Many potential entrepreneurs avoid launching a business because they despise sales. That’s why being an entrepreneur in the Federal Government contracting market is so different. Cold calls and lead chasing aren’t necessary in this industry. Even better, sales pitches are performed via written proposals prepared in the privacy of your own office. Most are submitted electronically.
Few people hate “selling” as much as Government Contracting Academy founder, Randy Wimmer. He’s an unassuming and somewhat shy person. People who know him personally are absolutely stunned that he found success as an entrepreneur. He certainly didn’t fit the typical stereotype. His childhood dreams did not include becoming the next Henry Ford, Warren Buffet, or Bill Gates. He was not the boisterous kid that others naturally followed. Instead of inventing things with his Lego blocks as a kid, he had more intellectually stimulating things to do, like watching Gilligan’s Island.
Randy entered the world of entrepreneurship with the same level of motivation that a condemned prisoner feels to arrive early to the gallows. However, with growing family obligations, he felt like he had no choice but to pursue entrepreneurship. There was little altruism or higher purpose to his decision to try entrepreneurship. He did it for the money! Fortunately, he realized that entrepreneurship is completely different in the Federal Government market.
The challenges that Randy faced as an entrepreneur supporting the Federal Government were not the ones that he dreaded. His trepidation about having to make cold calls and perform cheesy sales pitches never materialized. In fact, overbearing sales tactics are neither required nor beneficial in the Federal Government market.
Unlike most markets that depend heavily upon making cold calls, developing leads, and doing sales pitches, the Federal Government market is somewhat different. Cold calls are not necessary because Federal Government organizations publish when and what they are mandated by Congress to buy. You don’t have to pressure your Federal Government “leads” into learning about your services. They actually implore you to respond to their Requests for Information and to attend their “industry days.”
For Randy’s break-through contract win, he met the awarding organization’s leadership team for the first time after being awarded the contract! He won his life-changing contract by submitting a better proposal than his competitors. No cheesy or obnoxious sales calls were involved.
Although “business development” is essential in the Federal Government contracting industry, it mostly pertains to collecting business intelligence through research, developing corporate differentiators, and maintaining symbiotic relationships with partners and customers.
