[53766] in Zephyr_Bugs
Vol 76: Report from the GSA Expo, San Antonio, TX 2006
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Fedmarket)
Fri Jun 23 01:38:19 2006
Date: Thu, 22 Jun 2006 20:43:10 -0600
From: "Fedmarket" <noreply@fedmarket.com>
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<DIV align=center><B><FONT color=#0000a0 size=4> *** ON THE SALES FIRING LINE: Vol. 76 ***
</FONT></b><BR>
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Welcome to "On the Sales Firing Line," written by Federal Sales Academy Director, Eileen Kent.
The purpose of this article series is to educate and inspire you to create immediate government
opportunities, through true sales stories and savvy marketing tactics.<br><br><hr><br>
<p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"><b>Eileen Kent Brings Federal Sales Training to Chicago, illinois <br>Dates:
</b><br>
</font>
<font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">
<ul>
<li>July 26, 2006 - <a href =
"http://www.fedmarket.com/seminars/federal-sales101.shtml"
><b>Federal Sales 101: Winning Government Business</b></a> - Our most popular class goes
on the road with speaker Eileen Kent<br>
<li>July 27, 2006 - <a href
="http://www.fedmarket.com/seminars/proposal-writing-seminar.shtml"><b>Writing and Managing Winning Proposals</b></a> - Learn to strategize your
approach to writing winning proposals
<li>July 28, 2006 - <a href
="http://www.fedmarket.com/seminars/audit-proof-gsa.shtml"><b>Audit Proof Your GSA Schedule Contract</b></a> - We will provide you with the knowledge and advice you need to meet to ensure you comply with the terms of your GSA Schedule contract
</ul>
</font>
<p align="left"><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2" color="#0000a0"><b>Register
Online</b></font><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"> - <a href ="http://www.fedmarket.com/seminars/register-online.shtml"><b>Click
Here</b></a></font><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">
<br><br>
Visit our <a href = "http://www.fedmarket.com/calendar/index.php"><b>Seminar Calendar</b></a> for more seminar dates and locations.<br>
<br>
Call 888-661-4094 ext. 8 for details.
<br><br><hr><br>
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<p align="center"><b><FONT color=#0000a0>Report from the GSA Expo, San Antonio, TX 2006
</b></font></font>
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<p>GSA Schedule holders, GSA employees, government buyers and end users
descended upon San Antonio, TX the week of May 14, 2006 for the GSA
Expo. Their intent was to network, market, educate and learn about buying
on behalf of the government or selling to the government utilizing GSA, its
products and services. The Expo, which is the largest GSA show of the year, is
always held in either San Antonio, TX, Orlando, FL or San Diego, CA. According
to GSA, they hold the show in one of these three locations each year because of
the large concentration of federal customers within a 100-mile radius of
the show location.
<p>During the Expo, GSA provides training to buyers about procurement rules and
how to buy through GSA Schedules while also explaining all of their new programs,
GWAC's, products, services and policies. GSA also brings businesses together
to educate them on how to get a GSA Schedule, how to market using a GSA Schedule
and how to provide required compliance reports. Some of the events focus on issues
such as the overall quality of products and services offered to the government and
any changes in expectations (such as environmental issues and reporting issues).
<p>The Expo is a huge opportunity for any business hoping to work with the federal
government because it is a company's opportunity to speak with prospective clients
(the GSA buyers and end users attending the show) outside the office.
<p>There were approximately 700 exhibitors from the following industries at the show:
<ul><li>Appliances & hardware
<li>Automotive & fleet
<li>Building & building material suppliers
<li>Industrial services and supplies
<li> Facility maintenance
<li> Food service and hospitality
<li> Cleaning equipment supplies, chemicals and services
<li> Furniture and furnishings
<li> Information technology
<li>Management services
<li> Office products & supplies
<li> Professional services
<li> Scientific equipment & services
<li> Sports and more
<li> Temporary, administrative and professional staffing services
<li> Law enforcement and security
<li> Facilities Management
<li>Fire & rescue and Special Purpose Clothing
<li>Marine Craft
<li> Travel and Transportation</ul>
<p>The key events at the show were the Welcome Reception and the ribbon
cutting to open the trade show. For the first two hours of the trade
show, thousands of contracting officers and end users visited the booths
and collected give-a-ways (all under $5). This year, booths were giving
away the typical pens, note pads, rulers, chocolate, beads, pins etc. But
the creative booths held contests and games to get the crowds to line
up at their booth, which allowed people to be scanned and met.
<p>The winner of the most create booth was, in this attendee's opinion,
the Northrop Grumman booth. They hired a company called, "Dance Heads."
Attendees in groups of three picked a karokee song and lip-synched it
together while being video taped. The "Dance Heads" company placed the
attendees' heads onto animated cartoon characters which danced to the
music. When they replayed the song for the mini-stars, they burned a
copy onto a DVD, which had a Northrop Grumman logo on it. Basically,
Northrup Grumman created an Experience which cost little to nothing and
drew a huge crowd during most of the show. This booth developed a "buzz"
at the show, and, most importantly a crowd. The attendees loved this
concept and waited as much as 30 minutes to take their turn. The savvy
neighboring booths took advantage of the gathering crowd by visiting with
the attendees while they waited in line and watched the show. (This is
where a cordless scanner would have come in handy!) These government
employees will be talking about that experience back at the office for
years. It was brilliant.
<p>Time is real estate at a show....not location or product. If you have
an idea which will draw a crowd, start scanning and worry about the
quality of the leads later. Many of the GSA exhibitors paid $3,000 for a 10
x 10 booth. It is a game of numbers.
<p>As in most GSA show, the first two hours were the busiest, than the
rest of the show was a little more quiet. The savvy exhibitors took this
time to find teaming partners among their fellow exhibitors. Teaming in
this business is crucial and the GSA show is the place to find and
identify the real players in this market.
<p>Networking at the GSA show always continues throughout the evening. In
Orlando, it is the City Walk, and in San Diego it's the Gas Lamp
District. San Antonio, TX was no different as thousands strolled along the
"River Walk."
<p>There wasn't a restaurant or pub where there weren't people discussing
government opportunities, past successes (and failures) and a few
laughs. It was a great show, as always.
<p>If you plan on getting a booth for May 15-17, 2007, in Orlando, FL,
you'll need to have a GSA schedule by October, 2006. At that time, they
will be accepting applications for booths, but you need to keep an eye on
the <a href = "http://www.gsa.gov">www.gsa.gov</a> website because the booths sign up is announced
and they are sold out in a matter of 48 hours.
<p>If you don't get a booth, walk the show, meet people and look for
partners. You'll come home with some great leads, partnerships and great
stories.
<br><br><hr>
<p><b>If you want to even be considered for the GSA show before October,
2006, you'll need the GSA Proposal Preparation eLAB. <br>We can't guarantee that GSA will
consider you in time for this show, but you can at least get the paperwork
in. <p>You might still have a chance! <p>Don't procrastinate any
longer!</b></font>
<p><b>The <a href = "http://www.fedmarket.com/seminars/gsa-proposal-elab.shtml">GSA Proposal Preparation eLab</a> is held monthly in Bethesda, Maryland at the Federal Sales Academy. </b>
<br><br><b>Upcoming Dates:</b> July 11-13, 2006 and August 15-17, 2006<br><br><b>Call 888-661-4094 ext. 8 for more information.</b>
<br><br><hr>
<DIV align=center>
<P><IMG height=56 src="http://www.fedmarket.com/images/whitepaper.jpg" width=72> <B><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Free Informative Whitepaper "<A
href="http://www.fedmarket.com/whitepaper_download.php?which_one=training"> Developing a Trained Federal Sales Team </a>" <br>by Eileen Kent.
</FONT></B></FONT></P></DIV><hr>
<p align="center"><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"> <b>Fedmarket.com
Webinar with Speaker Eileen Kent:</b></font>
<p align="center"><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2" color="#0000FF"><b><font size="3">The
Time Is Now - Selling to the Government From Your Own Backyard</font></b></font></p>
<p align="center"></p>
<p align="center"> </p>
<p align="center"><b><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Date:</font></b><font face="Arial, Helvetica,
sans-serif" size="2"> Friday, July 7, 2006 <br>
<b>Time:</b> 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm EST</font></p>
<p align="left"><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">The time
is now: No matter where you live in the world, and no matter how small your
company, you can learn how to sell to the federal government from the comfort
of your own office. </font></p>
<p align="left"><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">The Federal
Sales Academy offers classes in Washington, D.C., Chicago, Los Angeles, Denver,
Atlanta, San Diego, and San Francisco. But for businesses in remote parts
of the country, or those too small to afford the cost of travel, this course
has been tailored to meet your specific needs. </font></p>
<p align="left"><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Attend Fedmarket's
Webinar and invite all of your sales team and partners to attend along with
you right in the comfort of your own office. </font></p>
<p align="center"><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"><b>>>
<a href = "http://online.krm.com/iebms/reg/reg_p1_form.aspx?oc=10&ct=0210190&eventid=11752">REGISTER HERE </a></b></font> <b><br>
<font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">>> <a href = "http://www.fedmarket.com/seminars/seminar-webinar.shtml">DETAILS</a> </font></b><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"
size="2"><br>
</font></p>
<hr width = 600 align="center">
<br>
<br>
<font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">
<p>
See you on the City Walk in Orlando, FL, May 15-17, 2007!
<p>Sincerely,
<p>Eileen Kent,<br>
Federal Sales Academy Director
<br><b><a href = "http://www.fedmarket.com">Fedmarket.com</a></b>
</font>
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