This time of year, many companies are reviewing their business strategies, messaging and business development initiatives. Before those meetings take place, it’s important to carve out some time to read your target agencies’ strategic plans, budgets in brief and spending history. If you want your message to resonate with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, for example, begin with reading the most recent version of its Strategic Plan (FY2024-2028). Leveraging this example, DHS articulates six strategic goals:
- Invest in the DHS IT Workforce
- Responsibly Use Artificial Intelligence to Transform Operations
- Leverage Data as a Strategic Asset
- Improve Customer Experience and Transform Service Delivery
- Build Modern, Effective Software
- Secure Our Systems & Data
Review your capabilities and past performance to determine which areas you can support. Align (i.e. mirror) your corporate messaging with the agencies’ messaging.
Cross check the Strategic Plan’s messaging with the initiatives and priorities articulated in the FY24 Budget in Brief for DHS. How much money are they asking for? What specific problems are they trying to solve?
These documents are available publicly with some specific searches.
To keep with the example … Begin on the DHS agency website. Under the search field, type “Budget in Brief FY24” to locate the documents you seek. Additionally, type “Performance 2023” to locate the DHS Fiscal Year 2023 Performance & Accountability Reports. All of these public documents provide the information to better understand the agency, specific customer … its mission, its successes, its challenges and its vision. Find the areas where you fit and you have found the key to craft your strategic focus, messaging and a capture plan that will resonate.
As you plan your 2024 launch, we suggest you carve out time for you and your team to RESEARCH documents relevant to your targets … READ the documents … REPORT on the areas that align with your past performance … and RESPOND back to your team on your findings and conclusions to craft your strategic path forward.
We wish you a focused and prosperous 2024!