Finding (and creating) opportunities

Ensuring you get access to the right opportunities for your business.

Important things to do

Develop a specific pitch (i.e. unsolicited proposal) to potential or existing clients.
Promote your business through tradeshows.
Build your / your business identity as a subject-matter expert in particular area. Share and promote your knowledge and expertise via blogs and posts on LinkedIn, your business website and social media channels.
Celebrate your wins on social media, especially LinkedIn.
Register for, and frequently search, tender websites.
Be visible on Indigenous business directories such as Supply Nation’s Indigenous Business Register.
Be visible in industry directories such as the ICN.
Meet with procurement managers and business owners within buyer organisations.
Work with other suppliers. Be a sub-contractor to larger Indigenous suppliers. Form a consortium or a strategic partnership.
Network with your ideal customers.
Use Austender (and other government tender sites) to research upcoming procurements, competitors and the types of goods and services your current and prospective clients are buying.
Build and maintain relationships with clients and prospective clients.

Things to remember

Patience is your friend. See finding and creating opportunities as an exercise in building relationships with the right people at the right time. Eventually opportunities will come from these relationships.

For particular industries

For the corporate sector: Private and publicly-listed companies generally invite suppliers to tender, rather than listing on a tender website for the open market to respond. Therefore, building relationships with the right people (the business owners) before the procurement starts is important.

For government

Open tender opportunities are advertised on government tender websites.
Not all government opportunities are offered by way of open tender. Some opportunities are offered as limited tender this means they are not advertised on the tender website for that government. The best way to get access to these opportunities is for your business to be pre-qualified, be a member of the relevant panel and to have relationships with the business owner.
Think about getting on panels / standing offer arrangements.
Be front and centre of the government client’s mind.
If long term contract are already in place look to join supply chain of existing contracts. Sub contracting opportunities – go to head contractor.