THE MAXON GSA POST

WHO YOU GONNA CALL?
No, it’s not Ghostbusters!! So who exactly are feasible and realistic targets to set your sights on? The agencies that are eligible for GSA sales are so numerous we would need a book just to get started with the list; any military installation is a great place to start though. With the Fiscal Year rapidly coming to a close, (we’ll cover that next week) Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine and Coast Guard bases are resources with a vast amount of potential. Although they may yield a “quick sale”, military members are very loyal buyers.

Let me explain this further, your greatest chances of success with any project starts with the relationships built with various members of the military community. Introduce yourself to as many military members as you can and slowly establish a solid rapport with them. Be careful though, being too aggressive can often yield the opposite effect. Check in from time to time either electronically or personally if possible. Dropping off updated catalogs is a great way to promote yourself, your company and Maxon Furniture. Now is the right time to plant the seeds for this year’s fiscal year end AND next year’s too.

Word of mouth in the military carries a lot of weight, so when you’re awarded that project, make sure you fulfill your customer’s expectations as much as possible, both on the front end of the sale and the back. Remember, whether it’s a private or a general, they’re still an end user who can recommend you and Maxon Furniture to their co-workers.

LET YOUR FINGERS DO THE WALKING
Browse your local and military newspapers regularly to identify any trends such as upcoming large projects, base closures or realignments, open houses etc…For example: when an Air Force base closes, the aircraft assigned to that base need to be re-assigned somewhere. The resulting redistribution among the open bases creates the need for more people, equipment, housing, office space with office furniture……………you get the picture.

Look in the blue pages of your local phone book for other government agencies; they list city, county, state and federal offices. Don’t forget your various other business contacts and your network as a whole. There’s an untapped resource in federal, state and local government out there, the military is just one small stream that ends in a vast sea of opportunities.

NEXT ISSUE

• Why They Buy In A Hurry

Just a reminder that GSA (Federal) pricing will be held at the September 12, 2005 level through the upcoming buying season ending September 30, 2006 … Starting October 1, 2006 GSA will be utilizing the new July 2, 2006 Commercial List Price Book.

Got GSA Questions? gsa@maxonmail.com