Always remember that a want is not a need, and a need is not a requirement, so you understand the type of conversation that you are having…
In the pursuit of defense sales, it is often the case that when talking to Government or Military personnel for the first time, it can be very ambiguous if that person is articulating a want, need, or requirement. Your understanding of the important difference between each of these concepts is critical to your identification of sales leads towards product or service sustainment. A want is simply something any person can express, but ultimately is not or at least not yet vetted through their chain of command with an associated priority for their unit or organization. In short, it’s an idea that has yet to be fleshed out and approved. A need is vetted and approved want that has been assigned a level of support and priority within that unit or organization. This generally comes with either some level of current year direct funding or level of leadership support to find external funding, but the point is the need is owned by that unit or organization alone. A requirement is a vetted, approved, and integrated need that is part of a capability plan of a higher echelon Headquarters. These requirements are racked and stacked for implementation and sustainment by Commands, Centers, or PEO’s over multiple years.
It is possible to evolve a want into a requirement, but it is not a quick or simple thing to do. Most importantly, it is NEVER done by the same person or a single organization. These are well coordinated steps via established processes. The bottom line here is to not get drunk on a single conversation or customer relationship, no matter how promising, when pursuing long term sustainment. Acquisition in the Government and Military is a complex team support that is played over a long duration of time. Learn the rules of the game, build your team, and execute a solid strategy for success.
Everything starts with a single conversation with someone in uniform…just remember that is just the first step on a much longer journey.
