There Is No Magic Bullet People

Whenever I ask a client what they expect from their GSA Schedule once awarded, the usual first answer is ‘Federal Government Business’ or something to that nature.

The truth is, if you are a Schedule Holder, you will get business. However, here is the proverbial ‘BUT’.

DO NOT I repeat DO NOT expect orders to start rolling in. Granted they could and in numerous cases they do. But don’t EXPECT it.

Taken at a 50,000 foot elevated view, there really is no difference between the Federal market and the Commercial market.

Think about it. The Government is made up of people just like you and me. We buy the same things. Computers, drywall, personnel, toner, boxes, air conditioners, plumbing , lumber, furniture, window treatments, etc., etc., etc.

Let’s not forget services. Engineers, Project Management, Energy Management (especially now), IT consultants, marketing, graphic design, construction, lawn care, etc. etc.

At the end of the day the whole shebang is people buying from people those things that people need. It doesn’t have to be any more complicated than that.

So why would you expect any other dynamic when advertising and marketing your service to the Federal Government.

What would happen if you went down to the state and registered a new business, got your FEIN, listed an address with the State and City, maybe even joined your local Chamber of Commerce and then went home and just sat in front of the telephone?

Unless you have a product or service where you were the sole provider and it was in huge public demand, the only thing you could probably expect would be the phone bill.

When you opened your doors for business, is that what you did? If you are a successful business owner, I know you didn’t. You got the word out. You put an ad in the paper. You contacted potential customers. You cultivated relationships and served your clients well. You went out loud and found clients, who once they knew of you, started doing business with you.

Now why would you expect anything different from the Federal Purchasing Agent. Not to mention that they are looking through the added layer of red tape to find their vendors and service providers.

Your commercial customer finds you or you find them. They like and need what you have. They buy it. They might have to go through their own purchasing policy to do so, but I can guarantee you it is nothing like what the Federal Purchasing Agent must go through.

It would be like comparing someone buying a birdhouse at Home Depot to someone getting their first mortgage to buy a home (in TODAY’S market!!).

So how could anyone expect that getting onto GSA Schedule is the only step in opening their doors to boat loads of Federal business?

Granted, getting onto Schedule is the first and BIGGEST step in developing a long term and highly lucrative business relationship with the Federal Government. But it is only a step.

Once your in (if you get in) the GSA Schedule door, you have essentially bypassed the Federal Purchasers red tape for them. You are a bright breath of fresh air to them.

But there is no way for them to breath in the greatness that is your GSA Schedule Contract if they don’t even know you exist!

There is no magic bullet here people. But if you want to develop and do business with the Federal Government as a preferred vendor, then the GSA Schedule is the closest thing you are going to get.

Should you get on? If you want to business with the Feds, the answer is YES.

But don’t expect to be Daddy Warbucks picking out a red headed orphan to sing show tunes with if you don’t DO something with your Schedule once you have it.

Magic bullet? no. Magic gun? If you point it in the right direction and pull the trigger, yes.

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