maximizing vendor marketing efforts to florida state agencies
TRANSCRIPT
Maximizing Vendor Marketing Efforts
to Florida State Agencies
Date
Organization Presenting To
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• MyFloridaMarketPlace Overview
• State of Florida Purchasing Overview
• Next Steps to Maximizing Marketing Efforts to
Florida State Agencies
• Summary and Resources
Agenda
3
MyFloridaMarketPlace Overview
• MyFloridaMarketPlace (MFMP) is the State of Florida’s online procurement system
• Single e-commerce conduit between state agency buyers and vendors
• Agencies conduct public purchasing on a daily basis
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MyFloridaMarketPlace Overview
MyFloridaMarketPlace Vendor Benefits
• MyFloridaMarketPlace registration enables a vendor to receive
all executive state agency bids for any selected commodity code
• Equal access for disabled-veteran, women- and minority-owned
businesses
• Electronic Invoicing (eInvoicing)
• 24/7 access to more bid opportunities and information
– Vendor Bid System (VBS)
– Sourcing
– eQuote
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MyFloridaMarketPlace Overview
MyFloridaMarketPlace Vendor Benefits
• Improved quality and accuracy of interactions with the state
• Customer service support available to provide real time
assistance
• Green catalog and product listing options for state term contract
vendors
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MyFloridaMarketPlace Overview
Other State Requirements
• Other state agencies also require registration
– Department of Revenue
– Department of State
– Department of Financial Services
• Obtain proper Licensing/Insurance
– Department of Business and Professional Regulation
– Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
– Department of Financial Services
– Department of Health
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Commodity Codes
• Commodity Codes are a series of numbers that describe
goods and services
• Most solicitations are issued at the Class or Group level
(three- or six-digit commodity code)
• When buyers solicit bids/quotes for products, MFMP
distributes notifications based on the classification you
selected
• In addition, state purchasers use commodity codes to notify
applicable vendors of upcoming bids and solicitations
MyFloridaMarketPlace Overview
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Commodity Codes
• Florida uses a customized version of the National Institute of Governmental Purchasing (NIGP) commodity code structure
– In MyFloridaMarketPlace select Commodity Codes that generally fit your business
• MyFloridaMarketPlace uses six-digit commodity codes
– Class - first three digits
– Group - second three digits
MyFloridaMarketPlace Overview
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Department of Financial Services (DFS) Form W-9 requirements
• All vendors who conduct or wish to conduct business with the State of Florida need to submit a Substitute Form W-9 to DFS
– DFS validates Vendor Tax Identification Number (TIN) with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
– Completed through DFS website: https://flvendor.myfloridacfo.com
MyFloridaMarketPlace Overview
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• MyFloridaMarketPlace Overview
• State of Florida Purchasing Overview
• Next Steps to Maximizing Marketing Efforts to
Florida State Agencies
• Summary and Resources
Agenda
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State of Florida Purchasing Overview
Purchasing Types
• Informal Purchases
– Less than $35,000
– No requirement for competitive bidding
– Buyers use eQuote to request quotes
• Formal Purchases
– Greater than $35,000
– Require competitive bidding
– Buyers post solicitations using MFMP Sourcing 3.0 and Vendor Bid
System (VBS)
• Purchases off state term contracts
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State of Florida Purchasing Overview
Where does your business fit?
• Consider:
– What is your specialty?
– Are you ready to fulfill commitments of a multi-year contract?
The answers above will assist you in developing your marketing
plan for Florida state agencies.
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• MyFloridaMarketPlace Overview
• State of Florida Purchasing Overview
• Next Steps to Maximizing Marketing Efforts to
Florida State Agencies
• Summary and Resources
Agenda
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Next Steps to Maximizing Marketing Efforts
Your first steps as a vendor are to:
• Register with MyFloridaMarketPlace and other state agencies
• Complete your Form W-9 validation through DFS’ website
• Complete your Certified Business Enterprise certification, if
applicable
• Conduct market research using MarketView
– Search agency purchase orders by commodity code
– http://www.myflorida.com/apps/spurs/spurs.main_menu_form
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Next Steps to Maximizing Marketing Efforts
Why develop a marketing campaign specifically for State
of Florida agencies?
• MFMP has nearly 90,000 registered vendors
• MFMP has nearly 15,000 registered buyers
– On average, 5,000 issue purchase orders each month
• Marketing builds name recognition
• You have worked hard to develop your business model
• Marketing allows you to display your talents and strengths
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Next Steps to Maximizing Marketing Efforts
Marketing Plan basics
• Standalone plan outside of the general business plan
• Detail your business marketing strategy
• Include measureable outcomes to aasess your progress
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Next Steps to Maximizing Marketing Efforts
Five Steps to Creating a Marketing Plan
• Step One: Look Inward
• Step Two: Look Outward
• Step Three: Focus on Strategy
• Step Four: Set Measureable Steps
• Step Five: Review and Revise Often
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Next Steps to Maximizing Marketing Efforts
SWOT Analysis
• Strengths
• Weaknesses
• Opportunities
• Threats
Look Inward (Step One)
Look Outward (Step Two)
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Next Steps to Maximizing Marketing Efforts
Step One: Look Inward
• Strengths and Weaknesses
– All businesses have natural strengths and weaknesses
• Defining strengths allows you to narrow your focus
• Defining weaknesses finds opportunities to address as you execute your
marketing plan
• Possible strength: strong service after the sale
• Possible weakness: challenging location, slowing service delivery
• After reviewing the brainstorming results:
– Prioritize the list
– Plan to act on highest priorities first
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Next Steps to Maximizing Marketing Efforts
Step Two: Look Outward
• Opportunities and Threats
– External things you cannot control, but you can predict
• Opportunities could include:
– New Markets
– News Products
– New Trends
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Next Steps to Maximizing Marketing Efforts
Step Two: Look Outward
• Threats could include:
– Economic challenges
– Competition
– Technological advances that put your company at a disadvantage
• Develop a list of customer groups that represent your ideal
market
– Consider state agencies’ purchasing directors
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Next Steps to Maximizing Marketing Efforts
Step Three: Focus on Strategy
• Narrow your focus:
– To best align with your business’ identity
– To be most attractive to your target market
• Determine where your strategic focus, target market and
priorities meet
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Next Steps to Maximizing Marketing Efforts
Step Three: Focus on Strategy
• Merge the two lists you developed with your market
– Determine where the intersection is between your SWOT and your
target markets
Market
Strengths Target
Customers
Weaknesses
Threats
Opportunities
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Next Steps to Maximizing Marketing Efforts
Step Three: Focus on Strategy
• Part of your focus includes your marketing communications plan
• In today’s presentation we use “Communications” and
“Communications Campaign” to encompass:
– Any and all marketing or advertising tools you may use as part of your
overall marketing communications strategy with state agency customers
• When deciding on the best message for your customers,
remember all successful communications campaigns include at
least one of the elements from the next slides
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Next Steps to Maximizing Marketing Efforts
Step Three: Focus on Strategy using marketing
communications tools
1. Word Hook – a repeatable catch phrase from ad to ad
2. Character Hook – uses a hero, villain, or victim to embody a
key attribute of your brand
3. Repeatable Theme – situation that plays out again and again
calling out the need for your product
4. Consistent Brand Layout – unique design look that repeats
elements at each touch point
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Next Steps to Maximizing Marketing Efforts
Step Four: Set Metrics
• For your marketing plan to be effective and successful you must
establish concrete and measurable results in your plan
– Review your metrics regularly
– Track and measure results
– Tracking can include:
• Leads generated
• Additional sales presentation
• Phone calls, sales calls, quote requests
• Hold your team accountable for the tracking
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Next Steps to Maximizing Marketing Efforts
Step Five: Review and Revise Often
• Review your marketing plan often
• Make revisions as your business changes
– As your business matures, review your strengths, weaknesses,
opportunities and threats
– Adapt your plan as necessary
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Next Steps to Maximizing Marketing Efforts
Search the Internet to find basic marketing information
• Many available formats:
– YouTube Videos
– PowerPoint Presentations
– Articles on Industry websites
• Small Business Administration website has a variety of articles
on different aspects of marketing
http://www.SBA.gov
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Next Steps to Maximizing Marketing Efforts
Search for local public relations, communications,
marketing and advertising firms in your area
• Ask your colleagues about marketing firms they use or have
used
• Find a firm that fits your company’s needs and budget
• Hire a marketing / public relations expert if appropriate
• Work with the local Small Business Development Center
located here at the University of North Florida
http://www.sbdc.unf.edu/index.php
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• MyFloridaMarketPlace Overview
• State of Florida Purchasing Overview
• Next Steps to Maximizing Marketing Efforts to
Florida State Agencies
• Summary and Resources
Agenda
31
Summary
MyFloridaMarketPlace Overview
• Review your commodity codes in your MyFloridaMarketPlace
registration to make sure they accurately fit your business
• Commodity codes drive the solicitations for which you receive
notifications if you choose to receive them when you register
• Make sure your business has a valid Form W-9 on file with the
Department of Financial Services
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Summary
Purchasing Types
• Florida agencies have three methods of purchasing
– Formal purchases
– Informal purchases
– State term contracts
• Determine which level best matches your business’s abilities
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Summary
Marketing Plan
• Find the intersection of your SWOT
and your market
– Focus on these target customers
• Set measureable steps
• Measure your steps often
• Remember social media’s importance
Market
Strengths Target
Customers
Weaknesses
Threats
Opportunities
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Resources
Find Solicitations
• The state uses two electronic systems to solicit quotes and bid
responses from the vendor community:
– MFMP Sourcing 3.0
– Vendor Bid System (VBS)
• Register for these tools within your MyFloridaMarketPlace
account. https://Vendor.MyFloridaMarketPlace.com
• The systems’ e-mail notifications are based on the commodity
codes selected
– Your e-mail firewall and other settings can prevent delivery of the
notifications
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Resources
Find Solicitations and Contracts • MyFloridaMarketPlace Sourcing 3.0
https://Sourcing.MyFloridaMarketPlace.com
• Vendor Bid System (VBS)
http://myflorida.com/apps/vbs/vbs_www.main_menu
• List of current state term contracts
http://www.dms.myflorida.com/business_operations/state_purch
asing/vendor_information/state_contracts_agreements_and_pri
ce_lists
• Department of Financial Services
https://apps.fldfs.com/contractsearch
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Resources
Today’s presentation
• Some of our resources for this presentation’s content are:
– The James Group article “4 Types of Advertising Campaigns that Sell”
– Entrepreneur Magazine article “5 Steps to Creating a Marketing Plan”
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When you have questions about MyFloridaMarketPlace, feel free to contact our Customer Service Desk, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Eastern time
Phone: (866) 352-3776 [email protected] http://myfloridamarketplace.com
MFMP Custom Service Desk
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Make the most of your MFMP vendor registration!
Maximize your Marketing Efforts