Capabilities Briefings Done Right for Government Contractors

When you meet federal buyers, the goal is to have discussions around their challenges and goals - not to tell them everything about your company.

A Capabilities Briefing should take just 5-10 minutes, leaving the rest of your meeting time for a conversation.

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What Are Capabilities Briefings

Purpose: The purpose of a Capabilities Briefing is to drive a discussion and start a relationship with someone new.

• Share Core Competencies | Buyers and teammates want to know that you have a clear, focused offer. They want to know your niche so they can see where you fit in their team or how you can support them.
• Highlight Experience and Past Performance | Once buyers see 'what' you can do, they want to see that you've been paid for that expertise.
• Point Out Organizational Maturity | Buyers and teammates look for signs of organizational maturity and stability. It could be as simple as being registered in SAM or having a contract vehicle, to the strength of your financial stability.
• Leave Behind Marketing Asset | One great aspect of a printed briefing deck is that it sits around on someone's desk. This not only keeps you top of mind for them but can catch the eye of a colleague who stops by.
• Used with Government and Industry Partners | Capability Briefings are given to both federal buyers and large prime contractors. Typically, buyers want to hear about your core comps (what you do) first compared to large primes who like to see signs of organizational maturity first.

Capability Statements are NOT, "Hi. See me. Buy from me."

You can download a Capabilities Briefing deck template at the end of this article, but here are the typical slides in a briefing deck.

Title Slide

The title slide is very important, especially on a printed copy of your deck. Often, the people you meet with will leave the slide deck lying around for others to see. Having a good message on the title slide can catch their attention.

Company Overview

Purpose of the Company Overview slide is to show that your firm is Procurement Ready with a strong back office and staff. To highlight differentiators.

Core Competencies

Purpose of the Core Competencies slide is to show your clear, focused offer. It is to quickly point out what you do for others to see where you fit.

Proven Past Performance

Purpose of this slide is to show you've been paid for your core competencies. This allows you to use 'borrowed creditability' and trust from past customers.

Case Studies

Purpose of the Case Study slides is to showcase projects related to your core competencies and aligned with your buyer's needs.

Final Slide

The final slide should be identical as the first 'Title' slide. Its purpose is to provide contact information and a reminder that you and they should work together.

How To Prepare for a Capabilities Briefing

Here are some quick steps to prepare for meeting with a federal buyer the first time. Use a Call Plan (see my other training) to capture this information.

Align how you discuss your company's offerings and how you've helped others to the specific goals and challenges of the person you're meeting.

• Align to their Strategic Plan
• Align to their Annual Report of the previous fiscal year
• Align to their current and upcoming Agency Budget
• Study their Org Chart and understand which offices you can best support

In addition to understanding your customer, here are some tips for improving your visibility with them:

1. Make your DSBS profile perfect (watch my many trainings on this)
2. Register in their unique supplier portal if they have one (e.g., HHS)
3. Engage on LinkedIn with the person you're meeting (see my training on how)
4. Call the person you're meeting beforehand and ask if there are other documents or websites you should be studying.

How to Control a Capabilities Briefing Meeting

Remember a few things if you want to have a 'successful' meeting:

• You're not there to tell them everything | Buyers don't care what you know until they know you care.
• You want to be remembered. Too much information makes that hard.
• You want to increase your perceived value to the other person while reducing the perceived risk if they work with you.

Set expectations quickly by telling them your understanding of the purpose of the meeting. "I'd like to briefly tell you about our company, then spend the remainder of our time having a conversation about your agency - challenges, goals, etc. Sound good?"

Watch my trainings on using a Call Plan for guiding your meeting. It is basically an agenda (sales focused) that will guide participants towards your goal for a successful meeting.

Full Capabilities Briefing Training Replay

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If you're a small business government contractor, HUBZone, SDVOSB, 8(a), or WOSB, don't forget to build a relationship with your local SBDC and APEX Accelerator counselor for support.