There's No Crying in Contracting

Business is booming in the federal marketplace-at least it is for those who are making changes to deal with the budget constraints, cuts and doom-predictors. Yes, the market is tightening, but is this a surprise? Come on, really, the spending spree grew from $220B in 2000 to over $550B in 2010, and there is surprise that we have to now take budget cuts into consideration?

Remember, there is no crying in contracting. Instead, make a change in your efforts, your strategy, and your tactics to pursue the $500+ Billion still in play. If you are using the same processes and procedures this year that have worked in the past-your hit rate is going to fall. It is past time to evaluate the market, plan a new strategy and lead the pack instead of being one of the pack.

We are considering planning a business roundtable discussion to be held here in Columbia MD on a monthly basis. The purpose would be to have the place where you can discuss with your peers the issues you are seeing as challenges. This will not be a networking event, it is not a sales event. It is not a training event. Rather it will be a peer-to-peer discussion session that would focus on your federal contracting issues and solutions. If you are interested in this, think it would help you, and you can meet in Columbia MD or perhaps call in to a conference line, let me know. We will make it happen if there is enough interest.

Gloria Berthold Larkin Named to The Daily Record’s Circle of Excellence

Washington D.C., May 12, 2010 — Gloria Berthold Larkin has been named to The Daily Record’s Circle of Excellence, a distinction earned by being named one of Maryland’s Top 100 Women three times.

The Daily Record’s annual list of Maryland’s Top 100 Women was created to recognize outstanding achievement by women as demonstrated through professional accomplishment, community leadership, and mentoring. The Circle of Excellence is awarded for sustained achievement. Since 1996, The Daily Record has recognized more than 800 high-achieving Maryland women who are making an impact in the state through its Top 100 Women and Circle of Excellence awards.

“As Top 100 Women celebrates its 15th anniversary, all of us at The Daily Record continue to be proud and honored to conduct this important event,” says Christopher Eddings, publisher of The Daily Record. “We commend Gloria and are proud to recognize her as one of The Daily Record’s Top 100 Women.”

Larkin’s achievements continue to be recognized across the state, most recently by Maryland’s Small Business Association, which named her a 2010 Women in Business Champion. Gloria’s recognition stems directly from the success of TargetGov, her full service marketing company which specializes in government contract procurement, and her active involvement with minority small business owners, women in particular; Larkin also serves as the Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP) National Procurement Committee CoChair.

“While I’ve worked hard to get TargetGov where it is today,” Larkin said, “a true measure of success is found in our clients and how successful they are. The fact that we help them reach their goals means we are doing a good job.”

In order to qualify for The Daily Record’s Circle of Excellence, honorees must have been named to the Top 100 Women list two previous times. Larkin’s previous recognitions came in 2004 and 2007. As with Top 100 Women, nominations are solicited from economic development agencies, women’s organizations, chambers of commerce, and the business community at large.

A panel of judges comprised of business professionals and past Top 100 Women winners from across Maryland review all of the applications; they are asked to be extremely selective when it comes to the Circle of Excellence. Judges look for continued involvement in all key areas – professional accomplishment, community leadership, and mentoring – with a demonstration that each nominee is still actively involved and proactive.

For more information about Maryland’s Circle of Excellence and Top 100 Women and a complete list of winners, visit http://www.mddailyrecord.com/.


About The Daily Record

For more than 120 years, The Daily Record Company has provided trusted legal and business information to Maryland readers. In addition to the daily newspaper published five days a week, The Daily Record publishes: the www.mddailyrecord.com Web site; four blogs, Maryland Business, On the Record, Generation JD, and Eye on Annapolis; and a variety of special publications on topics of interest to Maryland business and legal professionals.

The Daily Record also honors leading Marylanders through events such as Influential Marylanders, Maryland’s Top 100 Women, Leadership in Law, and Health Care Heroes. The Daily Record is owned by Dolan Media Company, trading as DM, of Minneapolis, MN.

Maryland Entrepreneur Recognized by U.S. Small Business Administration

Gloria Larkin Named Women in Business Champion

Washington D.C. March 12, 2010- Gloria Berthold Larkin, President of TargetGov, a national company providing government procurement, business development and marketing services was recently named as the 2010 Maryland Women in Business Champion of the Year by the Maryland District Office of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). The SBA holds the annual awards competition, which is acknowledged as one of the most renowned in the country, to recognize outstanding small business owners and the champions who support them.

Nominees for the award were judged on their businesses’ success, based on company growth and expansion, and their dedication to community involvement.

“Being named the Women in Business Champion is an honour,” said Larkin. “I have been fortunate to be involved in business issues at the local, regional and national levels and through the years, have learned that we can be most effective working as a team as opposed to individually.”

The Maryland Small Business Week Awards operate in conjunction with the federal government’s annual declaration of small business week. The three-tiered selection process involves nominees competing at the district level, with the winner advancing to regionals and then to nationals. Larkin will move on to compete at the national level during the week of May 24th in Washington D.C.

Gloria Berthold Larkin originally founded TargetGov with a focus to help small, minority, disadvantaged and women-owned companies succeed in the government marketplace but has since expanded dramatically to accommodate businesses of all sizes and goals. She assisted many of her clients in procuring multi-million dollar contracts in the government sector and also conducts webinars and teleconferences for business owners trying to get their foot in the door to the government contracting world.

“Our clients have trusted in TargetGov to help expand their business and customer base,” Larkin noted, “ and the one thing that builds success in this business is producing results, and that’s what we’ve done and what we help our clients do.”

As well as advocating for women small business owners, acting as the national Procurement Committee Co-Chair for Women Impacting Public Policy, Larkin is a recognized author, writing a book, “The Veterans Business Guide: How to Build a Successful Government Contracting Business” and a series of Government Business Development Audio CDs and Toolkits.

American Express OPEN Forum to Feature Two New Webinars

TargetGov President, Gloria Berthold Larkin, to Lead Capability Briefing Session the WIPP Give Me 5 Program

Washington D.C. March 10, 2010 The American Express OPEN and WIPP Give Me 5 program has announced the dates for the two newest webinars in their government contracting series designed to educate small businesses on the world of government contracting. TargetGov, a full-service business developing marketing firm, and its President, Gloria Larkin, will conduct the webinar on Planning and Executing a Memorable Agency Capability Briefing, which is open to all American Express Card Members and Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP) members.
TargetGov’s webinar directs its focus towards the process of establishing a strong relationship with Small Business Representatives, Contracting Officers or Program Managers in the Federal contracting market. In her session, Larkin, named as one of Enterprising Women magazine's 2010 Enterprising Women of the Year, covers topics on requesting an in-person meeting, the recommended pre-meeting research, documentation to take with you, discussion points, and post-meeting follow-up.

“TargetGov is shooting to really inspire small business owners in this webinar with American Express and WIPP,” Larkin said. “We want to give these businesses the tools to truly take advantage of the huge government contracting sector, and executing a capability briefing that intrigues and assures contracting officers is one of the first steps.”
The American Express OPEN forum is an online community of small business owners that provides the tools for companies to obtain client leads, gather advice, and expand their business. It’s interactions with WIPP in the Give Me 5 program is only part of its involvement to help strengthen the minority owned and run small businesses in the United States.

TargetGov’s original focus was to help small, minority, disadvantaged and women-owned companies achieve success in business with government agencies. It has since expanded to businesses of all sizes that want increased success from government contracting opportunities.
The Planning and Executing a Memorable Agency Capability Briefing webinar will take place on March 17, 2010 at 4 pm. EST. The second of the webinars announced, Introduction to the GSA Schedule, will be conducted on April 7, 2010 at 3 pm. EST.

Much of Larkin’s advice and strategies can be found in her book, “The Veterans Business Guide: How to Build a Successful Government Contracting Business” and her series of Government Business Development Toolkits.

The National Alliance of African American Chambers (NAAAC) & TargetGov Give Firms the Competitive Edge with Teleconference Series

How to Write an Effective Capability Statement is Topic of Upcoming Teleconference

February 18, 2010: Washington DC The second installment of the year-long teleconference series between The NAAAC and TargetGov will be available Wednesday February 24, 2010 containing the highly acclaimed How to Create an Effective Capabilities Statement. The “ Preparing a Winning Capability Statement: Your Door Opener to Success” teleconference contains the Five Key Mistakes Contractors Make in Their Capability Statements and a comprehensive PDF detailing the elements that contractors should know when drafting a capability statement. These steps include: key features of a great capability statement, how to create statements that can be used for multiple agencies and prime contractors, differences between core competencies and differentiators, ideal length for a capability statement as well as the difference between a capability statement and a capability brief. This episode of the series will offer much more insight into the world of government acquisitions and open the doors to many more profitable business opportunities.

The live teleconference will take place on February 24th at 10:00 am PST, 11:00 am MST, noon CST and 1:00 pm EST. The teleconference will be recorded for those that are unable to attend or would like to review to this lesson. A complimentary tool kit is also included with purchase containing course text, useful links and templates.

To register, visit http://www.targetgov.com or call toll-free 1-866-579-1346. The cost is $80.00 per teleconference.

Contact information for the NAAAC:
National Alliance of African American Chambers
1156 15th St., NW, Suite 1100
Washington, DC 20005
Phone: (202) 509-9586
www.NationalAAAC.org

Debunking the Myths of Successful Government Sales

National Webinars Teach Successful Sales Strategies in 500 Billion Dollar Market

Feb 17, 2010 Washington DC. The Government Contracting: Debunking the Myth of Successful Government Sales national webinar series is designed to teach contractors which sales strategies will best connect them with those key decision makers, how to avoid the common mistakes many businesses make when approaching the government, and how to proactively take advantage of upcoming sales opportunities. Two class levels, Basics and Advanced, will ensure that participants learn what they need to know. Each series includes three one-hour webinars. Contractors may sign up for one or both series or for an individual webinar.

Regardless of economic conditions, the federal government buys over 500 billion dollars in goods and services from large and small businesses. But knowing that the federal government is buying and actually getting it to purchase are two entirely different things. This webinar series will show exactly how businesses can push past the massive government wall and access the key decision makers.

Contractors will be able to download each webinar individually or as an entire series to their own computer. The ability to listen to a webinar and its content on demand (unlimited access--as many times as needed) is vital to a business’ success in this market. The content is then available for reference whenever needed to support a company sales plan or to share with an internal sales team.

Expert Speakers include Gloria Berthold Larkin of TargetGov and Beth Goldstein of Marketing Edge Consulting Group.

Beth Goldstein is the author of The Ultimate Small Business Marketing Toolkit (McGraw-Hill), and President of Marketing Edge Consulting Group. She has empowered hundreds of entrepreneurs and companies to create successful marketing and sales programs. Consultant, nationally recognized speaker, and educator, Beth focuses on answering the questions that keep business owners up at night. In addition to consulting, Beth is the Lead Instructor for the SBA Emerging 200 (e200), a15-state, program designed to help inner city entrepreneurs strengthen and grow their existing businesses. She has been instrumental in developing the 9-month curriculum and currently teaches the business accelerator program in Massachusetts. She can be reached at beth@m-edge.com or 508.903.0976 or found online: www.m-edge.com.

Gloria Berthold Larkin is the President of TargetGov and the national Procurement Committee Co-Chair for Women Impacting Public Policy. She is an expert at government procurement and related business development and marketing services including minority certification services, contract development, GSA Schedules, proposal management and development, contract administration and federal contracting services.

Costs for the webinars are $49 per class, $99 per series, or $188 for both series. Visit www.targetgov.com or call toll-free at 1-866-579-1346 for more information.

Gloria Berthold Larkin named as one of Enterprising Women magazine’s 2010 Enterprising Women of the Year

President of Elkridge, MD based firm TargetGov, Gloria Berthold Larkin is thrilled to be included in the prestigious list of honorees.

Feb 13, 2010 Washington, DC Gloria Berthold Larkin is honored as one of Enterprising Women magazine's 2010 Enterprising Women of the Year. Enterprising Women is a national magazine for women business owners. This is the eighth year the publication has paid tribute to North America’s top women entrepreneurs. “The Enterprising Women of the Year Award is one of the most prestigious recognition programs in the world for women entrepreneurs. In light of the challenging economy, this year’s honorees have overcome many obstacles to grow their businesses, give back to others, and really shine as leaders in their communities,” Monica Smiley, publisher/CEO of Enterprising Women, said.

Nominations poured in throughout November and December, with an unprecedented number of nominees from throughout North America. The magazine's editorial team narrowed the field to a group of semi-finalists, while members of the magazine's prestigious National Advisory Board, comprised of more than one hundred outstanding women entrepreneurs from the United States and around the globe, assisted in the final screening process.

Gloria Berthold Larkin is President of TargetGov, a national company providing government procurement, business development and marketing services; she is thrilled to be included in this year’s list of honorees. “I am honored to be included in this group of remarkable women. It is recognition that I will cherish.”

Gloria Berthold Larkin will be recognized for outstanding business growth, mentoring and supporting other women in business, and leadership in her community at a gala awards dinner in Miami, FL.

Ms. Berthold Larkin is author of “The Veterans Business Guide: How to Build a Successful Government Contracting Business” and has created a series of Government Business Development Audio CDs and Toolkits (e-books) focusing on successful business development processes for federal contractors. She is an expert author with articles regarding business development published in local, regional, national and international publications. Ms. Berthold Larkin has spoken at international, national, regional and local conferences including the Middle East North Africa (MENA) Business Women’s Summit, the Annual OSDBU Procurement Conference and the Annual National Veteran’s Conference.

National Teleconference Offers Insight and Timely Advice About Winning Stimulus Spending Contracts in North Carolina

The Teleconference, “How to Win Stimulus Spending Contracts in North Carolina” will be held on Saturday September 19, 2009, sponsored by the Raleigh Black Chamber of Commerce.

Right now is a unique time in our country’s economic history, especially in government contracting, thanks to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Business revenues can increase dramatically if a contractor can tap into the 500 billion dollar federal contracting market, and now there is more revenue to be had than ever before.

“Many businesses are struggling right now, but those doing business with the government are getting more contracts and hiring more people. Using the tips in this teleconference, a business can turn the Federal Government into their client, and ensure that their share of the available stimulus dollars,” said Gloria Berthold Larkin, President of TargetGov.

Critical topics covered in this teleconference include: How the Stimulus Contracts differ from other contracts, Who the decision makers are, How to reach those decision makers, and What contract vehicles these decision makers are using to make purchases quickly. This teleconference will focus these topics around the North Carolina region, offering specific incite on North Carolina stimulus contracts.

The cost for attending this live teleconference, as well as receiving the 62 page exclusive TargetGov Toolkit created specifically for this teleconference, is FREE. Simply visit http://www.targetgov.com/ and register.

The featured speaker for this teleconference is nationally recognized expert and author, Gloria Berthold Larkin, President of TargetGov. Gloria is an expert in process of successful government procurement and related business development and marketing services with success stories of clients winning multi-million federal contracts.

About TargetGov:
TargetGov focuses on government procurement and related business development, capture management and marketing services including business consulting, Capability Statement creation and contract vehicle development (GSA Schedules, etc.), and proposal management. Gloria Berthold Larkin is the author of “The Veterans Business Guide: How to Build a Successful Government Contracting Business.” Visit www.TargetGov.com or www.VeteransBusinessGuide.com

TargetGov’s “How to Win Stimulus Spending Contracts” Teleconference and Instructional Toolkit Now Available for Download

TargetGov’s national teleconference, “How to Win Stimulus Spending Contracts,” is now available in an audio download. In addition to the MP3 audio file, customers will also receive an exclusive 82 page Toolkit (in PDF format.) This teleconference covers how right now is a unique time in our country’s economic history, especially in government contracting, due to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Business revenues can increase dramatically if a contractor can tap into the multi-billion dollar federal contracting market.

Critical topics covered in this teleconference include: How the stimulus contracts differ from other contracts, who the decision makers are, how to reach those decision makers, and what contract vehicles these decision makers are using to make purchases quickly.

“Many businesses are struggling right now, but those doing business with the government are getting more contracts and hiring more people. Using the tips in this teleconference, a business can turn the Federal Government into their client, and open the door to their share of the available stimulus dollars,” said Gloria Berthold Larkin, President of TargetGov.

The expert speaker for this teleconference is Gloria Berthold Larkin, President of TargetGov and the national Procurement Committee Co-Chair for Women Impacting Public Policy. She is an expert at government procurement and related business development and marketing services including minority certification services, contract development, GSA Schedules, proposal management and development, contract administration and federal contracting services.

The MP3 and Toolkit download is available for only $39.95 at http://www.targetgov.com or by calling toll-free 1-866-579-1346.

About TargetGov:
TargetGov focuses on government procurement and related business development and marketing services including minority certification services, contract development (GSA Schedules, etc.), business development, proposal management and development, contract administration and expert federal contracting services. The parent company, MOA, provides corporate business development and marketing-related services including current customer analysis to determine profitability, client profiling, targeted prospect identification and list development, database, marketing plan and strategy development, graphic design, marketing communications and calendar development and execution (advertising, direct mail, fax, email, newsletters, postcards, brochures, etc.) Gloria Berthold Larkin is the author of “The Veterans Business Guide: How to Build a Successful Government Contracting Business.” Visit http://www.TargetGov.com.

TargetGov’s “Teaming: How to Find Teaming Partners” Teleconference Scheduled

TargetGov’s national teleconference, “Teaming: How to Find Teaming Partners for Government Contracts” will be held on Thursday September 17, 2009. Registrants also receive a 55 page Toolkit with specific details about the process of teaming within government contracting. This toolkit, in conjunction with the teleconference, will cover the entire teaming process, how teaming can help grow your business, and the potential pitfalls and dangers within teaming.

Other covered topics include: Teaming agreements, the pros and cons of teaming, joint ventures, 8(a) set asides for joint ventures, trends in teaming, and the scope of subcontracting agreements.

“Government contracts now require specific teaming processes, procedures and agreements,” said Gloria Berthold Larkin, President of TargetGov. “Teaming is a very logical business development strategy for any upcoming business, and this teleconference will clearly outline exactly how to begin.”

The expert speakers for this teleconference are Pamela Mazza, managing partner at Piliero Mazza PLLC, and Gloria Berthold Larkin, President of TargetGov.

Pamela J. Mazza is the managing partner at PilieroMazza PLLC. She has 20 years experience advising clients on all aspects of government contracts law and represents clients before government agencies and contract review boards in bid protests, size standard challenges, teaming agreements and joint venture issues. In addition, Ms. Mazza counsels clients on corporate issues including corporate formation and restructuring, shareholder agreements, and trade secrets protection. She also represents trade associations and corporations before Congress and the Administration. She is admitted to practice law in the District of Columbia and Virginia, as well as before the U.S. Supreme Court, the U.S. Court of Federal Claims and various other federal courts. She also practices before the General Accountability Office and the agency Boards of Contract Appeals.

Gloria Berthold Larkin is the President of TargetGov and the national Procurement Committee Co-Chair for Women Impacting Public Policy, a nation non-partisan membership organization. She is an expert at government procurement and related business development and marketing services including minority certification services, contract development, GSA Schedules, proposal management and development, contract administration and federal contracting services.

The cost to register is $97.00 and includes the 55 page Toolkit. Register at http://www.targetgov.com, or by calling toll-free at 1-866-579-1346.

About TargetGov:
TargetGov focuses on government procurement and related business development and marketing services including minority certification services, contract development (GSA Schedules, etc.), business development, proposal management and development, contract administration and expert federal contracting services. The parent company, MOA, provides corporate business development and marketing-related services including current customer analysis to determine profitability, client profiling, targeted prospect identification and list development, database, marketing plan and strategy development, graphic design, marketing communications and calendar development and execution (advertising, direct mail, fax, email, newsletters, postcards, brochures, etc.) Gloria Berthold Larkin is the author of “The Veterans Business Guide: How to Build a Successful Government Contracting Business.” Visit http://www.TargetGov.com

TargetGov Celebrates the Vital Role Entrepreneurs Play in Innovation, Job Creation and Economic Recovery as a Partner in Global Entrepreneurship Week

This November, young people around the globe will get together to change the world. To celebrate the vital role entrepreneurs play in innovation, job creation and economic recovery, TargetGov is participating in Global Entrepreneurship Week on Nov. 16 – 22, 2009 to inspire, connect, mentor and engage young people.

As a part of Global Entrepreneurship Week, TargetGov will hold a No-Cost teleconference, “How To Do Business With The World's Fortune One Customer,” on November 17, 2009 to learn about how you can start doing business with the U.S. Federal Government. Hear real-life experiences from business owners who started as very small businesses and have become multi-million dollar firms through government contracting.

Co-founded in 2008 by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation in the United States and Make Your Mark, a business-led government-backed campaign in the United Kingdom, Global Entrepreneurship Week will connect young people through local, national and global activities designed to help them explore their potential as self-starters and innovators. Students, educators, entrepreneurs, business leaders, employees, non-profit leaders, government officials and others will participate in a host of activities that include virtual and face-to-face events, large-scale competitions and intimate networking gatherings.

In 2009, the Week is estimated to exceed the 3 million people and 8,800 organizations around the globe that participated in the inaugural Global Entrepreneurship Week in 2008. Already, more than 650 organizations in more than 80 countries have signed up.

“I think it is important for TargetGov to participate in events, such as Global Entrepreneurship Week, because getting young people involved in small business leads to innovation, and especially in these tough economic times, that is truly what’s needed,” said Gloria Berthold Larkin, President of TargetGov. “Plus, I believe it is important that we try to instill in young people how important their contributions to business can be, no matter their age.”

“The world knows that entrepreneurship is the key to economic recovery, and the next generation of innovators holds that key,” said Carl Schramm, president and CEO of the Kauffman Foundation. “Now more than ever, we need to unleash the creativity and ingenuity of our youth by engaging them in the endless possibilities of entrepreneurship.”

To register for this teleconference, visit http://www.targetgov.com and sign up, or call toll-free 1-866-579-1346.

About TargetGov:

TargetGov focuses on government procurement and related business development and marketing services including minority certification services, contract development (GSA Schedules, etc.), business development, proposal management and development, contract administration and expert federal contracting services. The parent company, MOA, provides corporate business development and marketing-related services including current customer analysis to determine profitability, client profiling, targeted prospect identification and list development, database, marketing plan and strategy development, graphic design, marketing communications and calendar development and execution (advertising, direct mail, fax, email, newsletters, postcards, brochures, etc.) Gloria Berthold Larkin is the author of “The Veterans Business Guide: How to Build a Successful Government Contracting Business.” Visit http://www.TargetGov.com

About Global Entrepreneurship Week

With the goal to inspire young people to embrace innovation, imagination and creativity, Global Entrepreneurship Week will encourage youth to think big, turn their ideas into reality, and make their mark. From Nov. 16-22, 2009, millions of young people around the world will join a growing movement to generate new ideas and seek better ways of doing things. Tens of thousands of activities are being planned in dozens of countries. Global Entrepreneurship Week is founded by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and the Make Your Mark campaign. For more information, visit www.unleashingideas.org, and follow @unleashingideas on Twitter.

Kauffman Foundation

The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation is a private nonpartisan foundation that works to harness the power of entrepreneurship and innovation to grow economies and improve human welfare. Through its research and other initiatives, the Kauffman Foundation aims to open young people's eyes to the possibility of entrepreneurship, promote entrepreneurship education, raise awareness of entrepreneurship-friendly policies, and find alternative pathways for the commercialization of new knowledge and technologies. It also works to prepare students to be innovators, entrepreneurs and skilled workers in the 21st century economy through initiatives designed to improve learning in math, engineering, science and technology. Founded by late entrepreneur and philanthropist Ewing Marion Kauffman, the Foundation is based in Kansas City, Mo. and has approximately $2 billion in assets. For more information, visit www.kauffman.org, and follow @kauffmanfdn on Twitter.

Make Your Mark

Make Your Mark is the campaign to give young people in the UK the confidence, skills and ambition to be enterprising - to have ideas and make them happen. Run by Enterprise Insight, which was founded by the four leading UK business membership organizations – the British Chambers of Commerce, the CBI, the Federation of Small Businesses and the Institute of Directors. Their Director-Generals sit on our board, which is chaired by entrepreneur Peter Jones, from BBC’s Dragon’s Den. It is supported by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills andendorsed by the Prime Minister, Gordon Brown. www.makeyourmark.org.uk

Avoid These Government Contracting Mistakes

When trying to enter the federal marketplace as a government contractor, it is important to present your company in as professional and knowledgeable of a manner as possible. The mistakes noted below scream “novice” and will close the door on your success.

1. Don’t try to market to every federal agency that MAY be a potential customer. Instead, target the top 5 or 10 agencies.
   
2. Don’t bid on every contract. Pick and choose those that you can effectively manage. Companies have gone out of business “winning” contracts they cannot perform.
   
3. Do not try to be all things to all people. If you go outside your core competency, be prepared to lose focus and confuse your buyers and program managers.
   
4. Do not rely on electronic communications 100% of the time. It is impossible to give a warm handshake in an email. The people you want to do business with want to get to know you. Personally.
   
5. Do not ignore the associations and organizations in which your market participates. Become a member. Be seen where they are seen. Do everything you can to build relationships.
   
6. Do not assume that your web site is 100% government contact and contract-friendly. Government procurement personnel, program managers and end users should be able to see that you are ready to do business on their terms right from the home page. And it goes without saying – your email should reflect your web site, never use a free or non-professional domain name. You may have a multimillion-dollar company, but if you are using something like doug123@yahoo.com or anything@aol.com, you will be perceived as a non-professional.
   
7. Do not expect people to stay year to year. Realize that turnover in government procurement exceeds 40% a year. The people you knew last year may not be there this year. You have to maintain regular contact and take the time to build new relationships when needed.
   
8. Do not expect contracting officers to make it easy for you. Instead, go out of your way to make their job as easy as possible. Do your research and be totally prepared at each point of contact – claiming ignorance is a huge turnoff to doing business.
   
9. Do not expect “low hanging fruit.” It takes time. You may be lucky enough to pick some low hanging fruit, but don’t bet the farm on it. Plan for a 12 to 18 or even 24-month business development cycle.
   
10. Do not be inconsistent. Pleasant persistence pays. Be in touch regularly. Take the time to touch base. If you don’t your competition will.

Government contracting is a complicated process, and successful business development is key to creating the relationships that will open the door to winning contracts. Invest the time to learn the ropes for business development success.

For more information visit http://www.targetgov.com.

TargetGov’s Writing Winning Proposals Teleconference Scheduled

TargetGov’s national teleconference, “Writing Winning Proposals,” will be held on Thursday December 10, 2009. In addition to the ability to attend this teleconference, customers will receive a 40 page Toolkit with specific details about Writing Winning Proposals. This toolkit, in conjunction with the teleconference, will cover the skills necessary to respond convincingly to an RFP or task order requirement, as well as the top five reasons for failure, how to prepare for oral presentations, how to request a debrief and what to expect, and determining if a protest is a viable option.

Other covered topics include: the personnel required to write winning proposals, a timeline for the proposal process, uniform proposal format, solicitation and contract types, go-no go decision tips, solicitation analysis, understanding the grading system, costing and pricing tips, and writing and negotiation tips.

“There is much more to writing a winning proposal than writing ability. It takes specific knowledge of what the government looks for in a proposal, and how they score the responses. Only businesses with this knowledge will score highest and win the contracts,” said Gloria Berthold Larkin, President of TargetGov. “This teleconference can help ensure that the time a business spends on its proposal is not wasted, and that a business can come out of the proposal process victorious.”

Expert speakers for this teleconference are Jack Peace, President and Founder of Pease Consulting, Mike Parkinson, founder of Billion Dollar Graphics, and Gloria Berthold Larkin, President of TargetGov.

Jack Pease is the President and Founder of Pease Consulting. Jack has over 20 years of IT and Business Process Outsourcing experience that spans the Federal, State and Local Governments, as well as the Commercial sector. He has managed a portfolio of IT accounts with a total contract value in excess of $100M.

Previously, Jack worked for two of the world’s largest Systems Integration and Consulting firms, CSC and EDS. He also worked for Mobil Oil Corporation, was a High School teacher and coach and a U.S Air Force Captain.

Mike Parkinson has spearheaded multi-billion dollar projects and created thousands of graphics resulting in billions of dollars in increased revenue for his clients. As co-owner of 24 Hour Company, Mike leveraged his design experience to help his partners transform the company into an industry leader. In 2006, he founded Billion Dollar Graphics to offer articles, books, tools, and resources that provide secrets, tips, tricks, strategies, and best practices to non-designers and designers alike.

Gloria Berthold Larkin is the President of TargetGov and the national Procurement Committee Co-Chair for Women Impacting Public Policy. She is an expert at government procurement and related business development and marketing services including minority certification services, contract development, GSA Schedules, proposal management and development, contract administration and federal contracting services.

Register at http://www.targetgov.com, or by calling toll-free at 1-866-579-1346, for only $97.00.

About TargetGov:
TargetGov focuses on government procurement and related business development and marketing services including minority certification services, contract development (GSA Schedules, etc.), business development, proposal management and development, contract administration and expert federal contracting services. The parent company, MOA, provides corporate business development and marketing-related services including current customer analysis to determine profitability, client profiling, targeted prospect identification and list development, database, marketing plan and strategy development, graphic design, marketing communications and calendar development and execution (advertising, direct mail, fax, email, newsletters, postcards, brochures, etc.) Gloria Berthold Larkin is the author of “The Veterans Business Guide: How to Build a Successful Government Contracting Business.” Visit http://www.TargetGov.com

Writing Winning Proposals Teleconference Now Available for Download

TargetGov’s national teleconference, “Writing Winning Proposals,” is now available in an MP3 audio download. In addition to the MP3 audio file, customers will receive a 40 page Toolkit, in PDF format. These two files cover the skills necessary to respond convincingly to an RFP or task order requirement, as well as the top five reasons for failure, how to prepare for oral presentations, how to request a debrief and what to expect, and determining if a protest is a viable option.

Other covered topics include: the personnel required to write winning proposals, a timeline for the proposal process, uniform proposal format, solicitation and contract types, go-no go decision tips, solicitation analysis, understanding the grading system, costing and pricing tips, and writing and negotiation tips.

“There is much more to writing a winning proposal than writing ability. It takes specific knowledge of what the government looks for in a proposal, and how they score the responses. Only businesses with this knowledge will score highest and win the contracts,” said Gloria Berthold Larkin, President of TargetGov.

Expert speakers for this teleconference are Jack Peace, President and Founder of Pease Consulting, Mike Parkinson, founder of Billion Dollar Graphics, and Gloria Berthold Larkin, President of TargetGov.

Jack Pease is the President and Founder of Pease Consulting. Jack has over 20 years of IT and Business Process Outsourcing experience that spans the Federal, State and Local Governments, as well as the Commercial sector. He has managed a portfolio of IT accounts with a total contract value in excess of $100M.

Previously, Jack worked for two of the world’s largest Systems Integration and Consulting firms, CSC and EDS. He also worked for Mobil Oil Corporation, was a High School teacher and coach and a U.S Air Force Captain.

Mike Parkinson has spearheaded multi-billion dollar projects and created thousands of graphics resulting in billions of dollars in increased revenue for his clients. As co-owner of 24 Hour Company, Mike leveraged his design experience to help his partners transform the company into an industry leader. In 2006, he founded Billion Dollar Graphics to offer articles, books, tools, and resources that provide secrets, tips, tricks, strategies, and best practices to non-designers and designers alike.

Gloria Berthold Larkin is the President of TargetGov and the national Procurement Committee Co-Chair for Women Impacting Public Policy. She is an expert at government procurement and related business development and marketing services including minority certification services, contract development, GSA Schedules, proposal management and development, contract administration and federal contracting services.

The MP3 and Toolkit download is available at http://www.targetgov.com/, or by calling toll-free at 1-866-579-1346, for only $39.95.

About TargetGov:
TargetGov focuses on government procurement and related business development and marketing services including minority certification services, contract development (GSA Schedules, etc.), business development, proposal management and development, contract administration and expert federal contracting services. The parent company, MOA, provides corporate business development and marketing-related services including current customer analysis to determine profitability, client profiling, targeted prospect identification and list development, database, marketing plan and strategy development, graphic design, marketing communications and calendar development and execution (advertising, direct mail, fax, email, newsletters, postcards, brochures, etc.) Gloria Berthold Larkin is the author of “The Veterans Business Guide: How to Build a Successful Government Contracting Business.” Visit http://www.targetgov.com/

Bid No Bid Decision Process Teleconference Now Available for Download

TargetGov’s national teleconference, “Bid No Bid Decision Process,” is now available in an MP3 audio download. In addition to the MP3 audio file, customers will receive a 50+ page Toolkit, in PDF format, detailing one of the most important but least practiced steps to winning government contracts: using an informed bid-no bid decision process. This MP3 will teach business owners and executives the 20 steps required for a solid bid no-bid decision process, who should be involved, what a decision timeline looks like, and critical questions.

Other topic covered include: reasons not to bid on a contract, government bid win probabilities, bid-no bid decision questions, and post-award recommendations. The accompanying toolkit also includes a bid-no bid timeline as well as a sample opportunity and relationship building process, plus much more.

“This teleconference is perfect for all those involved in proposals and bids,” said Gloria Berthold Larkin, President of TargetGov, adding, “a business is not likely to win a government bid by submitting a blind bid with little or no knowledge of or exposure to the client. This teleconference helps teach the process necessary to focus on the bids a company is most likely to win. This information can save any business hundreds of hours of wasted effort.”

The expert speaker of this teleconference is Gloria Berthold Larkin, President of TargetGov and national Procurement Committee Co-Chair for Women Impacting Public Policy. She is an expert at government procurement and related business development and marketing services including minority certification services, contract development, GSA Schedules, proposal management and development, contract administration and federal contracting services.

The MP3 and Toolkit download is available at www.targetgov.com, or by calling toll-free at 1-866-579-1346, for only $39.95.

About TargetGov:
TargetGov focuses on government procurement and related business development and marketing services including minority certification services, contract development (GSA Schedules, etc.), business development, proposal management and development, contract administration and expert federal contracting services. The parent company, MOA, provides corporate business development and marketing-related services including current customer analysis to determine profitability, client profiling, targeted prospect identification and list development, database, marketing plan and strategy development, graphic design, marketing communications and calendar development and execution (advertising, direct mail, fax, email, newsletters, postcards, brochures, etc.) Gloria Berthold Larkin is the author of “The Veterans Business Guide: How to Build a Successful Government Contracting Business.” Visit www.TargetGov.com