190 likes | 320 Views
Seizing the Opportunity Growing your Sales into the Public Sector Market Amidst the Current Economic Chaos. Alex Hart. The World We Live in Today…. Financial Market Meltdown & subsequent Credit Paralysis GDP down 3 quarters in a row (4 th is a safe bet too)
E N D
Seizing the Opportunity Growing your Sales into the Public Sector Market Amidst the Current Economic Chaos Alex Hart
The World We Live in Today… • Financial Market Meltdown & subsequent Credit Paralysis • GDP down 3 quarters in a row (4th is a safe bet too) • Worst Economic downturn in SEVEN DECADES • 5.1 million jobs lost since 12-07 (3.3 million lost over last 5 months alone! ) • 47/50 states hemorrhaging red ink • Housing Market?...Don’t Ask “This economic crisis does not represent a cycle. It represents a reset. It is an emotional, social, economic reset. People who understand that will prosper. Those who don’t will be left behind.” Jeffrey Immelt CEO, General Electric Nov 9, 2008
Universal Truths of Economic Uncertainty • Great Mechanism to “Cull the Herd” • Presents Opportunity to Gain Market Share Over Competitors • Customer Flight to Quality • Solutions That Enable Customers To Establish Near Term ROI Become Top of Mind • Buying Decisions Revolve Around “GOTTA HAVE” vs “NICE TO HAVE” “Managers who see economic strife only as a threat are missing out on an ideal opportunity to implement change and instill best practice” Donald Sull Dir. Executive Education, London Business School
The Good News… Federal IT Spend ~ $72 billion SLG IT Spend ~ $47 billion Ed IT Spend ~ $20 billion Recovery Act Spend ~ $506 billion Source: Input, Center for Digital Government
So What Does $645 Billion Look Like Anyway? 6,450 Standard Pallets of $100 bills...
How Do We Capitalize? • Agility • Identify and seize opportunity • Flexibility- Ability to turn on a dime • Calculated Aggression NOKIA, CISCO, SAMSUNG, HP, AIRBUS
How Do We Capitalize? • Absorption • “Weather The Storm” • Cash Rich • Risk Mitigation • Calculated Investment IBM, ORACLE, MICROSOFT, GE, FORD
Ready to Enter the Ring? • Review existing vendor portfolio & ask hard questions • Does this vendor fully align with my GTM strategy and customer focus (and do I align to theirs) ? • Is this technology core and complementary to my other key vendors and does it address the problems my customers want solved? • Are my reps communicating regularly with their counterparts EARLY into opportunities? • Invest In Yourself and your Organization • Training is key to success! – Business and Technical • Key Vendor Sales and Technical certs are a MUST • Learn to speak your customers’ language • Leverage resources • Educate yourself • Expand your sales teams where appropriate • Take advantage to the top flight talent pool in transition • Define and be able to clearly communicate your Sustainable Competitive Advantage
Really Ready to Enter the Ring? • Understand WHY , WHEN and HOW the customer buys • Agency/Department imperatives • Political Alignment • Procurement Process, Proclivities and Predisposition • Difference in Color and Source of Money • Don’t just sell them the solution…show them how to pay for it! • Where/how can you insert yourself in the money shaping process? • Harmonize Your Contract Landscape • Identify target customer’s preferred buying vehicle(s)? • Do you have access? • IF NOT TEAM • CO-OPETITON IS A MUST
Really, Really Ready to Enter the Ring? • Don’t sell stuff – Solve Problems! • TRULY understand the customer imperative • Develop Integrated Solution “Stacks” to address • How do complementary vendors work with each other? • Buy in from Vendor and Distribution Partners • Quantify the ROI • Become a Drag King or Queen – what technologies are catalysts? • Think “stew” pricing
“Bankable” Technologies • Virtualization • Information Security • Green IT • Electronic Medical Records/Healthcare IT • Oversight and Transparency • Email and Document Content Management • Consolidation/Shared Services • Data Center Efficiency
Focus Agencies - Federal • Energy ($32.7B) • General Services Administration ($5.5B) • HHS ($135 B) • Health IT $20.6B • Ntl. Coordinator for Health IT ($2B) • SSA Data Center ($500M) • Commerce ($7.9B) • Broadband Technology Program $4.7 B • DoD • BRAC (Base Realignment and Closure)
Focus Agencies - SLG • Health and Human Services • Public Safety • Courts/Justice • Administration • Transportation ARRA is forcing tighter coordination between Federal grantor and SLG grantee
RESOURCES • TECH DATA • Input/CDG • Grant Consultants • System Integrator Small Business Office • Vendor “Stimulus Program Offices” • www.whitehouse.gov/omb • Peter Orszag’s Blog • M-09-10 Initial Implementing Guidance for ARRA ‘09 • M-09-15 Updated Implementing Guidance for ARRA ‘09 • www.recovery.gov • State Progress and Resources • Agency Progress and Resources
TAKEAWAYS • BUSINESS AS USUAL WILL NOT WORK • DO YOUR HOMEWORK • KNOW AND BE ABLE TO EXPLAIN YOUR COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE • THINK FEDERAL ACT LOCAL • LEVERAGE RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO YOU (IF YOU DON’T YOUR COMPETITORS WILL)
THANK YOU! The Difference In Distribution