An essential element in creating a capability statement is determining what your differentiators are.
The federal marketplace is more competitive than ever. As such, it is important for contractors to rise above their peers and set themselves apart. This is why differentiators are so important. Numerous companies out there simply do not have a clear means of distinguishing themselves from their competition. Due to the difficulty of crafting differentiators when creating a capability statement, many contractors miss out on this opportunity to truly showcase what they are capable of and what sets them apart.
Getting Started With Differentiators
To determine what your differentiators may be, it’s best to ask yourself some questions first. This includes how your company is able to suit the needs of a particular agency, what about your services is different from your competitors, and why your products or services are better than whatever else is out there. If you are unable to answer these questions, or succinctly communicate them within your capability statement, then you may be leaving decision-makers wondering how they can recommend your company over competitors. By failing to ask yourself these tough questions, you are missing out on possible contracts.
Employees
Sometimes your strongest assets are the people you are working with. Employee differentiators can include something like unique certifications or training experiences, training other employees, or having been award recipients. Certifications and validations are important to consider as well, including ISO, CMMI, PMP, safety records, or performance ratings that may set your employees and company apart.
Beyond just including what differentiates your employees in your capability statement, remember how important it is to have your people up to date with regular training. Maintaining a motivated, performance-oriented staff is a surefire way to always keep your company ahead of the curve.
Versatility and Adaptability
Sometimes being a “one trick pony” is a good thing—if you’re really good at pulling off that one trick. However, these days, an ability to adapt on the fly is often prioritized. For example, being able to tackle difficult working conditions or engineer unique products at a moment’s notice can be a huge deal for decision makers and may make your company stand out from the pack. If you’re unable to directly provide solutions for any needs that may pop up, you should at least know where to source those solutions. On the other hand, if there’s a product or process that you have trademarked, this is important to highlight as well. If you are the only company capable of a certain task, then it is worth noting.
Branding, Trademarks, and Patents
When you create a branded, trademarked, or patented product or service you have one of the strongest differentiators possible. If you are the only company capable of certain tasks, then it is worth noting.
Supporting Numbers
Sometimes your track record is all you need to show yourself as a unique contracting option. What are the numbers that can prove what you have done? It’s hard to argue hard, provable numbers that show what your company is capable of; these kinds of stats should be placed right up front of the differentiator section of your capability statement. Contact us to help you identify what supporting numbers matter in your business.
Why Use Differentiators?
As you can see, there are a lot of different kinds of differentiators that may help define your company. It can be difficult to determine what is important to include in a capability statement’s differentiators section and it may also seem strange to utilize so much space on a shorter document to define what makes you different. Capability statements may already feel like slim, concise documents that are lacking the space to add something like differentiators, but there is actually a very good reason to include this section.
Think about it this way. Including this section indicates that you have already put in the thought and time to actually consider why your company is different, and in a sense, including differentiators is a differentiator in itself. It shows that you have thought out your approach towards marketing enough to do homework on yourself and determine what really sets you apart. Simply by taking the time to indicate these to potential buyers, you show that you are aware of your company’s capabilities and set a standard for the quality of work that can be provided.
Establishing Differentiators With TargetGov
If you want to increase your revenue, fine tune proposals and bids, see results from your business development contact TargetGov today. Our clients have won over $4 billion in contracts—just in the last 6 years alone. If you need expert consulting services and business development products to put your business on the map, look no further than TargetGov, a trusted expert capable of helping you increase your revenues and profits In the government marketplace.
To find out more information, contact us today or call us directly at 866-579-1346. For future updates, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google+.