public Sector" study. Among many other findings, the study showed a dramatic rise in the use of social media year over year, with more than 90% of government employees using some form of social media- an increase of 41%.

Another finding was that 70% of government employees used LinkedIn and 93% of contractors were using LinkedIn, both big gains over the previous year.

The top uses for using social media for contractors were

1) Marketing/promotion - 85%
2) Thought leadership promotion - 84%
3) Increased collaboration - 75%
4) Improved customer access to company information - 74%

SOURCE: www.MarketConnectionsInc.com

Helping Small Businesses get "Found": The Waldo Factor, part 2

noreply@blogger.com (Federal Direct) — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 13:56:00 +0000

Being "findable" and being credible after being found are the first two steps for leveraging web 2.0 tools to create qualified leads. In the government contracting market, this is more important today than ever before.

There should be little or no argument that the government contracting market will be more competitive as we move into FY 2012.

Regardless of the size of your company, we have a situation where the better known companies will have a huge edge (hint: better known does not always mean bigger). So, if you have a piece of any IDIQ contract- GSA Schedule, SEWP IV, 8(a) STARS, whatever- you need to work harder than ever to gain more attention with the buyers and influencers who can make or break your FY 2012. That includes both government buyers and other contractors.

Take for example the 8(a) STARS II program, a five year, $10 billion IDIQ GWAC. As an IDIQ (indefinite delivery- indefinite quantity) GWAC (government wide contract), there is no requirement for agencies to buy off the contract nor is there any agency money assigned to the contract. It becomes job #1 for the winners of the contract to market the availability of their services through this contract to
key influencers in the government market.

There are 599 companies that own a piece of the 8(a) STARS II contract. Standing out in this crowd will not be an easy or quick task. Part of standing out in the crowd is positioning yourself as a leader in your niche, establishing your credentials and making certain that the word gets out to the right people. In a Federal News Radio interview on August 5, In Depth with Francis Rose, I predicted that less than 10% of the STARS II contract winners would make money fom the contract because of inadequate marketing and sales efforts.

For small companies, the intelligent use of social media and web 2.0 tools has become critical. Social media and blogs are the fastest growing line items in lead generation budgets because when used properly these tools allow a company to demonstrate an area of expertise, and to share relevent content with key buying influencers. It is one of the few tools that can really "level the playing field". When used properly, web 2.0 tools are low-cost and high impact.

Part of the credibility is what you do and how well you do it. Another part is who you know. Social networking allows you to exponentially expand your relationship reach. This morning (9/16/11) I received an email from a client. Yesterday I sent them an article that dealt directly with their core strength, an interview with a major federal influencer talking about this technical area. They asked if I knew the person quoted in the article. I did not- but I have 42 direct connections on LinkedIn that do know this person so I will be able to make the connection for my client. LinkedIn works if you use it properly.

And what about other web 2.0 tools?

According to a 2010 survey by Market Connections, Inc, over 40% of Federal information technology professionals "attended" more than one webinar in the past year. I expect the percentage to rise dramatically in the 2011 survey (to be released in Otcober). The fastest growing company in the government market, Carahsoft, has a library of several hundred webinars for customers and prospects. The webinars successfully act as a passive sales tools for Carahsoft. Just over seven years old, the company is on track to do $1 billion in sales this year.

This is not simply a matter of starting a blog, or creating a couple of webinars. It is a matter of selecting the right tools for your company and using them well, tools that show what you are capable of doing, tools that will attract buyers and influencers to your blog, webinar or social networking profile. Tools that will increase "findability" and build credibility and help you sell your services in this very competitive environment.

Or, if you prefer, you can wait for the phone to ring, the preferred tactic of many unsuccessful GSA Schedule holders.

The successful companies on 8(a) STARS, GSA Schedule and other IDIQs will be working hard to get on the radar of buyers and influencers and selling their products and services in FY 2012 and beyond. The companies that simply wait for business to occur will be waiting a long time.

If you are interested in deploying the right web 2.0 tools, in creating a "thought leader" or subject matter expert position, and getting your company on the government contracting radar, we should talk.

Drop me a line at Mark@FederalDirect.net and let's set up a time to discuss your use of Web 2.0 tools to grow your business.

The Waldo Factor - part 1

noreply@blogger.com (Federal Direct) — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 18:22:00 +0000

Here’s the scene, and I think we’ve all been here: You are at a conference and the person on stage speaking to 1,000+ people is somewhere between adequate and pretty good, but you are thinking he/she is not as good as you. My usual thought is along the lines of “where did they dig up this clown, and why is he/she talking about last year’s hot ideas as if they were new?”

So why is that person on the stage and you are sitting, frustrated, in the audience? What got them up there and not you?

While there are no easy answers to that question, the biggest factor is they are better known for what they do than you are. It may be because they wrote a book or some articles, they had some other speaking engagements, they were recommended by someone advising the event, or maybe they “knew somebody” or probably some combination of these and other factors. Somehow they were able to get in front of the right people at the right time and get the speaking engagement.

Regardless of the factors that created the situation, the fact is they are on the stage and you are in the audience. People are looking at and listening to them, and you are one of those faceless people in the crowd. Again, we've all been there.

Think of the person on the stage as Point B, and you as Point A. How do you get from Point A to Point B?

In the book series Where's Waldo, a tall guy with glasses dressed in blue pants, a red and white striped shirt and matching hat is always somewhere in a scene so crowded with other things and other people that it is hard to find him. The reader’s (really, viewer, as there are no words) job is to find Waldo.

In the speaking scenario above, the only one easy to find is the person on the stage. Unless you are wearing a red and white striped shirt with a matching hat, you will be hard to pick out in that audience. That's not usually the way you want to stand out in a business crowd.

Your job is to intellectually stand out and stand apart in your business niche, and to be easily found by those who need to find you because of your expertise. Then the people you want to meet and know will have an interest in knowing you and having as part of their online and offline network.

Growth in any market niche is predicated on building relationships with key influencers in that niche, and then becoming an influencer in that niche. Those influencers can include prospects, partners, press, investors, C-level execs and others influential in your market.

To build the relationships and maximize your presence, you need to develop credibility in your market, then build your visibility. Visibility without credibility has no value or worse, negative value.

Credibility is developed by being good at what you do and working at getting better, being among the best at what you do, and adding value to the community. Then you find ways to share some of your knowledge and opinions with others.

Once you start this process, you are already creating visibility, but it is necessary to continue to build your knowledge base as you expand your visibility. Markets evolve and you must evolve with them to retain your credibility.

Traditionally we have face-to-face events for networking, seminars and conferences where we share or receive knowledge, publications where we read, write or be quoted. These are still excellent venues.

But wait!!! There's more!

With the advent of web 2.0 tools, we have the ability to either bypass traditional methods or enhance them by incorporating them into our web-based activity.

For business professionals, LinkedIn has become an incredibly valuable tool for developing credibility and visibility. Your ability to stand out in a crowd is now predicated on your ability use both the traditional and web-based tools and coordinate the activity between them to make you among the most “findable" experts in your niche. Think of it as "findability".

So here is the initial equation:

credibility + visibility = findability.

There are several examples and one great example is Steve Ressler, founder of GovLoop.

Steve was a government IT analyst and program manager at the Department of Homeland Security. While working for the government, on his own time he co-founded Young Government Leaders, which has become a great networking venue for the next generation of public managers.

Then in 2008, Steve started the online community for Feds, GovLoop (by for and about Feds - the Facebook for government).

Steve's use of social media, which also led to being featured in traditional media, is a great example of what can happen if you develop an expertise and share your ideas. Along the way he won acclaim and awards from industry groups and trade publications, leading to even more visibility.

Steve stays active through GovLoop, Young Government Leaders and mainly by sharing ideas in as many forums as possible.

None of this happened overnight for Steve, and it all required hard work.

We don't all need industry-wide visbility, but most of us need visibility within a defined niche. And the tactics to gain that visibility are basically the same:

1- be good at what you do and work hard at staying good;

2- find the venues where those in your niche congregate, both online and offline venues, and get involved;

3- participation in these venues involves helping with events, working in special interest groups, developing and sharing ideas, commenting on other ideas, etc;

4- always be on the lookout for ways to share with others who would be interested.

Credibility, visibility and findability are truly keys to success.

IF you need assistance in developing and implementing a plan to raise your findability, send an email to markamtower@gmail.com .

Creating Visibility for You & Your Company

noreply@blogger.com (Federal Direct) — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 15:45:00 +0000

We have all read articles written by people who may not be the most qualified experts, and we certainly have all seen speakers who would be better off taking copious notes from the audience rather than dispensing advice from the podium. There are even some business book authors out there who have one or more books out that really offer little value, yet they seem to find an audience.

How did they get the speaking gig, article assignment or book deal, and how do they develop an audience?

Each of them has defined a niche and studied it at least enough to get the attention of a trade magazine or book editor or a conference director. Then they have designed a way to get on the radar, to generate some attention.

Becoming visible to your business community, your niche, is not an easy or quick process. It can be simple, but it is not easy, but we all need the attention only our niche can provide if we are to survive and thrive in these tough times. It does not matter if you have a small, medium or large company (although some will argue it is easier for large companies to get PR), or even if you are a solo-preneur like me - each of us needs enough attention to generate new business, to find the right job, to get the book deal or to move to the next level.

There are many tools available, and more becoming available every day, but the process of selecting and deploying the right tools for your niche. There are hundreds of web 2.0 tools out there, but let's just look at one for right now: LinkedIn.

LinkedIn has well over 100 million register business professionals, 990,634 groups (as of 11:22 AM EST, 7/19/ 11), many useful apps to use with your profile, and a ton of ways to help you stand out in a crowd and connect with key epople throughout your market.

But how many people on LinkedIn are really using it to stand out in their respective niches? My estimate is less than 2%. But key decision makers are using LinkedIn to identify the "experts" in various fields, and these include people who hire speakers, give writing assignments, and offer book deals.

So what does it take to truly stand out?

Knowing your subject well is always job #1.

Defining your area of expertise in terms that will resonate with your niche is job #2.

Getting the word out is job #3.

I use LinkedIn as the "hub" for my web activity. When I write an article, I post the link for it in pertienet groups on LinkedIn. The result this week is one of the most read and most emailed articles at www.WashingtonTechnology.com . It makes the editor happy to have fresh traffic coming into the site, it keeps my name active in the market niche, and it could generate some business. I write an article for Washington Technology's web site once a month, and each time my promotional activity helps make it a well-read article. And it doesn't take me long to do this.

I will also "tweet' the article link, which will put it on all the social networks I use and maybe generate some re-tweets as well.

How are you leveraging the available tools to generate some targeted viisibility in your niche for you and your company?

If you need some fresh ideas on how to stand out in a crowded market, drop me a line - markamtower@gmail.com

Best of luck with your efforts!

Mark

What to do when the budget shrinks?

noreply@blogger.com (Federal Direct) — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 23:17:00 +0000

I just received a question from a client who sells products to the government. Clearly this person, and their corporate management, were worried about the current economic and political climate - as are we all.

The question is: With budget cuts looming on a federal level, what might be a few things to say to management that would sound “good” to justify why the Government sector will continue to grow?

I think my answer was realistic, but optimistic, at least for the savvy.

I don't think the sector will grow, but I think the "shrink" in the government market will be less than anticipated and also less than other market sectors. Further, I think that the more savvy players will grow their market share by eroding the market share of marginal and less sophisticated companies. Many companies do this as a matter of course, but those ranks will swell in the current climate.

If you have any small business status, now would be the time to truly try to maximize the value of that status with your current government accounts, and perhaps with accounts that have lapsed within the last 18-24 months. I would also go to a few agencies that have needs for your products or services and make certain they know who you/your company is, and what you bring to the table. If you have no connections at those agencies, go through the OSDBU office. The OSDBUs are not just there for e the "newbies" - they will actually enjoy visits from seasoned professionals.

I think some companies that have been marginal in the market will leave or fold, and create some market share that will have to go somewhere.

Your thoughts on this are welcome.

Top Priorities for Maximizing Your Presence on LinkedIn

noreply@blogger.com (Federal Direct) — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 18:53:00 +0000

LinkedIn is a destination of choice for business professionals online, but there are still many not taking advantage of what it offers.

LinkedIn now has well over 100 million registered members, approaching 1 million groups (as of 2:23 PM on 7/11/11, 982,417)- 6,022 groups that have something to do with "government", and a ton of ways to make yourself known.

But most of those 100 million members are not leveraging LinkedIn in ways that will pay long term dividends. Inactivity by many, spam messages from many others, groups that remain un-managed or poorly managed, it seems like a waste.

However, for those who seek to gain some recognition on LinkedIn, here are a few tips to stand out & stand apart.

First, fill out your profile to 100%. Use short sentences and short paragraphs and make it interesting. Don't simply cut & paste your resume. Also use a professional picture, not a family photo, or one with a pet. Edit and update your profile regularly, at least twice each month.

Second, the way you fill out your profile should define the audience you wish to connect to- so make certain you state clearly what you do and what your niche is. Your SUMMARY" area is best for this, although each job description is also important.

Third, join pertinent groups and participate in them. Joining a LinkedIn group is like joining an association- there is no value unless you participate. Comment on or start discussions, ask and answer questions. There is no harm in joining groups then leaving if you don't find them useful.

Fourth, remember this is a network for professionals, so act like one. Avoid flip answers and don't make fun of people who ask seemingly silly questions.

Fifth, if you have a paid LinkedIn membership, monitor those who view your profile. often these are people you may want to connect to.

Sixth, if it is your company, start and manage your company profile. Make it, like your summary, readable and interesting, and clearly state what your company does. Avoid platitudes.

Seventh, tie your LinkedIn profile to your company web site and to your email signature.

Eighth, if you blog, post the link to LinkedIn. There is an app which allows you to have your blog show up on your profile.

Ninth, use the Twitter-like update box at least once a week. You can also connect this directly with your Twitter account if you tweet.

Tenth, check your account in the early AM and the late in the day. You don't need to monitor your LinkedIn account throughout the day, but you should check it once early and once late.

This post is meant to offer a few tips that work if you use them and feedback is always welcomed.

Google ends search feature www.Google.com/UncleSam.... without notice

noreply@blogger.com (Federal Direct) — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 19:03:00 +0000

Google, the be all end all of web search, has done away with the best search tool in the government market- www.Google.com/UncleSam - see the discussion thread here:

http://74.125.95.93/support/forum/p/Web+Search/thread?hl=en&tid=68eef4f9581f51bf

For those not familiar with this search tool, it was the best way to find anything on US federal, state and local government web sites. Plug in a word or phrase, hit enter, and voila! Really good and targeted stuff would be at ~~your~~ fingertips. I have used it for hundreds of companies in the last 10 or so years.

I stumbled across it several years back and have been writing and talking about it ever since, and have many others. I have shown numerous people the value of this tool, until...poof- it was gone!

AGGGHHHH!!!! This is horrible!! And worse, they really don't understand what they did!
In the discussion link posted above Rishi K from Google says you can find everything in a regular search.

WRONG!!!! Regular searches include all the non-government sites we were able to filter out through the use of www.Google.com/Unclesam. Rishi, you don't understand the nature of our searches and you are WAY off base.

Too any and all in the government market: drop Google a line and tell them "Google, bring back UncleSam!".

If that does not work....Bing- are you paying attention?

The perpetual CR, the end of FY 2011, and YOUR pipeline.

noreply@blogger.com (Federal Direct) — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 15:29:00 +0000

The perpetual continuing resolution has had a huge impact on the government contracting community. Operating under a continuing resolution not only handcuffs federal buyers from starting new projects, it also makes them work and think much harder about deciding where to most effectively spend the funds they have.

This issue impacts all contractors, small, medium and large, set-aside and prime contractors alike.

How are you going to make certain your pipeline gets some of those remaing FY 2011 funds? How are you going to influence those controlling those funds?

Will you focus on making certain you maximize the value of current accounts? Or will you be targeting accounts you have been working, but have yet to penetrate? Do you have sufficient contacts at each account to make certain you reach all the decison-makers?

Are you targeting the SmartPay micro-purchase buyers? And if so, how are you differentiating your offer?

If you need a few ideas on what can work for your organization, post a comment here or drop me a line at markamtower gmail dot com.

Deltek buys Wash Mgmt Group/Fed Sources- Take 2

noreply@blogger.com (Federal Direct) — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 13:52:00 +0000

The news of Deltek purchasing Washington Management Group and Federal Sources created quite a stir in the contracting community. Here are my thoughts on my previous post, which was only posting the Deltek press release.

Deltek, under Kevin Parker (who joined Deltek in 2005) there have been several acquisitions, including Input and GovWin (formerly MySBX). Mr Parker discussed these and other issues on my radio show last October - http://www.federalnewsradio.com/?sid=2075743&nid=58&_hw=Kevin+parker .
During that interview, Mr Parker stated that Deltek's push into offering more services to the contractor community was far from over.

I still don't think Deltek is done, but I would be hard pressed to figure out what would be next. No insider info here.

What this means to the contracting community is that Deltek/Input/FedSources offer a comprehensive suite of paid information and consulting services. Add in GovWin for the small contractors and you has an impressive array free and paid services.

For those companies that used to use both services, you will pay less. For the companies that used to try to negotiate a better price by playing Fed Sources off Input, well, that is probably over.

Are there other sources available for the contracting community? Yes, but they are mostly smaller providers, with the exception of Bloomberg Government, BGov.

I am still not certain BGov is a direct competitor to Deltek. If they are, with the acquisition of Federal Sources by Deltek, BGov will find it more difficult to compete directly with Deltek.

This is a relationship driven market and between Deltek, Input, WMG and Fed Sources, most of the major contracting community is well covered. Factor in the Colaition for government Procurement and you have the GSA Schedules covered too.

It will be interesting to watch the ripple effects from this.

Deltek buys Wash Mgmt Group/Fed Sources

noreply@blogger.com (Federal Direct) — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 12:29:00 +0000

This is very sigificant news for the contracting community. My analysis will follow this weekend- but in the meantime- here is the press release from Deltek:

Deltek Acquires FedSources and The Washington Management Group

The addition of Washington Management Group, FedSources, and FedSources Consulting to Deltek’s INPUT and GovWin information solutions delivers unmatched capabilities for finding, winning, and managing government business

HERNDON, VA – April 1, 2011 – Deltek, Inc. (Nasdaq: PROJ), the leading global provider of enterprise software and information solutions for professional services firms, government contractors, and government agencies, today announced that it has acquired Washington Management Group (WMG), and its FedSources (FSI) and FedSources Consulting (FSI Consulting) businesses for $26 million in an all cash transaction.

With estimated revenue of $15 million for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2011, WMG, FSI, and FSI Consulting provide the market intelligence and consulting experience necessary to identify, qualify, and win government business. For over 25 years, the company has been an industry leader in providing consulting services and market intelligence to government contractors. With more than 900 clients and 20,000 users, the company helps identify and validate more than 3,500 opportunities worth hundreds of billions of dollars in annual market value.

This acquisition extends and accelerates Deltek’s unique portfolio of solutions that power the complete business lifecycle for government contractors. Our solutions span government opportunity information and intelligence, customer relationship management (CRM), business development and capture management, financial management, human capital management and project management. The addition of WMG and FSI bolsters Deltek’s portfolio of solutions by:

· Creating the industry’s broadest and deepest repository of government opportunity intelligence information. For over 25 years, FedSources has delivered government contract research, agency spending analysis, and targeted opportunity information in key areas such as national security, information technology, and architecture and engineering to clients interested in winning Federal business. By combining the rich opportunity intelligence from FedSources with the unique content, community and opportunity database from INPUT and GovWin, Deltek now delivers an unrivaled repository of government opportunities that represents over $500 billion in annual market value.

· Leveraging FedSources Consulting to deliver actionable, custom market analysis that better positions contractors to capture opportunities and grow their organizations. Deltek’s research and consulting experts develop plans that position contractors to grow organically or through acquisition. Our custom consulting engagements deliver pipeline development plans, opportunity-specific capture plans, and recommend acquisition candidates that align with contractors’ growth strategies.

· Offering comprehensive government schedule consulting to help companies find and keep profitable government contracts through The Washington Management Group. Deltek drives growth for companies interested in capturing Federal business by developing strategies that will enable them to profitably enter the government market. As part of these engagements, we work closely with companies to obtain and maintain both GSA and VA Schedule contracts. Our engagements maximize revenue opportunities and minimize risk by ensuring compliance policies and programs are in place to enhance contract conformance. In this way, we make it easier for companies to do business with the government and easier for the government to do business with key contractors.

“Acquiring WMG and FedSources significantly expands our solutions portfolio and drives new growth opportunities with new customers and within our existing base of over 4,000 government contractors,” said Kevin Parker, President and CEO of Deltek. “This acquisition extends our capabilities as the premier end-to-end government contracting solutions partner – providing an unmatched suite of solutions from business development and capture management to comprehensive financial and project management. In addition, it expands our strong recurring revenue stream. Our integration process is underway, and we expect to benefit from many future synergies as we leverage this acquisition to be a growth catalyst for Deltek.”

“Combining the Washington Management Group and FedSources with Deltek and its INPUT and GovWin solutions provides our organization with a unique opportunity to deliver game-changing value to our customers,” said Bill Gormley, President and CEO of Washington Management Group and FedSources. “The government domain expertise of WMG and FSI together with the global reach and industry-standard software solutions from Deltek provides contractors with one strategic partner that delivers a full lifecycle of success to companies that want to enter and win in the government marketplace.”

About Deltek

Deltek (Nasdaq: PROJ) is the leading global provider of enterprise software and information solutions for professional services firms, government contractors, and government agencies. For decades, we have delivered actionable insight that empowers our customers to unlock their business potential. Over 14,000 organizations and 1.8 million users in approximately 80 countries around the world rely on Deltek to research and identify opportunities, win new business, optimize resources, streamline operations, and deliver more profitable projects. Deltek – Know more. Do more.™ deltek.com.

Follow Deltek at Twitter.com/Deltek and participate in the conversation #DeltekFedSources

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve substantial risks and uncertainties. You can identify forward-looking statements by words such as "anticipate," "believe," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "plan," "should," "would" or similar words. You should consider these statements carefully because they discuss our plans, targets, strategies, prospects and expectations concerning our business, operating results, financial condition and other similar matters. We believe that it is important to communicate our future expectations to our investors. There will be events in the future, however, that we are not able to predict accurately or control. Our actual results may differ materially from the expectations we describe in our forward-looking statements. Factors or events that could cause our actual results to materially differ may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for us to accurately predict all of them. Before you invest in our common stock, you should be aware that the occurrence of any such event or of any of the additional events described as risk factors in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operation and financial position. Any forward-looking statement made by us in this press release speaks only as of the date on which we make it. We undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

Shifts in the Gov Media Landscape: What These Could Mean to B2G Marketing

noreply@blogger.com (Federal Direct) — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 16:52:00 +0000

In my new book, Selling to the Government, I quote my friend and long-time business development professional Bob Davis, PhD. In one of our interviews for a CD set we recorded on BD, he said, "Marketshare is rented, never owned." This is one of those classic 'I wished I'd said it' statements. This statement is true not simply for contractors, but for government media as well, where the landscape is changing rapidly.

Among the changes you should be aware of, these seem to be of some significance. They appear in no particular order.

FierceMarkets: Late last year veteran reporter Dave Perara joined the staff of FierceMarkets to edit the government facing enewsletter FierceGovernmentIT. Dave helped make it a more interesting publication. FierceMarkets is an enews operation that has nearly 1,000,000 subscribers worldwide for the many tech enewsletters it puts out. Fierce is doing a good job of growing marketshare and influence. They are making a strong push to grow mindshare in the government market. FierceGovernmentIT is a good read and the readership is growing. The associated web portal is a robust source for government IT information and there is a commitment to become bigger in this market.

BGov: Allan Holmes, former online editor of National Journal/Government Executive, moved to Bloomberg Government (BGov) late last year. He is only one of several editors and reporters to move to BGov. BGov is a paid content source for contractors, not a traditional media source. It almost does not belong in this post, but because I don't think the business model BGov envisions will work, it bears watching as it evolves. It will be interesting to see if Bloomberg's BusinessWeek starts covering more government contracting issues.

Washington Business Journal: Jill Aitoro, also formerly with National Journal/Government Executive, has moved to the Washington Business Journal. Washington Business Journal obviously has had a weak spot for years in the government contracting arena, and they are making up for lost time. Aitoro started in the government arena as editor of Government VAR in the early 2000s, then moved to Government Executive. WBJ also now has a new monthly column from industry veteran Larry Allen, former president of the Coalition for Government Procurement. Will this be enough to attract more ad dollars and readers? I don't think WBJ will ever be a primary B2G source, but with Jill and Larry there, it will be interesting to read.

AOL: Wyatt Kash, former editor in chief of Government Computer News and most recently content director of FOSE (both part of 1105 Government Media), is moving to AOL. Wyatt Kash is not going to AOL to ignore the government market. AOL is hungry for niche content and Wyatt is a great editor so this bears watching as it evolves. I look for AOL to add a few more solid editors and reporters and go after this market with a vengeance.

FedScoop: David Stegon of FedTech Bisnow is moving to FedScoop. Goldy Kamali has carved out an interesting niche with http://www.fedscoop.com/, and I am not certain exactly what it is: part networking event producer, part advertising arm for her perpetual advertisers (Intel and Microsoft, and now HP and Symantec), part news source (no original news, but links to top stories from media and blogs). Whatever it is, it is interesting. The edgy style of David Stegon will certainly help get more visitors if Goldy and Dave can get people to sign up for the newsletter. FedScoop bears watching.

Bisnow (Almost Never Boring - gotta love that line!), http://www.bisnow.com/, an extraordinary enewsletter publisher and producer of numerous networking events, also continues to grow and expand the Bisnow brand and influence in DC and thirteen other cities, all of which are federal hub cities. Mark Bisnow is one of the more interesting people I know and it is always fun to have coffee with him and brainstorm. Dave Stegon going to FedScoop opens the door to changes at Bisnow. I have known Mark Bisonw by reputation since the late 1990s, when he was the main face and voice of MicroStrategy. He did a live radio show from the dining room at the Tower Club, which planted the seed for me wanting a talk show. Bisnow has three national newsletters: Fed Tech Bisnow, Real Estate Bisnow, and Association and Non-Profit Bisnow. Each city has a real estate newsletter, and Bisnow events occur in each city served. From his townhouse offices off Connecticut Avenue in NorthWest DC, Bisnow is always someone to watch because he is never boring and always innovative.

WFED and http://www.federalnewsradio.com/: Chris Dorobek has moved on to places yet to be named and Francis ("the voice") Rose will move into the afternoon drive-time slot. I refer to Francis as "the voice" because he has one of those voices that just oozes depth and authority. He is fun to listen to and you always learn something. With the departure of Chris Dorobek after two and one half years, there will be other changes coming to WFED. The only weakness of Dorobek in the PM drive time was he did his show live from 3-5 PM, then the show was repeated from 5-7 PM, unless pre-empted by a sports event. Francis Rose will do a 4 hour show, and he has become a top talent in our market. While I am not privy to what is happening, I expect some new shows and hosts. WFED also has a robust web presence, one of the best overall active news source for all things Federal, and the listening audience for WFED (1500 AM) continues to grow. The combination of broadcast and a robust web site is powerful. My show (Amtower Off Center, Monday at noon) is in year 5 and I have to say, while I hate the drive into DC, I always enjoy myself when I get there.

GovLoop: We also have the rise of Steve Ressler's www.GovLoop.com as an online social network, news and opinion source. The network is around 40,000 strong. Steve Ressler started http://www.govloop.com/ in June, 2008 as the first social network "by, for and about Feds", and in two and one half years it has grown to 40,000. While this is not huge by social networking standards, it is significant. Steve is no longer a Fed, but he remains a force. Some rumors put Dorobek here later this year. Will it be the blogging or broadcast Dorobek, or both? Ressler also does Gov 2.0 Radio with Adriel Hampton and Steve Lunceford on Blog Talk Radio.

GovWin: Jeff White's GovWin, now part of Deltek (along with Input), has become a great information source for small businesses seeking government contracts. It has several large businesses that use GovWin to identify the sub-contractors they require for bids. GovWin started out as a portal to help small companies partner and sub-contract and it is still that, but much more. It has become a news and education portal for the 27,000 plus members it serves. The site is free for small businesses to join, so there is every reason to do so. With a parent like Deltek and with Input as a sister company, I am looking for much more from http://www.govwin.com/.

TFCN- The Federal Contractor Network: Further, we have Alex George's TFCN network that started on LinkedIn and evolved into yet another social networking platform, http://www.tfcn.us/ with news and opinions. Alex George has been relentless in expanding the TFCN brand through deploying groups on LinkedIn and driving traffic to http://www.tfcn.us/ portal.

Final thoughts, comments and detritus:

Targeted content delivered by enews platforms is not going away and content delivered in mutliple ways is growing. Interactive content, where visitors or members can comment directly will be an important feature. Opinions and analysis, as well as news, will be part of the mix of the successful portals. The ability of members and visitors to share the content will assist in the viral spread. I am looking for an audio component from some of the more innovative players in the market. Web radio, podcasting and traditional broadcasting are key to delivering content in the ways that people digest information. Portals that offer a robust combination of news, opinions, blog(s), audio and video content will emerge stronger than those that have mutiple ways to disseminate appropriate content.

Audio has always been at best a sideline in our market, as had video.

No longer

As government contracting C-levels, sales, business development and marketing professionals, it is critical to understand where our target audience(s) get the information that is critical to them. The market is evolving in ways we could not imagine a few short years back. At my August,2008 session of Government Marketing Best Practices, I said traditional B2G media that did not adopt and adapt to social networking platforms would fall behind and lose marketshare. Those that were slow suffered.

And afterthoughts:

I am not ignoring 1105 (Federal Computer Week, Washington Technology, FOSE, etc), Government Executive, or Federal Times but will address print media separately soon. I am also not implying they are not changing and adapting, as they remain vital information sources to the government community.

I also did not address the blogging community at all in this, as it deserves a separate detailed analysis. I am currently seeking some input on this from some key bloggers in the community.

I will point out that though I am a member of GovLoop, GovWin and TFCN, LinkedIn is my social network of choice and it just hit 100,000,000 members. I am member # 222,445, having joined over seven years ago (February 11, 2004). LinkedIn is an important part of the information and content sharing platforms for the business of government.

Who's on first?

noreply@blogger.com (Federal Direct) — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 21:25:00 +0000

The title for this post is a little misleading, but with a growth rate I have not seen before in this market. I think Carahsoft is poised to move up the ranks of the Washington Technology Top 100.

At the end of year 7, Craig Abod's dynamo, Carahsoft Technology Corp, will post sales of $840 million.

Say WHAT?!?! Yes, $840 million. This growth is all organic, no mergers or acquisitions. And Mr. Abod is not interested in being acquired, so don't call. However, he is interested in hearing from select companies that can help maintain the growth.

The goal for year 8 is $1 billion- and he has not missed a goal yet.

Carahsoft is a "boutique reseller"- a company that represents selected manufacturers in very specific niches. How they select the companies they represent remains a company secret, but suffice it to say that Abod knows when a trend is becoming "hot" in the government market. Hot in government terms does not mean being talked about, it means being funded.

I am almost hesitant to write about Craig or Carahsoft. I did so in my latest book, Selling to the Government, but with a caveat that I repeat here: "I hesitated in using Carahsoft as an example because the model devised by Craig Abod is very difficult to replicate."

How does he do it? Well, I can only guess parts of the puzzle, but here is a thought. He provides information needed by buyers and influencers before, during and after the sale. The preferred method of information delivery seems to be webinars, but it is not the only method. A healthy dose of face-to-face events is in the mix as well.

Check out the web site- www.carahsoft.com

I used Carahsoft as an example in the book and I use them as an example in my seminars. The next Government Markeing Best Practices seminar is March 22. Register here:

http://som.gmu.edu/gmm

Come see other best practices discussed by industry experts!

Government Marketing Best Practices 2011- 2nd session!

noreply@blogger.com (Federal Direct) — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 15:46:00 +0000

Does your marketing program pay dividends for you company? Is it aligned with sales goals? Are you leveraging web 2.0 tools and tactics and integrating them into your overall marketing efforts?

If you need some guidance on these or other business-to-government marketing issues, you need to attend Government Marketing Best Practices 2011!

The second session of government Marketing Best Practices 2011 is on March 22 at the Mason Inn on the campus of George Mason University.

On March 9 we kicked off our partnership with the School of Management at George Mason University with our flagship seminar, Government Marketing Best Practices. All attendees and speakers were delighted with the seminar.

We will feature several industry experts (see below) for our second session on March 22. The agenda for the 22nd is (see below for discount code):

7:30-8:00 Registration, continental breakfast & networking

8:00-8:15 Welcome & introduction

8:15-9:00 Panel- Challenges facing the B2G marketing: budget issues, evolving web 2.0 tools, social media policy and use, and more. (Mark Amtower, moderator, Mark Meudt, & 2nd panelist tba)

9:00-9:45: B2G marketing tactics that are working today- PR, white papers, events, blogs, podcasts, video, webinars and more. (Mark Amtower)

9:45-10:00: break & exhibits

10:00-11:00: PR/Press panel - how to get more than your fair share of press (traditional & virtual) and air time. (Kevin Young, David Hubler, Francis Rose, Michael Ponticelli)

11:00-11:45: Aligning sales & marketing. (Fred Diamond)

11:45-12:45: lunch

12:45- 1:30: Content as a marketing tool. (Marc Hausman)

1:30-2:15: Web 2.0 panel- how to select & deploy the tools- blogs, social networks, webinars, podcasts & more. (Mark Amtower, Marc Hausman, Joyson Cherian)

2:15-2:30: break & demos

2:30-3:30: Networking panel- virtual and face-to-face. Where & how to build relationships that pay dividends. (David Powell, Jeff White, Guy Timberlake, Tim Moran)

3:30-4:30: Twenty-one tactical tips form the front lines, action items you can use today. (Amtower, Joyson Cherian, Guy Timberlake)

4:30 Adjourn

You can register here: http://som.gmu.edu/gmm

And use this code for a $50 discount: AYGMM

Speakers:

Mark Amtower: www.FederalDirect.net. Amtower is a veteran government marketing consultant, author of 3 books and over 100 articles. He has advised many of the most successful companies, large and small, in the government market in his 27 years managing Amtower & Company. He is the Co-Director of the Government Market Master program.

Joyson Cherian: www.w2comm.com Joyson Cherian has diverse public relations experience in telecommunications, network and Internet security, open source, software and wireless communications. With a passion for social media, Joyson creates strategies and implements communications programs for clients using Web 2.0 tools such as blogs, Facebook, Twitter and Delicious. By leveraging these tools, Joyson is able to track client-specific news and insight, develop relationships with key industry influencers, media and analysts and provide counsel on the best ways to leverage social media to tell a story.

Fred Diamond: www.FredDiamond.com Fred Diamond, principal of Diamond Marketing, is the leading go-to-market strategy consultant in the mid-Atlantic region for high-tech and professional services firms. His background at Apple and Compaq have given him the tools and experiences to help dozens of companies in many industries formulate winning and successful marketing strategies that help accelerate getting to the next level. His catchphrase, “Marketing that does not lead to revenue is a waste of time and money” has become a mantra of the leading sales and marketing executives in the mid-Atlantic region.

Marc Hausman: www.gotostrategic.com
Marc is President & CEO, Strategic Communications, advisor to many top tech companies on all facets of web 2.0 marketing. his Strategic Guy blog is a must read: http://strategicguy.blogspot.com/

David Hubler: www.Washingtontechnology.com
Veteran technology journalist and Associate Editor, Washington Technology.
dhubler@1105govinfo.com

Mark Meudt: www.GDIT.com Mark Meudt is Vice president, Communications, for General Dynamics IT. He previous hel the same position at Anteon.

Tim Moran: www.carrollpub.com Tim has been and industry technology sales professional for the past twelve years in the MD/VA/DC region. Since 2007, he has consulted Fortune 1000 companies for Carroll Publishing. He works with CEOs, CIOs, CTO’s, Sales Directors, Marketing Directors and Business Development VPs to incorporate Carroll’s web-based FedSearchSuite solution into their ‘go to market’ strategy and boost public sector (or insert Fed) revenue higher than ever! Tim said recently, “More than ever before, C-level professionals are realizing the need for a robust database of key decision makers beyond what the traditional federal bidding database provides…that is how Carrolls can impact the ‘bottom-line’.”

Mike Ponticelli: www.Bisnow.com Michael is the Publisher of Fed Tech Bisnow, a daily email newsletter covering federal technology personality news, and Associate Publisher of Bisnow Media, a national provider of niche business and industry news operating in 19 national markets with over 300k daily readers. Michael manages advertiser relations, strategic relationships with industry partners, marketing, circulation, product development, and event production. Fed Tech Bisnow produces over 20 government contracting events per year and Michael oversees an event production team that creates ideas, keynote recommendations, speaker invitations, ticket promotions and sponsorship sales. He lives in Adams Morgan, loves the DC nightlife, and finds B2G and B2B marketing absolutely stimulating.

David Powell: www.FBCInc.com David Powell is the Chief Operating Officer for the Federal Business Council, or FBC as it iscommonly known. In this role, David Powell and FBC President, Mike O’Neill (with the help of many talented FBC team members) are responsible for the production and delivery of FBC’s full schedule of federal conferences and industry expositions. Since 1976, FBC has produced over 5,000 conferences and expositions for the Department of Defense, the Intelligence Community and Civilian agencies. Each year FBC works with over 18,000 individual sales people and federal marketers from 7,000+ companies, holds 180 event days and hosts over 60,000 federal personnel as attendees at its events across the country. FBC's government clients include all federal agencies, the Intelligence Community and the Department of Defense. FBC's industry clients include most of the top federal contractors as well as medium and small businesses. Events such as the Infantry Warfighting Conference, theFBI IT Exchange Conference, the NSA Outreach Program, the National Labs IT Conference, the OSDBU Procurement Conference and others put the government and industry together in a face-to-face format that builds community, relationships and solutions.”

Francis Rose: www.FederalNewsRadio.com. Francis is host of the popular mid-day (1-3 PM) In Depth with Francis Rose. He also offers audio interview services for government contractors.

Guy Timberlake: www.theasbc.org Guy Timberlake entered the government contracting marketplace over twenty years ago providing business and mission operations support to agencies of the U.S. Intelligence Community. Just prior to launching The ASBC with his business partner (and wife) Margaret, Guy was the successful Capture Manager for a multi-year $70M task awarded under GSA CONNECTIONS in support of U.S. Army Reserve Command (USARC). As co-founder and visionary, Guy has played a key role in the successes realized by member companies to include direct and subcontract awards exceeding $5B since 2004, the year The American Small Business Coalition began serving the government contracting community.

Jeff White: www.GovWin.com Jeff White is the VP and founder of the GovWin Network – the only online professional network and business platform built by government contractors for government contractors. Leveraging the latest SaaS technologies, govWin, a Deltek network, has grown to over 28,000+ members. GovWin transforms how organizations and professionals collaborate to secure new business, get idle consultants billable, and become more discoverable to potential teaming partners. Prior to Deltek’s acquisition in December 2009, GovWin was mySBX. In two short years, mySBX was able to launch the platform, secure more than 5,000 companies as members, and land large clients such as Lockheed Martin, CACI, Serco, ManTech and others. With over 19 years of launching and leading businesses, Mr. White has founded several companies and led them to successful exits. As the founder of Blue Canopy in 2001, Mr. White led the company to receive two Inc. 500 awards for being one of the Top 500 Fastest Growing Private Companies in America. The lowest growth year in the company was 98%, and in 2007 led the successful sale of Blue Canopy to a private investment group.

Kevin Young: co-Director, Government Market Master program

kevinpyoung@earthlink.net or kyoung6@gmu.edu
www.linkedin.com/in/kevinpyoung

Five “Must Do’s” for B2G Marketers in 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Federal Direct) — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 16:04:00 +0000

In bad economic times, marketing budgets suffer. So what do B2G marketers need to focus on to stay ahead of the curve, to be able to defend your marketing budget and program, and make solid contributions yo your organization?

Visibility for your company, product or service does not happen by itself. Here are five areas you must focus on to ensure your marketing program remains a big corporate contributor.

1) Aligning marketing programs with sales and business development (BD) goals. While this may seem like a 'no brainer', it is surprising how many marketing programs are not aligned aligned with sales or BD goals, While the use of all the new, cool web 2.0 tools is fun and exciting, if they are not supporting specific sales or BD efforts, they may not be contributing to the bottom line. Marketing must attend all sales meetings to better understand the needs and requirements of both inbound and field sales. input from sales on things like event participation is a major key to success.

2) Speaking of web 2.o tools, they can be both cool and useful, if deployed properly. For example, much has been written about the use of webinars as a sales support tool, and webinars can be a great lead generator, if they are done properly. Often in the excitement of deploying a new technology, the technology is not always used to its best advantage. Selecting the right web 2.0 tools is step one, using them to effectively support specific corporate goals is job two. In order to maximize the value of each tool, you have to understand all the nuances of the tool. One example is blogs. Anyone can deploy a blog literally in a matter of minutes. But writing a good blog is not simple and driving traffic to your blog does not happen by itself. Thee other web 2.0 tools require the same care in selection and deployment, including podcasts, videos, social networks and more.

3) Content is extremely valuable, and it can be deployed using the web 2.0 tool just discussed, as well as by more traditional methods, including your web site, white papers, collateral material, speaking at live events and more. Content is a great support tool for both sales and BD, and it lays the groundwork for developing a thought leadership platform within the market.

4) Networking, both face-to-face and virtual, is the best way to develop the relationships critical to success in the government market. but there are hundreds of venues where you can network, so deciding where to network and then learning how to network are crucial. What are the venues best suited to your sales and BD personnel, and how can you support them once the venues are identified.

5) PR remains a key component of the overall marketing program, but the venues here are shifting and morphing as well, seemingly on a daily basis. But the fact remains that being interviewed or cited in the right publication, blog or radio show (traditional radio or web) bestows on you a mantle of authority: if you are the one interviewed or quoted, you are obviously the expert. Good PR gives you a credibility that advertising cannot buy. So again, selecting the right venues and getting noticed by them is a big key to the success of your marketing program.

Need more?

Attend Government Marketing Best Practices 2011 at the Mason Inn on the campus of George Mason University. There are two sessions: March 9 and March 22, both from 7:30 AM- 4:30 PM.

Government Marketing Best Practices is now part of the Government Market Master certificate program at the School of Management at George Mason University.

Register today and use this code for a $50 discount: AYGMM

March 9:
https://crm.orionondemand.com/crm/forms/Kzx75pN6700kx6700qM2

March 22
https://crm.orionondemand.com/crm/forms/zC670waN67020x6702aM2

Government Marketing Best Practices (the seminar) returns!

noreply@blogger.com (Federal Direct) — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 23:44:00 +0000

An all new Government Marketing Best Practices (GMBP) seminar is coming in March -

March 9 and March 22 (same seminar, two dates to choose from) at the George Mason Inn on campus at George Mason University.

Pick your date and register here (use AYGMM for a $50 early bird discount) ---

March 9:
https://crm.orionondemand.com/crm/forms/Kzx75pN6700kx6700qM2

March 22:
https://crm.orionondemand.com/crm/forms/zC670waN67020x6702aM2

This is an all-new full day session and will cover-

- challenges facing both B2G marketing as it evolves and B2G marketing professionals;
- government marketing tactics that are working today (PR techniques, white papers, radio, social media/web 2.0, and more);
- how to get PR in print, on air and online;
- aligning marketing programs with sales goals;
- developing and using content as a marketing tool and lead generator;
- selecting and using the right web 2.0 tools for you: social networks, blogs, podcasts, video and more;
- online and offline networking- finding the best places to spend your time and talent;
- demonstrations and tools for market research and much more!

Both sessions will feature industry professionals including

Mark Amtower (co-Director, Government Market Master program),
Fred Diamond (Diamond Marketing),
Marc Hausman (Strategic Communications),
Tim Moran (GovSearch),
David Powell (Federal Buisness Council),
Nick Wakeman (Washington Technology),
Jeff White (Deltek/GovWin),
Jayna Kliner (Welz & Weisel Communications),
Francis Rose (Federal News Radio),
Michael Ponticelli (Bisnow FedTech),
Scott Friedlander (former CEO of GTSI),
Bob Gosselin (Virtual Computing Environment- VCE),
Kevin Young (co-Director, Government Market Master program),
Guy Timberlake (The American Small Business Coalition)
and more!

Why at George Mason? Government Marketing Best Practices is now part of the Government Market Master certificate program at the George Mason School of Management.

ALL participants receive a Certificate of Participation from the Government Market Master program and the School of Management at George Mason University.

We have brought the Government Market Master program to George Mason University's School of Management to bring a new level of professionalism to the training of B2G sales, marketing and business development professionals and to reduce doubt on the part of the purchasers (companies and individuals) of this training.

While there are many truly good sources for training in the government market, there are also some that simply are not. By partnering with George Mason, we are raising the bar and reducing the doubt many potential students face when selecting a source for their continuing education.

We anticipate government contractors, both large and small, will recognize the value of a current or potential employee who has a certificate- or multiple certificates, from an internationally recognized University like George Mason and a leader in the government marketing arena, like Amtower & Company and the Government Market Master program.

Join us for our inaugural seminars on March 9 and March 22.

AGENDA

7:30- 8:00 Continental breakfast & networking

8:00-8:15 Welcome & opening remarks

8:15-9:00 Panel- Challenges facing the B2G marketing: budget issues, evolving web 2.0 tools, social media policy and use, and more. (Mark Amtower, Bob Gosselin, Scott Friedlander)

9:00-9:45: B2G marketing tactics that are working today- PR, white papers, events, blogs, podcasts, video, webinars and more. (Mark Amtower)

9:45-10:00: break & demos

10:00-11:00: PR/Press panel - how to get more than your fair share of press (traditional & virtual) and air time. (Kevin Young, Nick Wakeman, Francis Rose, Michael Ponticelli)

11:00-11:45: Aligning sales & marketing. (Fred Diamond)

11:45-12:30: lunch & demos

12:30- 1:15: Content as a marketing tool. (Marc Hausman)

1:15-2:15: Web 2.0 panel- how to select & deploy the tools- blogs, social networks, webinars, podcasts & more. (Mark Amtower, Marc Hausman, Jayna Kliner)

2:15-2:30: break & demos

2:30-3:30: Networking panel- virtual and face-to-face. Where & how to build relationships that pay dividends. (David Powell, Jeff White, Guy Timberlake, Tim Moran)

3:30-4:30: Twenty-one tactical tips form the front lines, action items you can use today. (Amtower, Marc Hausman, Jayna Kliner, Guy Timberlake)

4:30-5:00: networking & demos, adjourn.

BGov Rumored to be making another purchase

noreply@blogger.com (Federal Direct) — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 16:17:00 +0000

Yet another rumor emerged through the grapevine this week: BGov is looking to purchase a contract service in the state and local space.

True or not, the move would make sense given the purchase of Eagle Eye for federal data, and the recent hiring of skilled editorial talent like Allan Holmes.

I have also spoken to a few (very few, this is no scientific sampling) of the folks who have taken the "free 30 day test drive" of the BGov product. For the most part, they find it interesting but not useful enough to purchase. At least not yet.

If you hear of anything regarding BGov and its new moves, drop me a line at Mark FederalDirectnet. Confidentiality of sources is guaranteed.

Selling to the Government: What It Takes to Compete and Win in the World’s Largest Market By Mark Amtower

noreply@blogger.com (Federal Direct) — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 15:21:00 +0000

Selling to the Government: What It Takes to Compete and Win in the World’s Largest Market By Mark Amtower

Great Brass in Howard County & Kennedy Ctr

noreply@blogger.com (Federal Direct) — Sun, 09 Jan 2011 02:34:00 +0000

The brass quintet Saxony-Anhalt performed this evening (1/8/11) at St Louis Church in Clarksville, Maryland and they were EXCELLENT! My son Travis & I attended and it was a blast!

A wide range of pieces from Wagner to Vincent Gover. Vincent who, you ask? Vincent Gover is a 17 year old senior at River Hill who composed the Childrens Suite and the world premiere was tonight at St Louis.

Other pieces included Jean Joseph Mouret (Romdeau- famous as the theme to Masterpiece Theatre), Henry Mancini, Johann Strauss and others, classic and modern.

They will be playing at

Emmanuel United Methodist Church (Laurel, MD)- 1/9/11, 3 PM
Abiding Savior Lutheran Church (Columbia, MD) 1/11/11, 7 PM
and at the Kennedy Center 1/12/11 at 6 PM

It is a great 90 minutes of brass. Attend & enjoy!

Promotional Give-Aways Blues

noreply@blogger.com (Federal Direct) — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 13:11:00 +0000

Promotional items (give-aways) for companies remain a great way to stay in front of customers, but there are caveats.

I prefer to give away things that could be used for a while, or have some relationship to what I do/sell.

The best business item I give away is a mousepad in the shape of a big green #1 with a quote from my first book: "The government is only sexy if you like money." Most people find this amusing...and they keep it.

This morning while getting ready to do the Washington Post crossword, I picked up a pen and clicked the top. Nothing happened. I clicked several times. The writing part of the pen would not come out.

I tried to unscrew it to see if that would help, but the pen would not unscrew.

I looked at the name on the pen.

It was from a promotional products company....

DELTEK buys INPUT for $60 mm

noreply@blogger.com (Federal Direct) — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 12:13:00 +0000

It's official- Deltek bought Input.

http://washingtontechnology.com/articles/2010/09/30/deltek-buys-input.aspx?s=wtdaily_300910

What does this mean?

The core business of Deltek is/was accounting and program management software, in which they remain a leader. But the field is much more crowded, and Microsoft has become very popular there.

So, being well-established in the government market, Deltek looked for growth in related areas.

Last year Deltek bought MY SBX which became GovWin. This is one of several acquisitions over the past 4-5 years.

With the purchase of Input, Deltek immediately becomes the leader in contract opportunity tracking.

While there are other players, notably Fed Sources, Onvia and some others, Deltek/Input is the biggest.

But in thw wings, trying to get a handle on the market, is Bloomberg and BGov...

I will have more on this soon, but in the meantime, the issue that many were thinking about... will Deltek host the annual holiday party???