Attendees at our federal sales seminars frequently ask us to summarize the keys to success in federal sales. Successful federal contractors all possess the following traits:

* A willingness to invest in direct sales (i.e., a dedication to hiring a sales person or assigning an existing sales person to work exclusively on federal sales );

* A total lack of fear in making cold calls to federal end users;

* An intense focus on targeting sales opportunities and the ability to narrow down the opportunities to end users who know you, want your solution, and have money to spend;

* The patience to wait for the direct sales efforts to pay off; and

* The willingness to invest in obtaining a GSA schedule to close your sales.

If your business has focus, your sales people have an abject lack of fear, and your corporate management shows patience, your company will eventually land federal customers. A federal customer is like a piece of gold. Because federal employees (and contracting and procurement officers, in particular) are risk averse, they will come back to you again and again if you perform. People buy in the federal market just like in the commercial market. Find an end user with a problem and establish a trust relationship with them.

Newcomers to the federal market find it to be a world that is alien and confusing. However, it really is no different than the commercial market. New contractors may have to start out as a subcontractor to an existing federal contractor. In the long run, the best closing vehicle for a small to medium-sized business is a GSA schedule. It can take 4 - 8 months to get a Schedule contract so start now.