Government Marketing: Business Development
Government Market Evaluation
Should you be selling to the government in the first place? If you have a competitive product that is well established in commercial markets, the answer is probably yes. But where do you start? Which agencies are likely to buy your product or service? Which contract vehicle should you use? Would it be better to sell to state governments rather than the federal government? What sales channels should you use - direct, indirect or both? Who are the most appropriate channel partners?
Until you have carried out a market evaluation, you are probably not going to know where the best opportunities are, or how best to access the market. Consequently you will not know where to direct your investment.
Evaluating the government market is different from evaluating the commercial markets. There is a great deal of information available about which agencies buy what products and who it buys them from. There is also considerable information on government contractors.
At Tucker & Partners, we save you time and effort because we know how to research this market. We are also able to verify and validate our findings through our extensive connections within the government sector.
Government Sales Strategy
Since selling to the government is different from selling to the commercial sector, it requires a separate approach. Government procurement is governed by an extensive body of rules and regulations, has different dynamics, and typically a longer sales cycle.
One of the first issues to consider is whether it is appropriate to obtain a government contract vehicle, such as a GSA contract. Such contracts can greatly facilitate business with the government. If you want to do meaningful business with the government, then you generally have two choices – obtain one, or partner with a company that has one.
Channel strategy in the government market is at least as important as it is the commercial sector. The difference in the government market is that small, and small, disadvantaged businesses receive favored treatment from the government through set-asides, and favored pricing and terms. Partnering with such companies - the right companies - is often advantageous.
At Tucker & Partners, we help you to evaluate which route to take, and which partners are the most appropriate.
Business Planning
If you don’t plan, as the saying goes, you plan to fail. Nowhere is this more true than in the government market. This market operates on longer timescales than the commercial sector, and preparation and planning are essential to maximize the opportunities.
Business planning is a means to an end. At Tucker & Partners, we don’t believe in preparing long, wordy documents. Instead, we assist you in identifying and defining realistic business objectives in the government market according to the budget and resources available. We then develop an action plan with timelines and costs to address key issues, including business development activities, obtaining contract vehicles, proposal and teaming strategies, channel strategies, and compliance with federal, state, and/or local acquisition regulations and procedures.
Business Development / Outsourced Sales
Selling to the government is a different discipline from commercial sales. If you don’t have specialists on your team, you should consider hiring someone or use experienced third-party specialists with whom you can develop a long-term relationship.
At Tucker & Partners, we help our clients to break into the government market, including development of direct and indirect sales channels such as distributors, value-added resellers, OEMs or integrators. We also identify opportunities for placing products and services into existing or proposed contract vehicles or on teams bidding for large government contracts.
