Selling to the Government What It Takes to Compete and Win in the World's Largest Market

by Amtower, Mark

• ISBN13: 9780470881330
• ISBN10: 047088133X
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2010-12-21
• Publisher: Wiley

Summary

Learn the crucial ins and outs of the world's largest market The U.S government market represents the largest single market--anywhere. Government contract tracking firm Onvia estimates that government business--federal, state, local, and education--represents better than 40 percent of the nation's GDP. While anyone can play in this market, only those with the right preparation can win. Selling to the Government offers real-world advice for successful entry into the biggest market anywhere. Get proven approaches, strategies, tactics, and tools to make your business stand out, build relationships, understand procedures, and win high-stakes contracts. Every year thousands of companies enter the massive U.S. Government (BtoG) marketplace, and by the end of the first year, most are gone and less than 10 percent make it to year two Author has advised hundreds of companies, including Apple, Dell, CDW, Northrop Grumman, General Dynamics, IT, GTSI, and many small firms, on all aspects of marketing and selling to the government From the go/no-go decision, through company infrastructure requirements, marketing, sales, business development, and more, this book offers the best advice from the most recognized authority in the market.

Author Biography

Mark Amtower is the founder and owner of Amtower & Company, one of the most established advisory firms in the B2G space. He is a frequent contributor to national business publications, having written over one hundred articles for BtoB, Catalog Age, Catalog Success, DMA Bottom Line, Direct Marketing News, Entrepreneur, Federal Computer Week, and numerous others, as well as having a monthly column at WashingtonTechnology.com, the online component of the most influential magazine for federal contractors. He has also been profiled in Federal Computer Week and Entrepreneur magazines. He was named to the Top 100 BtoB Marketers list by BtoB magazine in 2008.

Table of Contents

Foreword	p. xi
Preface	p. xiii
Acknowledgments	p. xix
What It Takes to Play: Tips and Caveats for Chief Executive Officers, Boards, and Others Looking for Shortcuts	p. 1
How the Government Buys	p. 19
Determining Where You Fit: Prime Contractor, Subcontractor, GSA Schedule, Open Market, or All of the Above	p. 35
Infrastructure Issues: What Your Company Needs to Succeed	p. 53
Aligning Marketing, Sales, and Business Development	p. 71
The Power of Relationships	p. 91
The Myth of the Level Playing Field: How Small Businesses Can Play	p. 107
Differentiation Is the Key	p. 123
Execution	p. 137
Building Momentum	p. 143
The Missing Link: Web 2.0 Tools	p. 153
Final Thoughts on Staying on Top of the Game and Becoming a Government Market Master	p. 165
Glossary of Common Government Terms	p. 169
Resources	p. 207
Advice from Industry Experts	p. 211
About the Author	p. 226
Index	p. 227
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