Company Introductions & Capability Statements: An SBLO Overview
As the Small Business Liaison Officer for Alion Science and Technology I receive at least 10 e-mail introductions and capability statements per week. The hope from the vendor is that I will review the e-mail and capability statement and make arrangements for them to meet with the appropriate account team. This article is about improving your chances of getting your e-mail introduction and capability statement to the right account team and for them to follow-up with you.
E-mail introductions provide the opportunity to customize the information in the capability statement to the company you are targeting. In too many cases the e-mail introduction makes reference to the attached capability statement with a request to meet to discuss the capabilities of the company. Good email introductions link the product or service offerings to the targeted company’s core service areas or to a specific customer.
For example, I received an email that stated that Alion was the Prime on a specific contract that will soon be expiring and that he wanted to be part of our team for the re-compete. He outlined the services he provides to that customer in another area and the knowledge he had for that specific customer. He was in discussions with our program manager for that contract the next day. He was specific in his request, showed that he researched Alion, provided value-add information with regards to additional service offerings he could bring to Alion as well as his knowledge of the customer.
The SBLO helps to navigate your information to the appropriate team, so be specific. What account team do you want to meet with and why? What is unique about your product or service that warrants a meeting with the account team? This question is particularly important for IT companies. Many of your capability statements contain the same information as your competitors. What is your unique value add? Don’t be afraid to try new approaches. Build your capability statement around a couple of your key customers, then use that information to show breadth and depth of service offerings to the company you are targeting.
In summary, corporations look for teaming partners that can provide complimentary products or services to their core competencies, innovation and additional customer knowledge. Does your capability statement or e-mail introduction provide the necessary information to determine whether your company can provide value to us?
 |
| Clairesse Jackson Small Business Liaison OfficerAlion Science and Technology |
Clairesse Jackson is the Small Business Liaison Officer for Alion Science and Technology, a Lion’s Den member of the Government Technology & Services Coalition.
Alion Science and Technology delivers advanced engineering, IT and operational solutions to strengthen national security and drive business results. For customers in defense, civilian government and commercial industries, Alion’s engineered solutions support smarter decision-making and enhanced readiness in rapidly-changing environments.
