On May 7th, 2019, the Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce held their annual #NOVAB2G Matchmaking Conference at the ICPH Conference Center in Fairfax, VA. The purpose of this annual event is to help small businesses and local, state, and federal agencies and prime contractors find partnerships and connections.
The Reston Chamber is one of the first chambers to initiate a B2G Matchmaking Conference in the DMV area. This unique annual event in Northern VA allowed all attendees to learn and obtain a firm understanding of current emerging trends in the B2G and local government contracting business. There were over 300 small business attendees, small business exhibitors, and matchmaking sessions with 38 options of local, state, and federal agencies.
Key Government Contracting Notes
The opening ceremony began with keynote remarks from prominent industry leaders, including Antonio Doss, the District Director of the U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Washington Metropolitan Area District Office and Roger Krone, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Leidos.
One key point from the keynote speakers that stood out is how understanding the quickening pace technological changes have an effect on what is in demand. There continues to be a higher demand in big data analytics, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, cybersecurity, and customer/industry knowledge. While having these skills are very important, creativity and the ability to think critically are key. The speakers gave us an inside look at emerging trends in the government contracting (GovCon) industry, what government contractors are looking for in small businesses, and how small businesses are imperative in the GovCon vertical.
Government Contracting Panels & More
In between networking from our booth, a few of us were able to attend the panels and breakout sessions. Here are a few of our favorite highlights from the “fireside chats”:
Soraya Correa of DHA (OCPO) shared about not being afraid to ask questions and ask again if the answers are not clear. Darlene Bullock, Deputy Director DHS Office of Small & Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU), described the value of reviewing how the government is evaluating you to help direct how you choose to present your business.
We also had the opportunity to hear from Dottie Romo, Chief Executive Officer, KD8 Consulting Services LLC and Acquisition Specialist who explained that you must do your research. If you don’t know who your agency is or what they are buying, they can’t buy from you. Understanding who your competition is also important to have a competitive edge.
Our #NOVAB2G Experience
It is often stated in public discussions that “Small businesses are the wellspring to innovation.” Take Leidos for example; it started as a small business and is now recognized as a global leader. Leidos has about $10 billion in annual revenue and 31,000 employees worldwide.
In summary, there was a lot of knowledge to be learned, and the major lesson we took from this event is to be gritty and tenacious. Other lessons include: always be ahead of the curve in order to meet evolving needs, anticipate problems, and explore different approaches to these problems. Government agencies are looking for fresh ideas that make their companies smarter and more responsive to government clients. When a business has the ability to add value, it also makes their company more competitive.
KME B2G Digital Marketing Services
So what is B2G digital marketing? It’s the practice of applying commercial or B2B SEO, digital marketing and advertising to appeal to government agencies or contracting companies looking to partner with small businesses. If you would like to work with federal, local, state, agencies, then let us help you stand out from other small businesses with our B2G digital marketing services. We have experience using the appropriate language of government procurement. If you would like to understand more about B2G marketing services, view the following links to get the full scope.
1. B2G Strategies for Marketing to Government in the Digital Age – 3 Part Whitepaper
2. Digital Marketing 101 for the B2G Large Business Developer, Large GovCon
3. Small Business #GovCon Digital Marketing, #B2G SEO Essentials for FY2019
4. Category Management, eCommerce, CSO/OTA’s
Have more questions about our B2G marketing services? Contact our digital marketing agency at (703) 585-3321 to speak to an expert today.
