All too often, I see clients who have attended trade shows, such as the upcoming NYC 12th Annual, Citywide Procurement Fair, and left with limited results. They are not building their NYC Pipeline.
Planning is the key to success in navigating procurement fairs and trade shows. I recently facilitated a workshop outlining a strategy for navigating the New York City Procurement Fair — prior to attending the fair.
Today, our focus is on what to do after the fair. Primarily, it’s important to understand how the city of New York does business. How they select vendors for potential opportunities.
Before attending the fair, it is important to update your online business profiles. This includes the MWBE Directory, the Payee Information Portal, and NYC PassPort. In addition, have three of your top agencies selected. Review their websites and if applicable, add your name to their bidders list.
Another important item to keep in mind is buyers are risk adverse. It’s important you, and your company, meet the requirements for vendor responsibility and procurement readiness. Examine your firm’s experience, past performance, and capacity before soliciting government agencies. If you don’t meet the requirements, it will be difficult to build a NYC Pipeline for your company.
Government agencies have a variety of different ways they purchase goods and services from potential vendors. I recommend taking advantage of the various free classes and programs offered by the New York City Department of Small Business Services to educate yourself about the procurement process. Opportunities range from large solicitations, subcontracting, and discretionary purchasing options. It’s also important to know how to leverage your MWBE certification.
Doing business with the government requires consistent communication with potential buyers and stakeholders. As a follow-up to the procurement fair, I recommend having a six-month NYC Pipeline marketing strategy. The strategy should include various forms of communication and ways for you to measure the results of your efforts.
Please join us for the upcoming July 12, 2018 workshop, “Building Your Pipeline After the NYC Procurement Fair.” This will be a perfect opportunity for you to learn how you can build your NYC Pipeline for your company.
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