Are You Nervous When Pitching Your Ideas to a Government Official for the First Time?

How many slides should I prepare? What content should I include in my presentation? What attire is appropriate to wear?

So, you’ve found yourself in that spot? You’re all set to chat with some big names from the government in Indonesia. But guess what? This isn’t your usual run-of-the-mill business chores. Nope, when you’re facing these officials, there are a couple of things you’ve got to keep in mind.

First off, they’re not likely to be all gung-ho about your business’s money-making potential. And secondly, don’t bet on a round two with them. Sounds tricky, right?

Well, don’t sweat it. I’ve been around this block for over 8 years, and I’ve picked up some tips to share that’ll help you navigate this whole government dance.

1. Know your purpose

Don’t let your meeting wander aimlessly! The tricky thing about government meetings is that you might suddenly meet with someone unexpectedly. That’s why understanding the meeting’s purpose is crucial — heck, you might even question if it’s needed!

Be ready with a few backup plans just in case.

If your meeting’s all about making decisions, like snagging support for your event, make sure to suss out whether the person you’re talking to has the power to make those calls. Ensure you’ve got a follow-up strategy. If you find out midway through a meeting that you’re not talking to the right person, leave a positive impression and connect with them. Then, arrange your next meeting with the appropriate individual as part of your follow-up plan.

Stay sharp and stay focused!

2. Identify the key player

Nailing down the meeting’s purpose sets the stage for prep work. It’s the compass pointing to the right folks to share your thoughts with. Don’t drag non-decision-makers into it.

Dive into some research by scanning news about your target ministry or agency. Spot the opinion shapers and scan the official rulebook (‘Peraturan Menteri’) detailing each directorate’s role. Time to get your homework on!

Maintain persistence in discovering avenues to communicate your ideas and messages to that individual effectively. If securing a direct meeting with them proves challenging and you end up conferring with their team, ensure your prepared materials explicitly outline your objectives.

3. Don’t Forget to Follow Up

This is pretty much a common scenario in meetings, one I’ve come across many times. Whether you end up chatting with the right person or not, the next crucial step is having a solid follow-up strategy. It’s all about ensuring your presentation has a clear follow-up and a well-defined timeline and action points. Like, you might want to sync up with the official’s working-level squad within the next few days. It’s vital that the officials are on board with your follow-up plan too.?

And hey, even if you miss connecting with the right person, having a clear follow-up plan is still a must. Don’t hesitate to ask someone at the meeting, for instance:

“Could you guide me on how to stay in touch about this proposal? Can I grab your contact details?”

Just keep the communication rolling!

The pointers I've shared here are just a glimpse into my government interaction experience. There's a whole bunch of detailed advice I could dive into, like crafting impactful slides, injecting the perfect joke (even though a joke emerges from its imperfections!), or deftly handling unexpected tense moments. The bottom line is, tackling this arena calls for persistence and patience. Navigating government dealings is more of a marathon than a sprint – think relay race, not a solo dash. Drop your queries in the comments if you're curious about navigating Indonesia's government landscape!