The following is an excerpt from Dr. Laura Faukner’s (of FalconDay Consulting) Webinar “How to Win and Successfully Execute on Defense Contracts.” In it, she discusses the best ways to present your business as a candidate for a government contract.

When vying for a defense contract, many businesses feel that it would be best to attempt to market themselves to numerous different agencies, throwing products or services against the wall until one of them sticks. This is a poor idea for several reasons, and can ultimately inhibit your chance of winning any contract.

Your lack of focus is noticeable

Defense knows that businesses want the contract. They also know that businesses will stop at nothing to win one, even if they do not necessarily have a strong background in the field of the contract. Because of this, they are extremely wary of contractors who are applying just to apply, and will disregard any contractor that doesn’t have an extremely solid grasp on what the contract entails.

Focus increases face time

Many people don’t realize the importance of human interaction when going for the government contract. They believe that the government is a faceless bureaucracy that cannot be interacted with. The truth is that you will need to endear yourself to the program manager of your chosen agency in order to win the contract, and that means building a relationship there. If you focus on just a few agencies, then the relationship with individuals within those agencies will be much more substantial

Flexibility

Defense is looking for a contractor that can remain flexible and adapt to their changing needs over the course of a project. Essentially, if you can offer a custom solution to their needs, you will be a very attractive candidate for the contract. Communicate your flexibility by focusing on the needs of a few agencies and offering solutions that will address those needs specifically.

These tips will help you build a strong foundation with your chosen defense agencies. Watch Dr. Faulkner’s webinar “How to Win and Successfully Execute on Defense Contracts” for more advice on how to succeed as a government contractor.