How do you stand out in a crowded field of competitors?

How do you stand out in a field of talented competitors, many of whom offer similar services? For example, many firms in the U.S. GovCon marketplace provide Agile development services. They follow similar industry best practices for developing products based on the customer’s requirements and priorities and use many of the same tools to perform the work. To further complicate the issue, many of their customers work remotely, and opportunities to meet face-to-face are limited. Here are five tips to make your company stand out and your proposals shine.

1. Provide the highest value

Just like us, customers want the highest value at an acceptable price. So, figure out how to increase the value of the services or products you deliver by adding tangible or intangible value compared to your competitors.

2. Provide exceptional service and products

Having an outstanding record of accomplishment is integral to winning new business. Make your company stand out by meeting and consistently exceeding customer requirements and minimizing risk. Earn customer kudos, letters of appreciation, and awards.

3. Meet unmet customer needs

Even if your marketplace is saturated, identify unmet niche requirements. Then, use those capabilities to discriminate your company’s offerings as compared to those offered by competitors. For example, who knew we needed Airbnb and Uber so much?

4. Build a strong business brand

You don’t need to be all things to all customers. First, identify your brand, mission, and capabilities. Then document your capabilities in a service/product catalog. (Read our blog about creating service catalogs.) Use digital media to build awareness of your company’s capabilities and customer relationships.

5. Demonstrate expertise

Customers see companies that show leadership, actively participate in industry/professional organizations, share knowledge, and are respected by their peers more favorably.

By Brenda Crist, Vice President at Lohfeld Consulting Group, MPA, CPP APMP Fellow

Lohfeld Consulting Group has proven results specializing in helping companies create winning captures and proposals.
As the premier capture and proposal services consulting firm focused exclusively on government markets, we provide expert assistance to government contractors in Capture Planning and Strategy, Proposal Management and Writing, Capture and Proposal Process and Infrastructure, and Training. In the last 3 years, we’ve supported over 550 proposals winning more than $170B for our clients—including the Top 10 government contractors. Lohfeld Consulting Group is your “go-to” capture and proposal source! Start winning by contacting us at www.lohfeldconsulting.com and join us on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter.