Working with the government can be challenging for a variety of reasons. They pay close attention to minor details, things move slowly, and relationship building is quite challenging.
Whether or not you are currently working with the government, it is quite likely that you are familiar with all of the basic challenges and objections that you may encounter in your role as a vendor. And for that reason, we have created this article on the top seven things to consider while marketing to state and local governments.
Top 7 things to consider while marketing to state and local government:
- Get media coverage.
88% of PR specialists say digital storytelling is the future, so let’s start with this. When you successfully provide your product or service to a government agency, look for media coverage opportunities in the regional press, such as in newspapers and television.
News channels constantly look out for interesting news, and the government is typically only brought to people’s attention when something goes wrong. If a government agency has benefited from your service, you should let the rest of the world know about it. Contact the news agency and ask the government agency to share their experience.
As you expand your company into the public sector over the coming years, these articles or videos can serve as marketing material that can be utilized and repurposed repeatedly.
- Testimonials from a government agency
A testimonial from a government agency will impact and persuade the decisions of other government agencies 100 times more than what you say to convince. Look for a government entity you’ve worked with and write a summary about how your business helped them. Taking this a step further, ask if they are comfortable getting a couple of phone calls from other government agencies who are thinking about working with you.
- Website & Social Media
This is obvious, you must have a professional website for your business. Invest some money to hire a good designer to build a website for your business that feels and speaks for your brand. And if you already have government clients, you can add their logos on the homepage to generate more trust.
Along with the website, make your presence on social media platforms where you think your target customer is present. These days, government organizations put equal efforts online and offline to improve the community. You can find their pages on Facebook and Twitter, meaning they are active there.
- Trade shows and community events
There are numerous trade shows around you to attend if you look actively. But you should concentrate on a few strategic ones that benefit your business. Apart from tradition, people also prefer virtual trade shows, as they save time and money.
Look for opportunities to speak or present as a subject matter expert. But also remember that no one likes to listen to an hour-long sales speech. Ensure your presentation targets sharing industry knowledge that can assist government agencies in understanding obstacles.
If your product or service solves the problem, it is a natural progression for them to seek information from your company, ultimately leading to sales.
- Work with advisors
Increase the authenticity of your company by partnering up with people already working with government agencies or have worked in the past.
It is better to work with more than one advisor, ideally four to six advisors, who are industry experts and can give strategic direction to your company.
They can also help you by providing references and introducing their network to you.
- Get BBB Accreditation
Pay a fee to the Better Business Bureau to become an “accredited vendor.” You can put the BBB logo in your email signature and website. If you sign up for the BBB, you’ll be able to respond to any negative reviews, and a BBB representative will help you find a solution. Get (and keep) an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau to use in your validation marketing.
If BBB accreditation is unavailable in your region, look for a similar bureau to be a part of.
- Invest in a marketing intelligence platform
Invest in a good marketing intelligence platform such as Intermedium. Intermedium collects and adjusts data from government contracts to provide an insightful, data-driven analysis of the market for government suppliers. With this, it’s simple to compare your offerings with competitors and analyze their contracts.
Marketing intelligence platforms provide a unified space for account planning for marketing agencies by collecting, standardizing, and organizing client data by their unique specifications.
Summary
If you help a government agency, share it with the world. Contact the press and ask government agencies for testimonials. A government agency’s testimonial will influence another’s decision 100 times more than you say. Partner with government advisors to boost your company’s credibility.
