Selling to the Government with Tom Smerczynski
If you’re looking to improve your company’s ability to sell into the government, this Revenue Builder’s episode is for you. Our guest, Tom Smerczynski has decades of experience in winning government contracts. He’s held numerous senior executive roles, generating billions of dollars in deal flow and corporate value. His expertise lies in developing high-performance organizations within the complex government acquisition and procurement system. As CEO and President of the Talisman Group, founded in 2019, Tom focuses on translating strategy into growth, particularly optimizing sales in the public sector. His broad operating experience, from small businesses to global corporations, equips him with the ability to create scalable business development systems tailored to dynamic government organizations, while his coaching and training skills enable him to guide businesses and leaders to success. In this episode, John McMahon and John Kaplan are joined by Tom Smerczynski, CEO of Talisman Group, to explore the complexities of selling to the government and engaging customers successfully. Tom, a government contracting expert with decades of experience, shares valuable insights on proper discovery, understanding procurement systems, and using contract vehicles effectively. The conversation delves into the significance of gathering and leveraging information, identifying key government roles, and finding the information you need to get ahead of the contracts. Additionally, the hosts provide guidance on building a robust sales pipeline, understanding industry language, and identifying essential players in customer engagement. They emphasize the importance of past performance, value differentiation, and aligning sales teams with specific government contracts and agencies. This episode serves as a comprehensive guide for companies aiming to navigate government sales and advance their sales strategies to win deals. Tune in and learn more about this episode of The Revenue Builders Podcast. HERE ARE SOME KEY SECTIONS TO CHECK OUT [00:02:33] Understanding Government Sales [00:04:12] Importance of Information in Government Sales [00:06:39] Navigating Government Contract Vehicles [00:08:50] Strategies for Winning Government Contracts [00:11:36] Role of Prime Contractors and Task Orders [00:13:46] Influencing RFPs and Early Access to Information [00:17:23] Building Effective Sales Teams for Government Contracts [00:28:05] Leveraging Past Performance and Experience [00:38:07] Understanding Government Contract Vehicles [00:38:51] The Importance of Experience and Knowledge [00:39:27] Navigating Government Sales Cycles [00:41:31] Leveraging Information Tools for Government Contracts [00:44:23] Breaking Down Government RFPs: Sections C, L, and M [00:47:10] Building a Compliance Matrix [00:48:31] Effective Government Sales Strategies [00:57:01] Structuring a Government Sales Team [00:59:46] Developing a Roadmap for Government Sales [01:03:17] Engaging with Government Customers ADDITIONAL RESOURCES Learn more about aligning customer-facing teams to improve execution: https://forc.mx/48o1jyP Connect and learn more about Thomas "Tom" Smerczynski. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-tom-smerczynski-b8b43a7/ E-mail: tsmerczy@verizon.net HIGHLIGHT QUOTES [00:44:53] On Understanding RFPs: "Every federal procurement is pretty much consistent now. Section C is the scope of work, Section L is the instructions, and Section M is the evaluation criteria." [01:06:01] On Building Roadmaps for Success: "Before you start investing too much money, look at the infrastructure, tools, and technology needed."