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Miller Heiman Takes a Close Look at Fallacies About Government Selling

RENO, NV -  December 18, 2006  -   A lot of confusion surrounds the science of selling to the government, partly because of the greater number of regulations, and partly because of many myths. Miller Heiman takes a close look at myths about government selling in its latest article entitled, “Pursuing Government Business: Separating Fact From Fiction”.

The most prominent of those myths is the idea that you’re dealing with an inanimate entity rather than people. Despite the rigidity of process, people still make the final decision.

As Wally Hise, vice president of sales and marketing with the Shaw Group, puts it: “The government is big. There are hundreds of agencies, and people who have never sold to the government before wonder where to start. They should start with relationships, just like with any other selling situation.

Many other misconceptions exist. For instance, many believe that government buyers are required to “spread the work” to qualified bidders. But, “government buyers are not required to spread the work; they are required to select the best value,” says Miller Heiman sales consultant, Rick Beauregard. "If you’re intimately acquainted with the buying influences’ concepts, you’ll be able to project that value."

It’s impossible to beat the incumbent, right?  Not so, according to Beauregard: “It’s not uncommon to see a firm with a well-executed sales strategy beat an incumbent contractor for a re-bid of a government contract.”  They may have information and experience, but they also may have red flags. And, if you’re the incumbent: “Don’t rest on your laurels. Leverage your strengths and minimize your red flags to ensure a win.”

Get the facts, click here to read the full article.

About Miller Heiman: The Sales Performance Company

Miller Heiman is a global leader in sales performance solutions with more than 30 years of documented results. The company works with leading organizations to improve sales effectiveness through issue-based consulting and training. Headquartered in Reno, Nev., Miller Heiman has additional corporate offices in the United Kingdom and Australia and representation in more than 30 countries. For more information, contact 877.506.2973 or visit www.millerheiman.com.