Government contractors must be aware of effective marketing strategies to keep them ahead of the game.
Government contractors face a unique problem when it comes to marketing themselves. Compared to traditional business-to-business or business-to-consumer marketing, government procurement officers and program managers are a much more finite group to whom to market. Winning contracts requires building awareness among and relationships with all decision makers. For small to mid-sized contractors, proper allocation of time and resources is a necessity for successful government marketing. The following strategies are worth taking advantage of if you are serious about winning government contracts.
1. Focus on Innovation
To market innovation, government contractors are best served using internal tools to reach specific decision-makers with timed messages. It is also possible to use editorial publications or associations that may hold award programs specifically meant to showcase leaders at the federal, state, and local government levels. Ivendor awards programs hosted by government agencies are often an acceptable method for agencies to promote innovators because it is not a direct vendor endorsement, and it can also boost employee morale. Focused efforts on generating media coverage may also be fruitful means of establishing your business as a leader in your field.
2. Understanding Government Ethics
Typical marketing strategies employ calls-to-action—this may include something along the lines of, “sign up for our newsletter and have the chance to win our product.” While a call-to-action is still a necessity in government marketing, all government employees must abide by ethical rules prohibiting the acceptance of gratuities or giveaways. There are some exceptions including educational materials that may be given out as part of a marketing endeavor, but otherwise, be sure your call-to-action is in line with the ethical rules government agencies follow.
As for what makes a good call-to-action? Clear, concise language that doesn’t waste space. It should encourage your audience to engage with you in some way, whether that be signing up for your newsletter, receiving a white paper or case study, following you on social media, or contacting you directly.
3. Utilizing Targeted Campaigns
Contractors are already familiar with the fact that winning an agency contract is usually a long sales cycle when compared to how many other businesses work. For smaller contractors, your time is a precious resource—meaning that you can sometimes only target one government agency at a time. In such a competitive marketplace, it is critical you develop targeted campaigns that can be critical in winning contracts. Taking a look at your branding and outreach efforts is a critical element in properly marketing to government agencies.
4. Developing Digital Experiences
These days, your online presence may be the first way a decision maker comes in contact with your business. Having all of your service and product information online is a necessity, but beyond that, there are many innovative ways of offering unique digital experiences to your audience. Creating virtual tours of your facilities could be a fantastic way of showing off your company’s culture and identity with relative ease. Creating original content, including demonstration videos, is also a fantastic way of getting yourself noticed. Remember that online experiences have replaced a lot of traditional methods of marketing, meaning that you must think about what the digital equivalents are to age-old means of reaching your customers. If you can’t demonstrate your product in person, find an eye-catching way to do so online.
5. Creating a Responsive Website
Speaking of marketing on the web, never forget how important your website really is. Having a section of your website dedicated to government contracting is advisable. However, it’s also important to create responsive landing pages that work how you need them to: users on mobile devices should have a comparably effective experience as those who are looking at your site on computers.
Responsive landing pages don’t just make for a better user experience. These websites rank higher in search engine rankings so that your properly optimized website pops up above your competitors. This is because having a responsive website makes it easier for Google to scan your original content and thus rank better for search.
Government Contract Proposal Assistance With TargetGov
If you want to increase your revenue, fine tune proposals and bids, see results from your business development contact TargetGov today. Our clients have won over $4 billion in contracts—just in the last 6 years alone. If you need expert consulting services and business development products to put your business on the map, look no further than TargetGov, a trusted expert capable of helping you increase your revenues and profits In the government marketplace.
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