Back to Basics: The Myth of the "Low-Hanging Fruit" By Peter Adler Seneca Creek Consulting How often have you heard this phrase from members of your enterprise team? Typically, there is the proverbial low-hanging fruit if you are in commodity sales and your timing in contacting the client is precisely in line with their timing. This myth most likely contributes to more misunderstanding and frustration than any other single belief about the government markets. Virtually all government contracts of significant size require the obvious – the sales process must be worked in its entirety prior to the realization of sizable revenue from these markets. Given the budget and decision-making processes inherent in the government business model, it is imperative that a sales organization work with the proven Management-By-Objective model. MBO provides senior management with a timeline and a score-keeping record by having each step of the sales process documented in advance and assigned a time-to-completion statement. Examples of this MBO approach are: · *Within 90 days conclude two strategic alliances for teaming on the upcoming Super Widget GWAC from the Department of Homeland Security. · *Identify three opportunities over the next six months that will permit our bidding as a prime contractor based on our past performance record. · *Conduct six presentations to government program managers on our solutions for their agency in the first quarter of the government’s fiscal year. These are rather basic examples of a plan based on MBO. The important point is that there are clear steps, timelines, and goals that address the essential steps in the government sales cycle. Simply stating revenue goals in the absence of a road map detailing the necessary steps is akin to sending a soldier into battle with out a rifle. While a small minority of sales people will respond successfully with a revenue quota and no road map, the odds of success are heavily in your favor if the government sales process is well documented step-by-step so that your sales people will always have a clear picture of their next step and of your expectations based on the MBO roadmap. (For more information, visit www.SenecaCreekConsulting.com.)