(that your commercial counterparts don’t understand) The REAL differences between selling to Commercial and Federal customers THE CONVERSATION Have you had this conversation before? VP Sales: Where is the deal you said was going to close this quarter? Federal Sales Rep: It has been quoted through the reseller and is in Contracting right now. VP Sales: Then call the Contracting person and ask for the order! Federal Sales Rep: That would not be a good idea, the last time someone did that to this KO, they held the award for 3 months. VP Sales: Then call the CIO and get them to pus ..read more

How are you planning your success? Have you ever heard management say they wanted to cover the Federal market, so they would just put one of their commercial salespeople on it?  How did that turn out?  My experience is that it can be very frustrating for both the company and the “lucky” salesperson. I am writing this article because, whether you are just starting your Federal sales career or you a seasoned sales veteran, there are five elements of the Federal market that you must understand to be successful. I was fortunate at beginning my Federal sales career. I served in the U.S. N ..read more

Do you truly understand the Federal Budget Cycle? This includes understanding: What impact do changes in government spending and funding have on most economic activity? How are those effects communicated? What is the relationship between the fiscal or budgetary cycles of the government and the business cycles? If you are doing business with the Federal Government, the answers to these questions can be vital to your sales process. A proper understanding of how the government is funded and how it spends, especially over a period of one year (but not necessarily starting at the beginning of the ..read more

Well, your first questions may be: WHY DO I NEED A FEDERAL RESELLER? Why can’t I just sell directly to the Federal customer?   Easy answer: With larger procurements the Federal customer procures their goods and services through Federal resellers who have pre-negotiated contracts with the Federal Government. This is why OEM’s need to develop a strategic relationship with Federal resellers who can help streamline the process of closing opportunities with the Federal customers. DECISIONS …. DECISIONS …. DECISIONS There are many decisions that face an OEM’s sales person when selling into the ..read more

How are you planning your success? Have you ever heard management say they wanted to cover the Federal market, so they would just put one of their commercial salespeople on it?  How did that turn out?  My experience is that it can be very frustrating for both the company and the “lucky” salesperson. I am writing this article because, whether you are just starting your Federal sales career or you a seasoned sales veteran, there are five elements of the Federal market that you must understand to be successful. I was fortunate at beginning my Federal sales career. I served in the U.S. N ..read more

Well, your first questions may be: WHY DO I NEED A FEDERAL RESELLER? Why can’t I just sell directly to the Federal customer?   Easy answer: With larger procurements the Federal customer procures their goods and services through Federal resellers who have pre-negotiated contracts with the Federal Government. This is why OEM’s need to develop a strategic relationship with Federal resellers who can help streamline the process of closing opportunities with the Federal customers. DECISIONS …. DECISIONS …. DECISIONS There are many decisions that face an OEM’s sales person when selling into the ..read more

WHAT IS SO SPECIAL ABOUT “OCTOBER 1” FOR FEDERAL SALES PEOPLE? It is the beginning of the new Federal Government Fiscal Year! DID YOU KNOW? In 2018 the Federal Government budget for IT spending was approximately $87 Billion. WOW! That is a lot of money! Now you know that the Federal Fiscal Year begins October 1 every year and ends September 30 the following year and in FY 2018 the IT spend was approximately $87 Billion. That is the easy part! ————————- This is the hard part! For the Federal sales person, this is how we viewed the 2018 IT spend: Continuing Resolution: October 1, 2017 – Apri ..read more

A Company’s Questions:   Why do I need to give any Federal reseller more than five points off MSRP?   Why do they deserve any discount?   Why should one reseller get a price advantage over other resellers?   Is it legal to provide different pricing to different resellers?   Throughout my career I have had to answer these questions multiple times. They are fair questions, and it only goes to underscore the differences between commercial and federal sales. These questions highlight the main differences selling into the Federal market. The Federal customer does not norma ..read more

WHAT IS SO SPECIAL ABOUT “OCTOBER 1” FOR FEDERAL SALES PEOPLE? It is the beginning of the new Federal Government Fiscal Year! DID YOU KNOW? In 2018 the Federal Government budget for IT spending was approximately $87 Billion. WOW! That is a lot of money! Now you know that the Federal Fiscal Year begins October 1 every year and ends September 30 the following year and in FY 2018 the IT spend was approximately $87 Billion. That is the easy part! ————————- This is the hard part! For the Federal sales person, this is how we viewed the 2018 IT spend: Continuing Resolution: October 1, 2017 – Apri ..read more