According to our Federal Sales Sherpa, Eileen Kent of Custom Keynotes, “If you are hoping to uncover federal opportunities as a result of Hurricane Sandy, you need to work fast and smart right now.”
Kent says it may be too late to call on agencies like FEMA after an event like a giant hurricane. “They have already lined up their vendors back in January and February of this year. They’ve discussed contracting vehicles, needs, deployment timing, billing, key contacts and emergency numbers. They have at least three vendors for every need. They even have a back-up contracting plan — to the back-up plan. When the emergency occurs, all FEMA has to do is pick up the phone and deploy.”
This doesn’t mean however, that the contractors themselves aren’t overwhelmed by the requests and expectations of FEMA.
“That is why you still have a chance. You can pick up the phone today and call your comp-ti-mates and see if they need additional resources, services, products and people,” says Kent.
“One of my roofing customers told me that the owner of a neighboring competitor literally camped out in his lobby for three days as he responded to the business from a large hurricane. By the third day, the competitor’s people were on rooftops and his contract doubled in size overnight. After that storm, they no longer considered themselves competitors, but partners, when the opportunities were just too big for one of them,” Kent said. “Get in there and support them when they need you most. Your competitors have the relationship and the contracting vehicle. You have the quality service at a great price.”
What’s holding you back? Kent said, “This is your opportunity to build past performance! Then, you can approach FEMA in January and February to become one of their Prime Vendors in 2013-2014.”
# # #
For more information on post Sandy opportunities contact Eileen Kent who specializes in customizing your federal sales action plan and has personally sold to FEMA, DHS, DoD, GSA, FBI, Department of Agriculture, USDA, GSA, PBS and many more. Call her at 312-636-5381 for your competitive analysis and federal sales action plan for 2013-2014.