Representatives from the NASA of Small Business Programs and
the NASA Small Business Specialists attend and hold events regularly to
interact with small businesses directly. This is an invaluable avenue for small
businesses to pitch their companies and find out about potential opportunities.
Whether it is NASA, another federal agency or private industries, never
approach with the mindset of what can you do for me. I recommend that all
representatives of small business have an “elevator pitch” prepared to describe
their company’s product or service, and what it can offer a potential client,
in a clear and concise way.
It doesn’t matter if it’s in a literal elevator or at a
crowded conference booth, the clearer you can be about your business, the
better counseling our small business team can provide. The elevator pitch is a
simple idea. You should be able to accurately and clearly describe what your
company does and what value it provides in less than two minutes – about the
time it takes for a long elevator ride.
For example, in your pitch, mention where your company is
located. If you’re an IT company, specify what field of IT or what specialty
your company has. Have you previously done work with NASA, and if so, where and
doing what? Make sure you give enough information without going overboard and
overstating what it is you do. It is important to keep it fluid and able to be
adjusted to the intended audience - you may have a different service to offer
NASA than DoD. Remember, at may of these events, representatives at booths talk
to potentially hundreds of businesses, you want to stand out quickly and
concisely.
A significant amount of information is available online
regarding this topic. Take your time and practice your pitch before your next
event. It may mean a new contract for you and your team.
