It doesn't matter whether you think your product or service is offered on a business-to-business (B2B) or business-to-consumer (B2C) basis.
Think again.
No matter what product or service you provide, or the business model under which you think you operate, it's all really people-to-people (P2P).
Time and time again, we've heard the phrase "people give work to people they like." It's as true in the A/E/C business as in any other.
In the private sector, this is patently obvious. Clients give their planning, design, construction and related projects (surveying, environmental studies, etc.) to the people they like, people who have a track record of successful projects for that client and manager, people who have good relationships with the client's leaders and/or staff.
The client generally knows, as part of the initial project statement, which planner, architect, engineer or general contract he/she sees executing the project. If they want, they can give the work out that easily, with no protracted selection process, no competition.
Even when there is a competitive selection, the client's project or purchasing manager knows who they want to select before proposals are even requested.
Private sector clients can pick up a phone, call their favorite architect, engineer or general contractor, and say, "Hi there. I like the work you did on Project ABC. Please come by and talk with me about project DEF."
It's all about the client/consultant relationship.
When marketing public agencies, the same holds true.
We know that federal agencies are required by the Brooks Act (Public Law 92-582) to publicly announce project opportunities and select providers of professional services (architecture, engineering, etc.) on the basis of technical qualification rather than price.
Every state, whether by legislation or regulation, developed its own version of the Brooks Act (often called a "mini-Brooks Act"), which forms the basis of its process for selection of professional services firms. And the states have required that a similar process be developed and used by cities and counties.
Enter the concept of "best value," which was developed as a way to give objective value to subjective attributes of firms/teams pursuing projects. Think, for example, of Section G in the SF330, which was developed to allow a selection committee to give objective value (scoring points) to a team where the members have worked together on previous projects.
As you visit clients to build new, or strengthen and expand existing relationships, you talk with them about their upcoming projects. You match your capabilities to the requirements of those projects and, if you do a good job of it, you convince the client that your people are best suited to perform the project. And you do this long before the RFQ or RFP is released.
After a visit or two, the client knows that you are committed to making him/her look good, that you are committed to furthering his/her career and the agency's goals, and to giving his/her staff a great working experience on the project.
You will still have to compete for the project; you will have to make a credible effort and submit a top-quality proposal. But you will have predisposed the client to think your firm is the best match for the project and that your proposal will be better than any other submitted.
All of which will give the client objective reasons to score your proposal higher than others and select you - the consultant he likes - to do the job.
"Curly Q Cow"
(Austin downtown art cow collection)