Tactics And Tips for Successful Teaming By Sid Jaffe President, Advantage Consulting Inc. Small and emerging companies use a variety of techniques for growing the business. One of the first lessons learned by successful business leaders is that everyone is a part of the marketing effort. The challenge is to design a system and methodology for your firm that encourages and utilizes your people’s resources effectively to grow the business. The small and emerging contractor has a number of opportunities to grow the business using set-asides, GSA Schedule work, small sole-source contracts and open competitive wins. Another and important tactic is teaming as a subcontractor, which can often account for a significant portion of new revenue. The process of teaming is more than making a few contacts and hoping to be a part of the winning team. It is an organized approach and system for growing your business. Following are some tactics and techniques to maximize your effectiveness as an organization in becoming a strong teaming partner. Invest the Time. Identifying prospective teaming partners is a continual process for primes as well as subs. If you wait until the RFP is issued, it is generally too late to be on the team of your choosing. Develop materials that clearly present your message and differentiate your organization from your competitors. Understand that the reason a firm will take you on their team as a sub is because you can help them win or you can provide access to a decision maker they might otherwise not reach. Be certain that your message is a compelling story of the reasons companies want to team with your firm. Develop Mindshare and Attachment. A successful teaming meeting is one that starts a relationship. A good business relationship starts with the chemistry between people. You want your prospective partner to think of you first when the need arises for a company that has your firm’s capability and qualifications. That “first thought” is the mindshare you want for your company. Over a period of time your reputation and the reputation of your company will determine the degree to which others want to team with you. Ultimately, you will develop attachment to your teaming partners. Attachment is created when your firm is the preferred teaming partner. In other words, attachment is achieved when the prime would rather use your firm than any alternative company. Create Access to Prospective Teaming Partners. Every business relationship begins with access to someone in a target organization. Often that access occurs as a result of a social or casual contact. It is through the initial access points that you begin to expand your familiarity with an organization and the people in that organization get to know your firm and people. The relationships you are creating happen over a period of time and it is incumbent on you and your staff to follow up on the contacts you have and the access points you develop to nurture the relationship. Know the Decision Makers and Influencers. There are often specific people tasked with the responsibility of identifying business teaming partners. While there are no unimportant people when it comes to business relationships, access to certain people is crucial, and those people must know your compelling story. You need to have earned their attention by having focused on them and their firm. You need to know what they see as their compelling story and consider as unique capabilities. Know the End User Problems. The reason companies team is to win business and ultimately solve an end-customer’s problem. The more you understand the end user’s dream, mission and requirements the more likely you will be able to position your firm and solutions as a requisite part of the overall solution. Your goal is to be in a position to select the team with which you affiliate, and make that the winning team. Understand the Funding. In this time of changing priorities and policies there are programs that will have better and worse chances of being issued as RFPs and, once awarded, becoming funded. The closer you are to the funding decision and the project “champion” the more valuable you are on the team. Frequently the decision to pursue an opportunity rests on the relationship and knowledge the bidding company has with the decision maker. The relative importance of a program in the overall operation of an end-user client, and the support that there is internally for the program, is best understood through trusted business relationships. Your firm having these relationships will make your firm an important teaming partner. Gain a Competitive Edge. The point of teaming is to have the right companies to provide a client with the best solution at the lowest risk and in the most acceptable manner. The up-front investment in knowing the client and knowing your teaming partner should result in a significantly higher winning percentage and excellent client performance appraisals. Done correctly, teaming as an emerging company can generate the revenue and contacts that become a foundation for growth, Teaming is a Contact and a Contract Sport. Teaming is an interesting way of doing business. This morning’s competitor is this afternoon’s teammate. Tomorrow’s competitor was yesterday’s teaming partner. There are firms and individuals between whom teaming is highly effective and there are circumstances where it is less effective. There are certainly situations where the relationship doesn’t work at all. Everything starts with making contacts, but it culminates in formal, written teaming agreements. Good teaming partners compete fairly, work professionally, act ethically, pay promptly, and focus on the end-user client. Give all of that and expect the same of your teaming partner. It is Your Responsibility to Due Diligence. It is your responsibility to ensure that the teaming relationship has the real potential for success, whether you are prime or sub. Take the time to do your homework. Ask the tough questions and check past performance. Meet the people you will work with and look at the systems you will use. Ultimately, your firm’s reputation and profitability will be affected in some manner by this new relationship you are forming. Leverage Your Position. Part of the decision to team with a firm is the ability your business will have to leverage the success of the team into new business. You need to ascertain what restrictions will be in placed on your firm and what protections will be in place for your firm. When there are additional opportunities available as part of a long-term strategic teaming relationship, both parties have a higher stake in the success of the team. Continually fueling the relationship with the end-user client with solutions to their problems is a win-win strategy. To make that strategy work you need to include the concept of leveraging in your teaming plan from day one. Create a Teaming Action Plan. Successful teaming is not a process of fielding incoming calls. It requires a strategy and tactical approach including market research to determine where in the market and under what conditions it is best for your company to be part of a team. Contact Sid Jaffe at sjaffe@acibiz.com.