ForumsAdvertising, Sales and Marketing

Anyone take the class lately? did you get your moneys worth? When did you take it. Get any contracts yet?

How did your course go? would you recommend this course?

Jane

May I also have Duston Keith's contact. I am in construction and furniture. I live in LA, but would
like to talk w him.

Thank you.
ecogreen
bsmetko@aol.com

I have over 15 years of experience in Government contracting. I have run professional services organization that went from start-up to $7M in three years. Government contracting is difficult, but the contract part is a process not a business generator. There is a belief that all you have to do is get a government contract and the money will start rolling in. Nothing could be further from the truth. The government contracting business is one of the most competitive and costly businesses you could possibly choose. Business development within the government is the same as in commercial, it is about the understanding the relationships and selling to the different categories (executive, influencers, buyer, contracting officer). You must understand each of these and their roles in the sales process not the contract process. Almost all contracts are decided before the RFP is posted on the government web site and all government contractors know this.

A generic course in the process of government contracting will not get you the business you are looking for, you need to evaluate who the buyer are, who are the present competitors within your product space, what advantages to bring beyond the present competitor, which competitor can benefit the most from your teaming, and what is your strategy for winning. After you have started in the business, there are plenty of organization that can assist you with the GSA Schedule process to establish the contract vehicle. Again, it is just a process not a sale.

Hope this helps
TechDude
pete@asktechdude,com
www.asktechdude.com

TechDude,

You are dead on. The course is quite generic regardless of what the instructor says. Has anyone reading these posts ever asked themselves how a subject such as doing business with the federal government - something so difficult and seemingly overwhelming (which is what the B2G Institute's marketing trades itself upon - can be specifically handled for your company and needs in a three-day group session?

The fact is that you will get a few fifteen minute appointments, which they call one-on-ones, but it really is just the fist at many attempts to sell you additional products for thousands of dollars - additional products are very specific for you.

See?

DTTCore

DDTCore is right. The B2G Institute course is very generic, everything is boilerplate. Regardless of what type of business you are in, they give canned responses. The B2G Institute one on ones are just opportunities to try to upsell you. For example, in a B2G Institute one on one with the co-founder of the B2G Institute he asked to see my marketing materials to critique them. The following day, in another B2G Institute one on one, he offered me nothing more than flags to put on my site, B2G Institute stock imagery.

I was repeatedly told I need a GSA contract for my company, but in fact, GSA has told me that my company doesn't fit any of their categories. In truth, I did pick up a few tidbits of information. However, it is not, in my opinion, worth paying the B2G Institute $3,000.00 for a few morsels.

Thankfully, my company paid for the training, or I would have left after the first day.

I hope they still buy you lunch on days 2 and 3.

Two, you say? Perhaps you haven't seen the San Diego TV stations report on this scam. Just search in any engine:

B2G "Get Rich" Scheme Targets San Diego Business People.

There certainly are more than two.

Also, are you trying to get clients outside of the B2G Institute by using their name? I guess that is to be expected.

Of course I saw that and I also do not believe at face value everything I read in the news. I have recently sent him some real info on the Government and what is out there. I do not ever profess that this is "get rich quick". It takes work and persistence. When I said two, there are only two people on this blog that have said then didn't get anything out of it. I have a lot I work with that have. Feel free to call me and I will give references. I deal in facts and I have clients with successes all the time. I know what works and that's why I'm in business. Many have made this work and are successful. According to www.usaspending.gov, (a government site) there have been 38,483 transactions for 5,887 contractors so far this fiscal year in the State of California. Interesting note is that 8.2% of those were where everybody could bid but only one bid or offer was received. Small business is not showing up!! So the business IS out there and people are getting awarded every day.