Will your FY 2017 Kickoff be more of the same?

What does your FY 2017 Kickoff look like?

Winning government business in 2017 will be harder than ever for smaller businesses. Getting the attention of decision makers has never been easy, so getting and staying on their radar in ways that matter will be more important than ever.

Here's what we can be certain of: 

    - we will have yet another CR

    - competition will be tougher than ever

    - LPTA and FSSI (category management) will be with us

Now ask yourself these questions:

    - Are you going to be engaging in the same marketing activities as FY 2016?

    - Have you reviewed your marketing program to make certain it supports your BD and sales?

    - Do you want the same results as last year?

There are three key activities you can employ without breaking the bank:

-         -  differentiating your company in ways that matter to buyers and influencers

-         - clearly enunciating those differentiators via the number one platform where you will be vetted - LinkedIn

-       -   supporting those differentiators by publishing and curating content germane to your customers and prospects

First, unless and until you differentiate your company in ways that matter to buyers and influencers, you will always be one of many, not a company that stands out from the crowd.

Second, after you determine your legitimate differentiators you need to clearly enunciate them through your company web site and on LinkedIn. These are the two places where you will be vetted.

Third, now that you defined your niche and have clearly enunciated the differentiators, you need to defend the position. Generating and curating content that helps customers and prospects understand the issues and solutions around your area of expertise, and demonstrates that you are a leader in the category.

I have developed a half-day workshop that will help your company define and defend areas of expertise, then reach out and share those areas with your key prospect audiences. This workshop combines elements from my three most popular workshops: LinkedIn for GovCon, Developing the Subject Matter Expert Platform and Content Marketing.

The “Kickoff” is designed to differentiate your company, leveraging LinkedIn and launch your content marketing program and develop your subject matter expert position without breaking your budget.

The Kickoff workshop will help you:

-          - determine your core skills and create a differentiated market position

-          - define the key elements of your individual and company LinkedIn profiles

-          - identify and reach out to key prospects on LinkedIn, building a focused network

-          - successfully publish on LinkedIn

-         -  create original content and develop an editorial calendar

-        -  find and curate other content

-        -  build a legitimate, differentiated position in the government market

-       -   provide you a roadmap for building and defending a subject matter expert (SME) platform

-      -   and more.

Each workshop is customized for your company and the market niche where you operate.

I am offering an introductory investment fee for the Kickoff workshop of $3,995. The investment will go up to $4,995 on December 9, 2016.

Sign up today and reserve your Kickoff workshop. A $1,000 deposit is required to reserve your workshop, with the balance due seven days prior to the workshop.

I will require two weeks to develop your workshop. After you reserve your Kickoff at the introductory rate, you can choose any date that works between now and Friday, February 3, 2017.

To reserve your workshop, call or email me today-

301 854 9493   mark@federaldirect.net

Best regards for a successful FY 2017,

Mark Amtower

www.LinkedIn.com/in/markamtower 

@amtower 

Government Market Master (tm) program launches in June!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE



Contact: Kyle Anderson
Marketing & Communications Coordinator
301-369-2800, ext. 3015
kdanderson@capitol-college.edu

Mark Amtower, Co-Director

Government Market Master™ Certificate Program
301-924-0058
mark@federaldirect.net

Capitol College to Offer Government Market Master^TM Program

LAUREL, Md. (April XX, 2012) – Capitol College has recently partnered with Government Market Master^TM (GMM) and will begin offering the program’s non-credit courses on campus, beginning June 2012. The Government Market Master^TM program provides government market professionals with ongoing professional development that addresses comprehensive best practices, processes and methodologies for gaining invaluable insight on how to develop and sustain meaningful business relationships with the Federal Government.

In order to receive a Government Market Master Certificate, individuals must fulfill course requirements in business management, sales, marketing, business development and social media. Individual track certificates are offered for each of the five areas.

“I’m very pleased to partner with GMM to deliver programming specifically designed to benefit the federal contractor community,” said Ken Crockett, director of Capitol’s Critical Infrastructures and Cyber Protection Center. “I believe GMM programming will help increase the volume of defense contractors that participate in the federal marketplace, thereby increasing competition within the contracting community. This will lead to improved innovation and better products and services for the U.S. government to consider, thereby enhancing homeland security.”

The program is customized for executives, managers and professionals who want to successfully transition their business-to-business approach to a business-to-government approach. Those looking to dramatically improve their current business-to-government initiatives will also benefit from GMM.


The Government Market Master program was co-developed by Mark Amtower, of Amtower & Company, author of “Government Marketing Best Practices” and “Selling to the Government.” Amtower & Company has been offering professional education for the government contracting community since 1991.


"This is the first certificate program for marketing, sales and business development professionals in the government market offered with a college or university," said Mark Amtower. "It is designed to help companies selling virtually any product or service to the federal government, and we plan to address selling to state and local governments as well. Our instructors will all be experienced professionals from the front lines of government contracting."
Learn more about Capitol College and the Government Market Master (tm) program here: www.capitol-college.edu/gmm

Capitol College is the only independent college in Maryland dedicated to education in engineering, computer science, information technology and business through practices of leadership and innovation. Founded in 1927, Capitol offers associate, bachelor’s and master's degrees, a doctor of science in information assurance, professional development training and certificates. Academic programs are grounded in centers of excellence; these include the Space Operations Institute, the Critical Infrastructures and Cyber Protection Center, the Innovation and Leadership Institute, and the Center for Space Science Education and Public Outreach. The college campus is located in Laurel, Maryland, a suburban setting midway between Baltimore and Washington, DC. www.capitol-college.edu.

###

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

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)

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.

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

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!

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.

BtoB and looking at B2G?

Are you targeting or growing Government Business for 2010 and beyond? Or do you want to understand where your company might fit and what it will take to 'get in the game'?

The government market remains one of the bright spots in the current economy. Regardless of what you sell, the government probably buys it.

According to Onvia, here is what the government spends:

$5.5 trillion a year
$105 billion a week
$15 billion a day
$625 million an hour
$10 million a minute
$175,000 a second.

Spending by federal, state, and municipal governments now represents almost half of total U.S. GDP, and some expect it to increase in the coming years. If you sell a business product or service, the odds are that the government is a potential or current customer. Companies that ignore the government sector are significantly disadvantaged.

If you are interested in pursuing government business for the first time, or growing your current government business, please read on-

Over the past few years there has been a tidal wave of renewed interest in the Business-to-Government (B2G) market by companies selling virtually any legitimate business product or service. The Federal government remains a dependable income base for savvy companies. When B2G is worked properly, it is almost a recession-proof market.

However, if it is not worked properly, it will devour your time, money and effort and leave you with less than you started. There are many ways to start down the wrong path, including attending events that promise and don't deliver, or hiring the wrong consultant.

Every year of the thousands of companies that enter the government market, most leave after a short time, as they had grossly inadequate preparation on what is required in terms of infrastructure, marketing and overall expectations. Unrealistic expectations, a poor market entry strategy and the wrong advice will kill any effort.

You need to set attainable goals, develop an action plan that gets you there, and set a realistic timeframe to accomplish the goals. You need to understand the resources needed along the way. Doing the research to determine the goals and the action plan is one of the areas where I can help.

The B2G market requires both a different knowledge base and a different set of skills than B2B. Without the knowledge and skills, your market entry and growth is doomed to failure, or at least very slow progress. Further, the more “niche” your product or service, the more your market approach needs to be targeted precisely to that niche. Your market entry program must avoid a formulaic approach. To start properly you need insight, research and you need to start developing and managing your B2G network.

If you are already in the market and you are not maximizing results from your marketing and sales programs, you may also need some outside help.

If you want to discuss what I can do for you, simply send me an email and we can set up a time to talk - Mark@FederalDirect.net. If I can help, I will say so and explain how. And if I can't help I will direct you to someone who can and help you get in touch.

And if I can help, you and I will design a program that fits your needs and your budget.


Why discuss this with me?

Since 1985, I have advised over 250 companies on successful market entry and growth. My clients include manufacturers, publications, catalogs, resellers, integrators, seminar and event producers, educational institutions and many others. I have advised clients in a broad range of product and service categories and have been successful in helping each company willing to act on my advice.

Over the past 26 years in the government market Amtower & Company has developed a reputation for excellence that is unparalleled. My successful clients represent both market approaches: contracts (GSA and other contracts) and open market (no contracts). Many of these companies have remained Amtower clients for several years. Check out my LinkedIn profile to see some of the over 200 recommendations I have from current and past clients, and from my peers.

My advice has been used by large and small companies, novices and B2G professionals, to sell billions in products and services both through contracts and via open market.

I only take on clients where I can truly add value. So send me an email so we can set up a time to talk- Mark@FederalDirect.net

Have a successful 2010- and beyond!

Mark

Amtower Off Center turns 4 (and Amtower & Company turns 26!)

Amtower Off Center turns 4! After completing 3 years at WFED, Federal News Radio – Amtower discusses his twenty-six years in the market as Amtower & Company (January 2010 starts his 26th year as Amtower & Co.- a double anniversary show). In an interview on In Depth with Francis Rose, Amtower talks about the dynamic nature of the government market, why B2G is different form B2B, common missteps companies make entering the market, the difference in the problems facing small, medium and large companies, what marketing methods can works, how market share can occur, the importance of differentiation, best marketing practices in the market, why ongoing education is critical in this market, why and how social networking is becoming a critical element in marketing programs, -all this plus classic Amtower anecdotes and more in a lively discussion with Francis Rose.

http://www.federalnewsradio.com/index.php?nid=17&sid=1868948

Persistent Government Marketing Myths

My google alerts program brings me news of the good, the bad and the ugly daily. One of my alerts is set for "marketing to the government", and today it took me to a 20 slide presentation by an obvious novice at a site called http://www.docstoc.com.

Now most of us have heard a number of myths about the federal market over the years. I occasionally do a lunch speech call "Ten Myths from the Federal Market" (written a decade ago) which you can listen to here: http://federaldirect.net/speaker.html (scroll to the bottom of the page).

BUT these myths persist, and some of them show up in this presentation, which is supposed to help companies get into the government market.

Here are a few of the more egregious examples:

Slide 3: contact your US Rep, whose staff might be able to help you identify opportunities or agencies. These people will tell you to go the the SBA web site or the agency web sites. That is not help.

Slide 3: develop relationships with people at big contractors and the agencies. This is good advice, but it is immediately followed by "your contacts will point you to new opportunities, put you on the short list for RFPs. While the referral part might happen, there is no short list for RFPs, and making "friends" with major contractors is not easy.

Slide 4: check out new listings on GSA Schedule. While this might be good advice, it is not a simple matter of going to www.GSA.gov . Finding new listings is a rather esoteric skill, and one that will not necessarily lead to useful market information.

Slide 5: "Tip – end of FY is a great time to get contracts" because of use it or lose it! NO NO NO - unless you have laid the groundwork carefully over the course of the year 9or longer), you cannot show up and find unused federal funds on the floor waiting for you to pick them up.

Further along the presentation says to send snail mail post cards and email postcards to procurement offices to inform the buyers, oblivious to the spam filters set tight at federal agencies and the mail threshold issues in most mailrooms.

The presentation also uses sample ads that have absolutely no relevance to the government market - an ad for martial arts uniforms and an ad for shoes (with Santa Claus and a child).

And my favorite - right out of "Ten Myths" - send press releases to print and broadcast "for inclusion in their pages or broadcasts at no charge." This is so naive that I will let it speak for itself.

There was some fair information, especially about the importance of relationships in the government market. But overall this is a bad presentation with many misleading tidbits.

I bring this to light not to make fun of the author but to remind people that there are legitimate sources of B2G information and not-so legitimate information sources.

The B2G Institute was declared a fraudulent operation by the Texas Attorney General as reported in Courthouse News ( www.courthouse news.com ) on Sept 22. I have written about them before and have heard from multiple sources that this organization.

From Courthouse News:
The company gives the false impression that winning government contracts is easy: "Just a phone call could win you a contract for up to $200,000," one ad claims. The company uses the workshop as a forum to sell its $4,995 program, using "employees" to represent themselves as students, and give testimonials about how easily they made money, Abbott says. During its workshops B2G also use the tactic of "taking a few attendees aside to convince others," Abbott says. "This is accomplished by an 'employee' of the defendants asking for volunteers, taking those few volunteers out into the hallway, and showing them the process in a simplified manner on the computer. The consumers then return to the group relating to others that the process is fast and easy."

The B2G Institute is not alone in providing questionable or outright bad information. Do your homework - check the credentials of the information provider. If you can't find anything on your first couple of Google inquiries, you should suspect all is not quite right.