How to Properly Scan the MarketFocus, Wisdom and Foresight

Alice Watson, Director and Founder of Porge Research

A confession…

Selling is expensive….so…..

• Identify and understand the market you want to play in• Engage with potential clients before the formal

procurement starts• Be brave and make “no bid” decisions• Avoid the temptation to reply to every tender

Adopt an Intelligence-led approach

Actual OpportunitiesWho do I phone now?

Tactical PlanningAccount Management and/or New

Business

Strategic thinking What market do we want to be in?

Understand your market

How much money was spent on bought-in social care services in England in 2013/14?

£13.3B

And £35.6M was spent on tree surgery

What was that £13.3B spent on?

Is the market on the up?

Who are the big spenders?

Who are the big earners?

Not for Profits

Once you’ve done your strategic thinking…

• Dig a little deeper and start thinking tactically…

Understand your clients…(Suffolk County Council)

Not for Profits

So what?

• Look to maximise your “share of the wallet”• “Exploit” your existing relationship, sometimes without

a tender• Identify potential partners

How do we know all this?• We add up, and categorise the invoices that the public

sector pay (over 1000 organisations)• Councils• NHS Acute Trusts• CCG’s• CSU’s• Mental Health Trusts• Community Health Trusts• Emergency Services• Central Government and NDPB’s

Illuminator

Imagine…

• Knowing who spends a lot on what you sell• Knowing what your competitors charge for their

services• Knowing where you rank in your clients list of priorities

Successful selling is all about intelligence

Then when you understand your market…

• You need opportunities….• Try to get in early, so you can:• Qualify the opportunity (do you want to win it?)• Influence the requirement/specification before it’s been

written• Build a dialogue and relationship with the potential client

Some examples….

Warwickshire County CouncilCAMHS re-commissioning

Wolverhampton City CouncilExternalisation of Learning disability outreach services

Medway CCGProcurement of Children’s Therapies & Community Nursing

Southwark London Borough CouncilGrounds and Parks Maintenance

Where do all these come from?

• Meeting papers(we check the meeting and strategy papers of over 700 public bodies every 6 weeks)

• The commissioners may well be predisposed towards the SE• The SE might have the best solution• The SE might have the best price

….but you need to communicate that message…..Just being the best isn’t enough….

SE’s vs Private Sector; who will win?

Focus, wisdom and foresight

• Target your efforts• Develop an intelligent campaign• Get in early

Good Luck!