FedBiz'5

Eileen Kent - The Federal Sales Sherpa | Episode 39

• Fedbiz Access • Season 3 • Episode 39

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It takes grit to get out there and make the sales. You have to be willing to do the research, walk the halls, bang on doors, and make the phone calls to be successful in government contracting.

In this episode we host The Federal Sales Sherpa, Eileen Kent. Eileen has 20 years of experience training over 10,000 federal contractors and helping 350+ companies be successful with custom built federal sales action plans utilizing her ‘Three-Step Program':

1. Training Your Team on Selling to the Government

A business needs to first understand government contracting terminology and what contracting vehicles are available for their area of expertise. As an example, some available contracts can be a fast track for building your past performance record with the government. 

Secondly, who are the key people inside the different layers of government that make the decisions about choosing vendors and how you can get in front of them. 

Finally, what you can expect as you move through the federal sales process. This is important to understand so you can pivot your sales pitch as you move through the maze of government contracting.

2. Doing the Deep Dive Analysis on Who Buys What You Sell.

Target market research can help you identify who buys what you sell, how they buy, and how much they paid for it. There are detailed databases in the market such as Market Intel and FedBiz Findthat can help you quickly identify your market opportunity. This can save you valuable time and resources. 

This second step is all about doing your homework. You want to know which agencies and what locations within those agencies you should be calling on. You can also focus your marketing efforts on those high priority agencies by sending your Capability Statementand work toward building a relationship, so they know who you are when it comes time to buy.

3. Building an Action Plan for the team. 

Your custom Action Plan can now be built around what you have identified, including the specific agencies, contract vehicles, teaming partners, subcontracting opportunities, and other particulars to your industry. Keep your targets to a manageable number and be sure your operations can handle awards you are going after.

Training the team on selling, doing the deep dive analysis on who buys what you sell, and then building the action plan for the team. From there your team has to pick up the ball and run with it. It comes down to execution and engagement. 

During the podcast Eileen shares stories of one of her most interesting clients, as well as from her first experience in government contracting in the halls of Congress and the Pentagon. She is an example of persistence. You’ll learn how she was able to get her first appointment 15 minutes after setting up shop in Washington D.C. and delivering products within two weeks!

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Transcript Episode 39: Eileen Kent - The Federal Sales Sherpa

Eileen Kent  00:03

My name is Jesse, and I work with small businesses in the government marketplace. 

Jesse Sherr  00:06

You're listening to FedBiz'5, where you get informed, get connected, and get results on everything government contracting. 

Jesse Sherr  00:16

Hello, and welcome to another episode of FedBiz'5. Today we have Eileen Kent, president of Custom Keynotes and known as The Federal Sales Sherpa. She's here to describe her Three-Step Program. Eileen, welcome.

Eileen Kent  00:30

Thank you so much for having me.

Jesse Sherr  00:32

Happy to have you. Thank you for coming on. So, what is this Three-Step Program that you have? 

Eileen Kent  00:37

Well first of all, I want to thank you for having me and inviting me for the opportunity to explain three things that companies actually need to do when they're stepping off into their federal contracting world. And also, if they hit a plateau, they need to kind of regroup.

Jesse Sherr  00:52

Right.

Eileen Kent  00:53

We need to bring the team together and accompany and train them on the federal sales game. And when I teach this class, and I've taught over 10,000 people in the last 20 years this subject, as I was the director of the Federal Sales Academy for about eight years traveling and teaching this stuff. But, I have a two and a half hour training where we cover who are the key people inside the government that make the decisions about choosing you as a vendor. 

Eileen Kent  01:20

So, we kind of talk about the different players at every layer within the government, and then we go into the different types of contracting vehicles, which are fast track ways to buy from you. And they are things that you actually have to apply for to get on to. You need training on that because a lot of people talk about contract vehicles. A classic one, for example I'm sure you've discussed, this is the GSA Schedule. But not everything is bought on the GSA schedule. There are many other ways things are purchased. 

Eileen Kent  01:49

So, the first thing that team needs to do is gather around and get custom training for their business on what are the contract vehicles in their area of expertise? And what are the types of people that they're going to encounter. So that they can pivot their pitch as they're going?

Jesse Sherr  02:04

Excellent. So, one question that what is the coolest service you actually helped with the Three-Step Program?

Eileen Kent  02:08

I'm so glad you asked that question. Great question! Out of the 350 companies that I've helped in the last 10 years, most recently I helped a company, and I'm not kidding you, they actually solve cold cases. So, they have a laboratory in Texas that has a DNA capability, where out of seven cells, one fingerprint, they can not only identify a Jane or John Doe that's over 50 years of mystery, they can also find their killer. And all those things you've seen in all those scary shows. And the judges, nowadays when you go into like CSI or something, and you go in the judge will say to you, "Listen, those technologies aren't out there. It's not that good, DNA." But it is now. 

Eileen Kent  02:53

So there's a company called Othram out of Texas who has a DNA process where they can identify cold cases for over 50 years old of people that they've never found out who they even were. And also there might be a little trace of DNA, seven cells or less, and they can identify their killer as well. So, they're solving cold cases right now left and right. That's gotta be about one of the coolest things I've done in the last 10 years is to help them.

Eileen Kent  02:53

That is pretty darn cool. Where is it again? Texas, you said?

Eileen Kent  03:02

Yes, they're in Texas.

Jesse Sherr  03:26

That's so funny. I was actually just watching an episode that that was talking about this DNA old cases that are cold. Yeah, they should hire them.

Eileen Kent  03:35

Yes, and they actually they took my Three-Steps and they executed it beautifully. They've captured over $100 million in SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research Grants) and contracts working with agencies trying to uncover cold cases that have been sitting on the shelf for 50 years or longer. 

Eileen Kent  03:53

So, they're doing great work. You might see him on Dateline. They've been on the Today Show. They've been on all kinds of different Cold Case File shows, Forensic Files, and others. So, they're really knocking it out of the park. It's very exciting to see, and I train their team how to sell the feds, which is really fun. 

Eileen Kent  04:09

That's awesome. 

Eileen Kent  04:09

Step Two. So, the first one is training the team just on the terminology and the people and the contract vehicles. 

Eileen Kent  04:15

Step Two is a really detailed, there's data out there about past contracts, and instead of walking the halls of the country for a year, which is the first thing I did when I was signed to the feds, 20 years ago. I actually went out and talked to people. 

Eileen Kent  04:29

You can actually do data dips into this database and pull information about who buys what you sell from whom and how, which allows you to make corporate decisions about which particular agencies and what locations within those agencies you should be calling on. So, that's Step Two - doing your homework. 

Eileen Kent  04:48

And then Step Three is building an action plan around those specific agencies, contract vehicles, teaming partners that you need to focus on, and it keeps you from having to stumble around for a year. Now you're in the right direction focused on maybe five locations. 

Eileen Kent  05:04

And that's my Three Step Program. Training the team on selling, doing the deep dive analysis on who buys what you sell, and then building an action plan for the team. And then the team has to pick up the ball and run from there. Step off and go after it.

Eileen Kent  05:18

Oh, yeah. Well, oh my gosh, when I started selling to the federal government, it was right after 9/11. I was actually working with a company that sells temporary office furniture. So, if someone needed 100 workstations, I could deliver them and send them up in two business days. 

Jesse Sherr  05:18

Very cool, but one more question. Tell me a little bit about how it started. And you started in DC, your first day was in DC? 

Eileen Kent  05:41

So, the owner of my company asked me to go on the Lewis and Clark expedition to sell to the Fed. So I traveled to L.A., San Francisco, San Diego, Dallas, Atlanta, D.C., Chicago, back around again, around again, around again. I was on the road for a year walking the halls of the federal government. And my biggest get in that first year, there was a couple of big gets, but my biggest one was I captured Homeland Security's very first offices within their undisclosed location. 

Eileen Kent  06:09

But my very first day in D.C., I literally got the role on a Friday, and I was in D.C. from Chicago on a Monday. I've never been to D.C. before. I'm selling to the Feds. So, back then I had my flip phone, and I had my directory of agencies, and I'm in the middle of DC. And I said, "Okay, I need a cup of coffee." So, I went and sat down at a coffee shop, I flipped up my flip phone, and I called the top office. I called the White House, "Need any temporary furniture."

Jesse Sherr  06:39

That's crazy, and I think I have a note here that says you also cold called the Pentagon. Is that right?

Eileen Kent  06:45

Oh, yeah, I'll be there in just a second. So, I call the White House. Then I called the House of Representatives, and the guy at the House of Representatives was like, "Who would ever order temporary furniture. What a waste of money? What kind of idiot would rent furniture?" 

Eileen Kent  06:58

It was such a pushback. So, I started laughing, and I said, "Well, obviously you know about what I do. So, what idiots in this town rent?" And he goes, "Call the Senate. Here's their number." 

Jesse Sherr  07:09

That's terrible. 

Eileen Kent  07:10

So, I called the Senate. The guy answers the phone, and he goes, "Furniture."

Eileen Kent  07:13

He goes, "I'm your guy?"

Eileen Kent  07:14

And I'm like, "Oh, my God, you're my guy." 

Eileen Kent  07:16

"You said furniture, and I sell furniture!"

Eileen Kent  07:19

He goes, "Yeah, I rent furniture. Come on over." 

Eileen Kent  07:22

And I had, remember, never been to D.C. before. My coffee's not even cold yet. So, I run out into the street, and I go up to a cop and like, "I'm looking for the Senate." And he points to the Capitol. 

Eileen Kent  07:26

So, I run over to the Capitol, and their like, "You can't come in here." 

Eileen Kent  07:29

And I go, "I'm looking for a guy named David at the Senate." He goes, "Oh, the Dirksen building." And they pointed this building nearby, and I run over to the building. And the security guards let me right in after showing my ID. They go, "Yeah, Dave's office is just the fourth door down." And I literally walk in, bang on the door, David opens the door, and he lets me in. And the guy from Congress, the first guy who said you know what idiots would rent, they're sitting there together. 

Jesse Sherr  07:29

Oh, wow! 

Eileen Kent  07:30

They're laughing at me, and they go, "Come on, sit down." And they're joking. And within two weeks, I was delivering furniture to the Senate! First 15-minutes in D.C., that's all.  

Eileen Kent  08:09

So, it takes walking those halls, and banging on doors, and making phone calls. And it takes grit to get out there and make a sale.

Jesse Sherr  08:16

Definitely got to put yourself out there and be willing to work with people. Excellent, excellent stories.

Eileen Kent  08:22

Oh, man, my Pentagon one a sign maker snuck me in. And then the alarms went off when we were inside and we had to evacuate to the center. 

Eileen Kent  08:31

Yeah, yeah. And then and I was laughing hysterically. And this general walks up to me, he's like, "This is no laughing matter young lady." And I go, "Well, I'm at ground zero, just after 9/11, the alarms are going off, and I'm in the center. And if I'm gonna go down, I'm going down laughing sir." He goes, "I like you. Come up to my office and see me when this is over."

Jesse Sherr  08:31

That's crazy. 

Jesse Sherr  08:51

Oh my goodness, but you're not wrong. You know, if I'm going to go, I'm going to go laughing That's funny. I like that! 

Eileen Kent  08:56

Exactly, what else are you going to do when you're in sales? You've got to put yourself out there. 

Jesse Sherr  09:00

Right, and if anybody ever wants to learn more about Eileen and her business, you can check her out online at FederalSalesSherpa.com. 

Eileen Kent  09:08

Yeah.

Jesse Sherr  09:09

Eileen, thank you for coming on, and we hope to have you again. Take care.

Eileen Kent  09:12

My pleasure. Take care now. Bye bye.

Jesse Sherr  09:16

This concludes this week's episode of FedBiz'5, where you get informed, get connected, and get results. 

Jesse Sherr  09:27

Today's podcast is sponsored by FedBiz Access. Government contracting made simple.

Jesse Sherr  09:32

Visit them at FedBizAccess.com or contact them at 888-299-4498.