FAQ's

Why would I want to sell to the federal government?
How long is the federal sales cycle?
How soon will I see sales results?
How much does GSF charge for sales and business development?
Is GSF a lobbying firm?
What's unique about GSF?
I already have a federal sales rep. Why do I need GSF?
Will GSF replace my existing federal sales force?
What if I don't have any salespeople?
I already subscribe to Input and FedBizOpps. Why would I need GSF?
How much support does GSF require from their clients?
Who do you interact with in the client company?
How do we know what activity is going on?
Does GSF also handle product fulfillment?

Answers

Why would I want to sell to the federal government?

This year, the federal government will spend more than $60 billion on technology products. That's more than the top ten Fortune 500 companies combined. The federal government always pays their bills, is frequently a repeat customer and relies upon technology to introduce efficiencies and enhance their effectiveness. If you do not have a federal sales strategy, you are missing enormous potential to fuel your top line growth.

How long is the federal sales cycle?

Surprisingly, not as long as most people think. While it's true that the multi-billion dollar projects take years between inception and award, we have helped clients win multi-million dollar, sole source awards in as little as five months. The variables that will affect the duration of the sales cycle include: size of the project, procurement mechanism, history of the company with the federal government and the quality of contact with the technology decision maker. In general, though, most clients will likely see their first federal revenues generated after about nine months of sales activity.

How soon will I see sales results?

Initial sales results will likely take about nine months. Although GSF has delivered significant sales in shorter time frames, each client must be prepared to invest the time necessary to introduce their technology, meet with a number of government executives, program managers and technologists, define a procurement strategy and have the patience to work through the federal sales process. We understand the frustration that commercial sales managers have with the federal process, but if pursued diligently and appropriately, federal sales can contribute a significant percentage of overall sales and help grow your company in large bursts.

Is GSF a lobbying firm?

No, GSF is a federal sales consulting and business development firm. GSF has a relentless focus on sales development. Like a lobbying firm, we do rely on our extensive network of personal contacts with senior government executives. However, GSF extends the lobbying model by providing tactical sales support, business development expertise and relationship management with the area's system integrators. GSF's focus is exclusively on identifying, prioritizing and generating sales.

What's unique about GSF?

GSF's unique ability to help technology companies generate federal sales is based upon our executive's lengthy experience in federal sales, our extensive network of senior government decision makers and our firm's structure. GSF's internal research group finds sales opportunities that have not been published or made public. Pursuing these sales pipeline activities, our executives gain meetings at the CIO and CTO levels to introduce relevant technology and subsequently track every sales opportunity from initial meeting through close. The focus remains at all times closing sales and generating revenue.

How much does GSF charge for sales and business development?

GSF's fee is composed of two parts: a monthly retainer and a success fee. The monthly retainer approximates the fully burdened cost of a single federal sales rep. However, for this fee, each client gains the resources of a dedicated research group, a team of experienced federal sales executives, access to a network of senior government decision makers, business development expertise, close relationships with the area's system integrators and successful federal sales management. In addition, GSF receives a success fee for federal sales of products and services.

I already have a federal sales rep. Why do I need GSF?

A single federal sales representative is unable to accomplish all of the essential tasks necessary to identify, pursue and close large government sales. GSF supplements our clients' federal sales efforts by leveraging our internal research unit to find unpublished opportunities, gaining meetings at levels that most sales reps have no access to, and managing tactical sales and business development opportunities. One rep simply can't accomplish the number of tasks necessary to gain traction in the federal sector and generate repeated sales successes.

Will GSF replace my existing federal sales force?

Although GSF does act as a virtual federal sales group for a number of our clients, we prefer to work with and supplement our client's existing federal sales staff. Our engagement managers work with our clients to identify and prioritize sales opportunities, schedule meetings and help direct the federal sales reps, and manage all of the federal sales activities on a weekly basis. By leveraging GSF's research skills, access to senior government executives and knowledge of the federal sales process, most of our client's sales reps increase their overall federal sales significantly.

What if I don't have any salespeople?

For those technology firms that do not have a physical presence in the Washington DC area, GSF can act as a virtual federal sales force. A vice president will be assigned to develop a federal go-to-market strategy, coordinate and manage all federal sales activities, conduct meetings, communicate regularly with the client and track all sales pipeline opportunities. However, it is important to note that GSF will require technical support from a sales engineer and will likely require regular visits from the client's VP of Sales and CEO for meetings with senior government officials.

I already subscribe to Input and FedBizOpps. Why would I need GSF?

Input and FedBizOpps are online resources that allow companies to locate published procurement opportunities. However, these sources are lagging indicators of federal opportunities and have likely been influenced by a number of technology firms attempting to have their technology specified in the RFP. GSF leverages our internal research group to find opportunities that have not yet been published or made public. By discovering these opportunities, GSF can introduce our client's technology, generate a relationship with the technology managers and navigate the procurement process around public competitive bids.

How much support does GSF require from their clients?

GSF requires support from our client's sales and marketing executives in developing the unique federal go-to-market strategy. Once the sales pipeline is developed, we also require technical support from a sales engineer of technically skilled sales rep. In addition, we expect the client's VP of Sales or CEO to make regular visits to the DC area to meet with senior government decision makers to strengthen the building relationship.

Who do you interact with in the client company?

GSF generally works with the federal sales reps on a weekly basis and the VP of Sales on a weekly or bi-weekly basis. We coordinate specific meetings, activities and follow-up with the local sales rep and report regularly to the VP of Sales to demonstrate sales activity and movement through the sales pipeline.

How do we know what activities are taking place?

GSF prepares an Activity Forecast Document that is provided to each client on a regular basis. This document identifies all sales calls, meetings and activities and tracks each activity through the sales pipeline. GSF applies hard dollar figures to each opportunity and ranks their likelihood of closing. Follow-up activities are defined and assigned, and each client easily track all progress from week to week.

Does GSF also handle product fulfillment?

GSF does not carry any paper for any of our clients. GSF's is viewed as a trusted advisor to the government, tracking technology trends, identifying promising technologies and technology companies and introducing those appropriate technologies to the government. During our engagement process, GSF does work with each client to determine the best procurement channels and will assist in gaining GSA Schedule listings, introductions to 8(a) firms, and introductions to the area's system integrators.