maximizing vendor marketing efforts to florida state agencies

Maximizing Vendor Marketing Efforts

to Florida State Agencies

Date

Organization Presenting To

2

• 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

4


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

5


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

6


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

7

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


8

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


9

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


https://flvendor.myfloridacfo.com/

10






Agenda

11

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

12

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.

13






Agenda

14

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

http://www.myflorida.com/apps/spurs/spurs.main_menu_form

15


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

16


Marketing Plan basics

• Standalone plan outside of the general business plan

• Detail your business marketing strategy

• Include measureable outcomes to aasess your progress

17


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

18


SWOT Analysis

• Strengths

• Weaknesses

• Opportunities

• Threats

Look Inward (Step One)

Look Outward (Step Two)

19


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

20


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

21


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

22


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

23



• 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

24



• 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

25


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

26


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

27


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

28


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

http://www.sba.gov/

29


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

http://www.sbdc.unf.edu/index.php

30






Agenda

31

Summary


• 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

32

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

33

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

34

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

https://vendor.myfloridamarketplace.com/

35

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

https://sourcing.myfloridamarketplace.com/

http://myflorida.com/apps/vbs/vbs_www.main_menu

http://www.dms.myflorida.com/business_operations/state_purchasing/vendor_information/state_contracts_agreements_and_price_lists



https://apps.fldfs.com/contractsearch

36

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”

37

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

mailto:[email protected]

http://myfloridamarketplace.com/

38

Make the most of your MFMP vendor registration!

Maximize your Marketing Efforts

maximizing vendor marketing efforts to florida state agencies

Documents