The post The Power of Repeatability in GovTech Sales and Marketing appeared first on GBR.

Many government marketing and sales approaches fail to gain traction because they assume GovTech buyers have the same value centers as their B2B peers.  But B2G buyers are different. Understanding the differences and what government buyers really value is foundational to driving rapid results in your government marketing and sales efforts – and that’s what this blog will review.  

Understanding government value  

Businesses operate within capitalist framework and acquire goods and services that help them improve their profit and grow their revenues and earnings. Accordingly, B2B buyers often value returns on investments that help them grow or improve:  

• Revenue 

• Cash flow 

• Competitive advantage 

• Profit  

 Most B2B customers will also place value in solutions that help them improve external metrics like market position, brand recognition, stock price or shareholder value.    

Government agencies function within a public service or social welfare framework. They don’t seek agency growth or competitive advantage. They seek mission success, which is often defined through a series of mandates.  Accordingly, they have dramatically different priorities that shape their perception of value.  

Just a few of the paramount priorities they face include:    

• Citizen welfare 

• Law and order 

• National security 

• Economic health 

• Diplomacy 

• Infrastructure 

• Public services  

Prioritization of these values can vary based on the public sector sub-segment, the agency mission, the buyer’s role, and the current trends and policies affecting their agency. In many cases, multiple areas of value may be equally relevant. 

The GBR GovValue Triangle™: Value connection made simple 

GBR has developed a handy tool that simplifies the messaging process, called the GBR GovValue Triangle™.   GBR’s GovValue Triangle™ is a powerful framework that highlights the core areas where government agencies see value: The Mission, Efficiency & Cost, and Security & Compliance.   It helps technology companies quickly and easily connect with the values of the government buyer. By understanding which value area is most important to your target government buyer, you can tailor your messaging and solutions accordingly.   

Let’s dive into each value center individually.  

The mission: The agency or program North Star  

Every government agency, department, or program operates with a clear mission as its guiding principle.  The mission serves as the North Star for all strategic decisions, investments and accountability metrics.  It’s usually found on their website or in their strategic plan. 

Efficiency and cost management: The operational backbone 

While achieving the mission is paramount, the way an agency achieves it is equally important. Government agencies must manage to their budget and with legislative oversight.   They are looking for ways to reduce bureaucracy and eliminate waste. 

Security and compliance: The roots of resilience 

Security is non-negotiable in the public sector. Agencies must maintain a resilient security posture to protect and defend citizens, data and property against an increasing number of threats. They must also evolve their internal and external security measures, leveraging cutting-edge technologies and best practices.  

Crafting marketing messages that connect to government value centers 

The best way to get started with the GBR GovValue Triangle™ is to create detailed buyer personas for your target government buyers. Understand their specific challenges, goals and what values they prioritize. This approach ensures that your marketing and sales strategies are precisely aligned with their needs, leading to more effective engagement and successful outcomes.  

Marketing to government agencies requires a deep understanding of their unique value perceptions and purchasing drivers. By aligning your strategy and messaging with the GBR GovValue Triangle™ you can effectively position your technology solutions to meet the specific needs of government buyers.  

If you’d like to dive deeper into understanding the government buyer and learn more about how you can use our GovValue Triangle to craft messaging specific for your products, download our whitepaper, How Government Agencies See Value Differently: A Guide for GovTech Marketing.

The post The GovBuyer’s Perception is NOT What You Think! appeared first on GBR.

With GAIN 2025 right around the corner (Sept 18th, 2025), we asked one of our favorite industry marketing experts, Lesley Rogers, to step in and offer her perspective on why industry events are crucial for B2G marketers.

The rules have changed and if you’re a government marketer still playing by the old playbook, it’s time to reimagine your strategy. 

As someone who’s spent over two decades shaping brand narratives, go-to-market strategies, and demand generation campaigns in the Public Sector space, I’ve witnessed evolution. But today’s pace is unprecedented. Generative AI, shrinking product lifecycles, shifting procurement priorities, and increasingly complex buyer journeys have ushered in a new era—one that demands agility, foresight, and continual reinvention. 

This is no longer a moment to observe from the sidelines. It’s a moment to lead. 

The state of government marketing: reinvention required 

For mid- to senior-level professionals, our roles have traditionally been built on stability. Brand steward. Campaign builder. Market translator. Event architect. But now? These identities are shifting under pressure. 

Market uncertainty has led to team consolidations, role convergence, and reevaluated business impact. Many of us, once buffered by consistency, now find ourselves adapting at full speed. 

B2G marketers must embrace modern technologies like AI, navigate blurred buyer landscapes, and lead with data, not just instinct. Whether you’ve stepped back to focus on your day-to-day or settled into a familiar rhythm, now is the time to re-engage and reimagine. 

For emerging talent: career clarity in a fast-changing space 

Early-career professionals entering this space face a rapidly evolving profession. But with the right guidance and visibility, they can accelerate their growth and shape their trajectory. 

When intentionally built, industry events offer the clarity, connectivity, and tactical learning that emerging marketers need. From exposure to real-world challenges to curated access to veteran mentors, these gatherings become launchpads for: 

• Strategic career exploration 

• Personal brand elevation 

• Skill-building for lasting impact 

Career development today isn’t linear. It’s dynamic, intentional, and guided by those who’ve walked a similar path.  

Building what’s next: how industry events spark growth in B2G marketing 

Today’s government marketing landscape isn’t just changing, it’s transforming. And the professionals leading that change aren’t doing it alone. Strategic industry events have emerged as essential platforms to recalibrate, reinvest, and evolve in the face of complexity. 

Here’s what today’s most impactful gatherings offer: 

Purposeful collaboration 

They provide intentional space for peer connection, cross-sector dialogue, and long-term partnerships. Rather than surface-level networking, these events enable Public Sector marketers to exchange ideas rooted in real-world challenges, from budget cycles and mission alignment to multistakeholder influence. 

Deep learning from experts who understand the landscape 

Sessions go beyond theory. They feature seasoned practitioners with insights into procurement trends, agency priorities, and the rapidly changing role of technologies like AI. Attendees walk away with practical takeaways that refine positioning, fuel innovation, and strengthen market alignment. 

Reinvention and strategic growth 

Whether redefining an executive trajectory or exploring the industry for the first time, professionals are empowered to build new capabilities, embrace career pivots, and rethink their approach to leadership. These events spark reinvention, not just inspiration. 

Tools to stay ahead 

Actionable guidance is at the forefront: up-to-date competitive intelligence, emerging technology strategies, visibility enhancement, and performance metrics that connect marketing directly to business outcomes. It’s not about trends, it’s about transformation. 

Creative stimulation through diverse perspectives 

Attendees step outside the expected. Through immersive conversations, bold ideas, and real-world case studies, events reignite creativity and challenge conventional thinking, helping marketers sharpen their storytelling and execution. 

Skill building with hands-on learning 

The best events don’t just talk—they teach. Through targeted workshops and tool-specific learning, professionals refine everything from martech expertise to personal branding and campaign architecture. The result? Elevated impact and faster growth. 

These are the environments where marketers stop reacting to disruption and start shaping what comes next. 

When an event becomes a career catalyst 

The best industry events don’t just deliver insights they leave a lasting imprint. They shape how we think, how we lead, and how we connect. Years may pass, but the ideas shared in a single session can echo through an entire career. 

One of the most memorable moments in my professional journey came more than a decade ago, during a marketing conference session led by keynote speaker and strategist Tamsen Webster. She introduced a concept that still guides my thinking today: The Red Thread—the throughline that connects your idea to your audience’s hearts and minds. 

Tamsen spoke about strategy and storytelling not as tactics, but as transformational tools. She challenged us to be bold, to build brands that could shape industries or even empires through creativity and innovation. She showed us how to connect the threads of a story in a way that made ideas not just heard but felt. 

That session didn’t just inspire me in the moment. It changed how I communicate, how I lead, and how I help others shape their own narratives. I’ve followed her work ever since and continue to apply the insights she shared that day. She continues to teach me through her Red Thread methodology. 

It’s a reminder that the right speaker, the right message, and the right moment can spark a shift that lasts a lifetime. That’s the power of a truly intentional event. 

And that’s precisely why I’ll be in the room for GAIN 2025. 

What sets GAIN apart 

GAIN 2025 isn’t just another marketing conference, it’s the only event created specifically for government marketers navigating a fast-changing B2G landscape. Every session, speaker, and interaction is tailored to the complexities of Public Sector engagement, from procurement shifts and AI adoption to brand-building in an environment shaped by unpredictability. 

This is not a moment to catch up, it’s a chance to leap forward. What sets GAIN apart? 

• It’s the only event of its kind devoted exclusively to career development, strategic growth, and cross-sector innovation for government marketers. 

• It’s the real-time response to an industry undergoing reinvention, helping marketers at all levels rethink their value, elevate their impact, and rewrite their future. 

• It’s a space for conversations that don’t happen anywhere else—the ones that tackle market volatility, changing roles, and what it really means to lead in a profession that refuses to sit still. 

Why I’ll be in the room — and why you should too 

This is a new era in Public Sector marketing—one where creativity, agility, and strategic clarity are non-negotiable. GAIN isn’t just a conference. It’s a launchpad for what’s next. In a profession full of remarkable talent, GAIN creates space to evolve and grow, refine your impact, elevate your thinking, and lead with renewed purpose and clarity. If you’re ready to explore new possibilities, expand your influence, embrace what’s possible in a new era and shape the future of government marketing, this is where your next chapter begins.  

For years, I’ve attended GAIN as a speaker, mentor, and peer and I always walk away with something invaluable. Whether it’s fresh insights that reshape how I think, connections that spark new collaborations, or friendships that stand the test of time, this community continues to inspire me. And now, as I navigate my own transition—building a new business and exploring what reinvention truly looks like, I’ll be in the room not just to share, but to learn and grow alongside you. Because no matter where you are in your career, there’s a seat waiting for you at GAIN and a powerful future ready to be built. 

A new era of B2G marketing is here. Are you ready to step forward? 

About the author:  

Lesley Rogers: CEO and Owner of LMR Strategies 

Lesley Rogers is an award-winning marketer and strategist and a trusted industry voice with over 20 years of experience. As the CEO and Owner of LMR Strategies, she helps drive brand and business growth through bold storytelling, visionary strategy, and dynamic collaboration—transforming vision into action that sparks growth and innovation. She is also deeply committed to mentoring and empowering the B2G marketing community, fostering meaningful connections, sharing insights and expertise, and helping fellow marketers grow and thrive in their own unique journeys. 

The post Standing at the Edge of Reinvention: Why Industry Events Matter More Than Ever for Public Sector Marketers appeared first on GBR.

So, now is the time to revisit GTM strategies, validate messaging, and ensure your teams are equipped with the tools needed to convert interest into action. It’s not about resetting, it’s a recalibration. 

Here are five strategic areas we think are worth using to evaluate your progress mid-year: 

1. Are value propositions aligned with current agency priorities?

This year has been a lesson in extreme market dynamics and agility.  In most cases, the campaigns you led with in Q1 no longer reflect current realities, or have had messaging, content or activity band-aids to get you through the waves of H1 turbulence.   

The market twists and turns have largely settled out, and we’re all getting a handle on the rhythms. This is a good time to conduct a messaging audit to firm up your messaging for the back-half of the year.  By putting the energy and focus on well-crafted messages and value-pain matchups during the summer months you’ll get a sense of which messages are resonating and which need overhauling, putting you ahead of the fall planning cycle.  Recent agency updates, public budget documentation, or newly launched programs can all help shape a refreshed value proposition that speaks directly to the current moment.   

2. Are personas and journeys grounded in today’s buying landscape?

In the federal civilian market especially, the turnover among government program leads and decision-makers has resulted in shifts in mandates and buying priorities.  Have your personas kept up?  The GovBuyer’s Journey has also shifted and in many cases dramatically condensed. Have your journey layouts been updated? 

Ensuring campaign content aligns with current GovBuyers at every stage of the journey improves resonance and conversion.  We like August for this kind of activity. It’s naturally a bit slower and there is more time for the deep thinking that revalidating target personas and buying journeys requires. Tools like updated org charts, funding announcements, RFPs, and government leadership updates can provide critical insights – but your sales teams will also be very helpful here as well. 

3. Are campaigns generating real pipeline growth, or just adding to the database?

Mid-year is also an ideal time to evaluate what’s creating meaningful engagement. Opens and clicks provide some signals, but they don’t always indicate momentum. It’s helpful to understand which efforts aren’t driving movement so they can be scaled back to free up additional resources for what’s working.   

Take a look at the long-tail metrics that reveal H1 pipeline impact: discovery meetings scheduled, sales conversations influenced, and new contacts generated within priority accounts.  AI can lend a hand here and make this less cumbersome.   

But don’t just let the spreadsheets and technology do all the talking.  Have discussions with your SDR leads and trusted sales teammates.  Their anecdotal evidence will often give you early insight into agency and market trends that will help you place a few well-timed bets and pilots in H2 that can be measured in time for FY26 full-scale deployment. 

4. Are content and tools aligned with today’s buying environment?

As buying cycles shift and agency priorities evolve, marketing content and sales enablement tools must also keep pace. Outdated assets – including pitch decks, thought leadership pieces, nurture flows, or campaign messaging – can slow momentum and stall conversations. 

Q3 presents an opportunity to audit and begin refresh on your content ecosystem.  It will most likely take you into Q4, but you’ll exit with content aligned with specific agency missions, current funding realities, and evolving procurement behaviors.  It’s a powerhouse setup that will deliver better support for awareness-stage engagement and late-stage deal acceleration. 

5. Is the funnel truly advancing, or are leads stalled in early stages?

A mid-year review of funnel progression can reveal where leads are slowing and identify opportunities for creative end-of-year public sector marketing campaigns and program activity.  This is where ABM can really shine.  It’s also where you’ll understand whether the journey assumptions you made are holding true.  Knowing if CTAs are misaligned with buying stages, or nurture content isn’t reflecting procurement timing, resolving friction points is critical to maintaining your KPIs. 

Tracking funnel velocity, not just volume, provides visibility into which efforts need refinement. Refining journeys based on where buyers truly are can accelerate movement and improve outcomes heading into Q4. It also gives you a set of gears to work into your H1FY26 planning. 

Q3 is the proving ground. Q4 is the performance. 

Strong fiscal year closeouts don’t begin September or October. They’re built on the thoughtful adjustments and refinements made earlier – especially during Q3. By focusing on message alignment, buyer insight validation, content optimization, and sales readiness, government marketing teams can position themselves and their sales counterparts for real results in Q4. 

With market volatility beginning to stabilize and priorities becoming clearer, this mid-year moment is an opportunity to sharpen strategies and elevate execution. A well-prepared Q3 makes it easier to enter the final stretch with confidence, clarity, and momentum. 

The post Mid-Year Reset: How is your FY25 shaping up? appeared first on GBR.

Agility and adaptation to the evolving landscape is a core muscle for every B2G marketer – we’re used to pivots.  But with the need to pivot coming at such a furious rate, here are a few thoughts on how you can refine your approach to keep driving meaningful engagement and maximize impact with government attendees. 

Refining large event strategies 

Rather than pulling back from major industry events, consider modifying your participation to ensure a stronger return on investment. Here’s how: 

• Leverage data for smarter event decisions: Use past event performance data (lead conversion rates, contribution to pipeline and engagement metrics) to decide which events are truly worth the investment.  AI can make this easy to analyze for you. 

• Optimize Tradeshows: Streamline your presence at the shows you do attend by sending a smaller team and being selective with sponsorships. Prioritize activities that drive engagement and cut back on extras that require significant resources.  

• Curate vendor-owned events: With lower attendance across the board, shift your emphasis from broad educational sessions to curated, high-value experiences that drive faster decision-making.   

• Personalize ROI-driven invitations: Use 1:1 or small-group invites that details clear ROI and actionable takeaways to help them justify attending, especially when travel is required. 

• Cost-effective add-ons for brand visibility: Implement simple, budget-friendly add-ons—such as geo-tagging conference locations—to extend brand exposure for up to 30 days post-event. 

• Better Together: Consider co-hosting or sponsoring events with aligned partners to maximize visibility while sharing costs. 

Navigating federal changes with new strategies

Prioritizing smaller, targeted briefings 

With shifting priorities among government buyers, small-group events are emerging as an effective strategy for deeper engagement. These personalized briefings allow you to create a customized experience tailored to attendees’ specific needs while creating a more meaningful, interactive experience—resulting in stronger connections and faster sales cycles. 

Helping attendees justify their participation 

With tighter travel budgets and travel restrictions, attendees need solid reasons to justify event participation. Create clear justification tools, like tailored documents outlining the value of key events. For example, the National Training and Simulation Association (NTSA) has refined justification resources for I/ITSEC over the years to support government attendance. By integrating similar resources into your event microsites and vendor hubs, you make it easier for decision-makers to approve travel requests. 

Shifting focus to state and local government (SLG) 

As federal event participation becomes less predictable, consider shifting more attention to state and local government opportunities. SLG buyers have different priorities, requiring a tailored approach to engagement that aligns with their procurement processes and technology needs. Try engaging with regional associations to deepen connections in this space. 

Move onsite 

Lean into the return to office by meeting your customer at theirs.  Now is the time to revisit on-site event approaches such as road shows and on-site tabletop events from vendors like NCSI.  Especially for DoD, onsite events will help to bridge the ‘can’t travel’ woes. Consider working with your aggregator and complementary technology partners to build strategic “Better Together” roadshow events that address a workflow need. 

Reassessing digital investments and hybrid strategies 

During the pandemic, digital marketing became oversaturated. But with current travel restrictions limiting in-person engagement, some digital channels are regaining traction. A renewed focus on targeted digital campaigns can complement your in-person event strategies and drive meaningful engagement. Incorporating hybrid and virtual elements—such as live streaming and interactive discussions—expands accessibility for government audiences. 

Tap the power of AI for events 

AI-powered personalization is becoming an essential tool for digital engagement. Leveraging AI-driven insights allows marketers to tailor event experiences specifically for government buyers, making virtual and in-person interactions more relevant and impactful.  

Final thoughts 

In an ever-changing federal landscape, flexibility is key. By refining your large-scale event strategies, prioritizing small-group briefings, providing justification tools, and exploring new market opportunities, you can continue to drive meaningful engagement and accelerate growth. 

At GBR, we specialize in helping GovTech companies navigate these shifts with data-driven, actionable event strategies. Reach out to learn how we can optimize your public sector marketing approach.​ 

The post Adapting GovTech Events in a Changing Federal Market appeared first on GBR.

In this dynamic landscape, staying ahead means embracing innovation. That’s where AI comes in—not just as a tool to keep pace, but as a driver of transformation. Let’s explore five key trends reshaping B2G marketing and how AI is empowering marketers to lead the way.

1. AI is no longer optional

First, it’s important realize that AI has moved from a luxury to a necessity.  And, it’s ubiquitous.  Nearly every marketing and collaboration tool out there has some form of AI in it.  And, the AI chatbots (Google Gemini, ChatGPT, etc).  And, in the government market where nuance is critical to using policies and standards in your marketing content, AI can serve as a powerful tool.

But using AI effectively requires skilled professionals who know what is needed and how to maximize results. A skilled marketer leveraging AI becomes a secret weapon—able to produce content, analyze data, and optimize campaigns faster and with greater precision.

2. GovBuyers are self-educating—and demanding more content

Gone are the days when government buyers relied primarily on sellers to be their information concierge. Today, buyers are doing their homework independently.  Like their commercial peers, they are relying on the internet (and increasingly AI chatbots) to seek insights and navigate their acquisition journey. This shift requires marketers to provide highly relevant, easily accessible content tailored to the GovBuyer’s persona at specific stages of the GovBuyer’s™ Journey.  What matters for a GovBuyer at the Initiative stage will not matter for them at the Assess stage.  Understanding this difference is understanding how to unlock breakthrough results in your marketing efforts.

Innovative technologies, like AI, can simplify this process in many ways.  AI chatbots can help you analyze buyer behavior efficiently so that you can understand will resonate at each stage. AI tools like content recommendation engines help ensure you deliver the right information at the right time, keeping buyers engaged and informed. Additionally, AI-powered content generators, like GPTs (Generative Pre-trained Transformers), can write blogs, draft email campaigns, and even check compliance for RFP responses. These tools ensure consistent, high-quality material that meets the ever-growing demand for content.

3. Personalization is no longer optional

One-size-fits-all marketing strategies are obsolete. Personalization is key to capturing attention in today’s crowded government market. But all together, federal, state and local government markets have around 20M potential buyers. How do you personalize at scale?

AI-driven persona creation is the answer. By leveraging AI tools, marketers can build detailed, accurate personas based on buyer data, enabling targeted messaging that speaks directly to individual needs and challenges. These AI persona specialists allow you to craft personalized campaigns without the guesswork, ensuring every touchpoint is meaningful.

4. The rise of AI-powered specialists

The real power of today’s AI tools isn’t using the chatbots as a way to speed up your individual capabilities today.  Yes, you gain some advantage by firing up general Gemini or ChatGPT channels and giving them orders. But if that’s all you’re using the chatbots for, then the gains won’t be as big.   The real power comes from creating and orchestrating a fleet of AI-powered specialists, each designed to handle a specific role in your B2G marketing efforts.  They act as standalone experts in their craft, and you bring them together in different ways to accomplish your goals. (and if you want to learn how, attend the workshop below.)

This concept is becoming a reality for marketers. These AI-powered tools act as extensions of your team, performing tasks quickly and efficiently. With their help, you and your team can focus on high-level government marketing strategy and campaign development while well-developed AI tools manage the execution and details.

5. Timing is everything in buyer engagement

In B2G, delivering good content isn’t enough—you must deliver it to the right government buyer at the right moment in their buying journey. Miss that window, and you risk losing influence with them and over the decision-making process.

AI excels in predictive analytics, helping you understand when buyers are most likely to engage. Whether it’s delivering proposal support during a procurement phase or sharing thought leadership content early in the research stage, AI ensures your marketing efforts are always well-timed and relevant.

Embrace the future of government marketing

The integration of AI into B2G marketing is not just a trend—it’s a requirement. From content creation to buyer engagement, AI empowers marketers to work smarter, meet rising demands, and stay ahead in an increasingly competitive landscape.

Want to learn more about how AI can revolutionize your government marketing strategies?

Join us for the AI & GovBuyer’s™ Journey Workshop on January 28, 2025, live online and in-person (Reston, VA). This hands-on, one-day event will equip you with the AI tools and GovBuyer insights you need to thrive in the public sector.

Limited Seating – Reserve Your Spot Today!

Let’s make 2025 the year you lead the way in government marketing.

The post 5 Trends Transforming B2G Marketing—and How AI Empowers You to Lead appeared first on GBR.

This is not a blog about all of that.

Instead, this blog gives COTS (commercial off the shelf) technology business what they need to grab a foothold in the public sector technology market, and quickly scale their ARR (annual recurring revenue).  You can’t take the the same growth tactics for services-led businesses and apply them to COTS businesses.  It requires a fundamentally different approach. The good news is that there is a formula, and a recipe, for COTS growth.  We’ll lay out the basics of it in this post, but there are deeper nuances depending on sub-segment (federal civilian, DoD, state and local) and application area.  Contact us if you’d like a deeper discussion.

Unlocking growth through SOURCE

Success in this vertical demands more than just great products, good partnerships, experienced sellers or strong marketing. It requires a calculated and time-sensitive approach to strategic investments in products, operations, contracts and team members.  We created the SOURCE framework to show how you can implement these investments. Below we discuss how it breaks out, and then in the following section we give you the order in which to apply them.

S – Standards

Ensuring your product meets compliance standards is non-negotiable. Government buyers rely on rigorous protocols—such as FedRAMP for cloud solutions. This allows them to protect sensitive data, enable interoperability, meet accessibility needs, and ensure robust, scalable platforms. Demonstrating adherence to these standards signals to your government customers that your product is built to meet their specific needs and withstand the high expectations of public sector security and reliability. But more importantly, procurement teams often have a ‘checklist’ that is required (by law in many cases) to be met before allowing a purchase to proceed.

O – Organization

Create and enable a thriving government sales and marketing team within your organization. They should be experienced in the complexities of government procurement and familiar with the unique challenges agencies face. They’re more than just sellers and marketers. They’re industry insiders who understand this layered, nuanced vertical of verticals.  They speak the government’s language, understand its missions, and are adept at navigating long sales cycles and compliance nuances.  Having the right team signals that your company is serious about delivering solutions that align with government objectives.  It also considerably shortens the sales cycle, as sellers will often come with decades of buyer relationships and powerful institutional knowledge.

U – Use Case Selling

In the GovTech market, one-size-fits-all messaging falls flat and a single sales approach doesn’t work. Instead, align your solutions with mission-critical problems and position yourself as a trusted partner invested in their success—not just a vendor with a pitch.  Then, craft messaging, campaigns and sales plays around specific agency pain points and mission-critical needs. The good news is that marketing campaigns and sales plays your create can be applied repeatedly throughout the vertical.   Whether addressing cybersecurity, infrastructure modernization, or operational efficiency, make it clear how your solution is uniquely suited to solve the challenges that matter most to each GovBuyer and meet them on their Journey with the information they seek.

R – (Brand) Recognition and Awareness

All too often companies will jump into the government vertical, only to retreat 2 years later when they realized the initial investments outweigh the ROI.  Agency employees, many of whom spend two or more decades in their career, have seen COTS companies come and go.  They won’t invest with you unless they know you’re proven and committed to the market and their mission.

Government buyers need to know who you are and trust your brand.  Create visibility across channels where public sector decision-makers are active. Demonstrate your commitment by implementing SOURCE, but also by partnering with other proven players, attending key events, publishing thought leadership, and presenting at relevant trade shows. When government customers see you as a knowledgeable and credible player, you’re not just another vendor—you’re a trusted resource.

C – Contract

Access to government-wide acquisition contracts (GWACs) like GSA or NASA SEWP is an absolute must for successful entry and long-term competitiveness in the public sector. These contracts streamline procurement. Agencies can more easily acquire your product, and save time and administrative effort in the process. Buyers are happier, because they can shorten the time to implementation.  When your product is available on the right GWACs, you position your solution as an accessible, contract-ready option that fits seamlessly into the government purchasing process.

E- Ecosystem

In the government market, relationships drive results. Building a trusted ecosystem—including teaming partners, resellers, and advisors—can enhance your credibility and expand your reach. Government buyers favor companies with established networks and proven partnerships. It reassures them that you’re supported by a network of trusted collaborators. This foundation not only amplifies your influence but also positions you as a deeply embedded, resourceful player in the government space.

SOURCE investments have a specific order

If you’ve gotten this far, you know that most of SOURCE is commonly understood.  The magic and fast-growth success comes from continually investing in a very specific order. If you invest out of order, you will stall and delay your growth.  The government market is highly regulated, and unyielding.  The procurement paths are bound in policies and laws that cannot be circumvented. And, the buyers and procurement teams are often wholly unaware of each other.  The relationship you have with your buyer does not translate to the contracting officer in procurement.  Investments in the order we lay out below will dramatically speed the growth and adoption of your products in the market.

1. First, make it easy to purchase your products

Before anything else, it’s necessary to need to invest in are Contracts and Ecosystem. The government needs a way to purchase what you’re selling. Without these two, you can’t do business with the government. Sometimes, you can achieve both of these at once with a partner that also has access to key contracts like GSA Schedule 70 or SEWP.

2.  Then, make it possible to purchase your products

Next, comes investment in Standards. Your product needs to meet Standards, but not all agencies adhere to the same standards. So, your product can be sold to some agencies while you’re working on a broader set of standards and compliance. But, for real growth to take off, you must meet the most common standards like FedRAMP, FISMA, FIPS and others. That’s why it’s the third investment you make, and the one you make before hiring.

3. Now, tap experienced professionals to engage your buyers

Once you have those three foundational investments, the next will be about people. It’s a common misperception that you can “teach” someone how to sell or market to the public sector. Yes, it’s possible, but it takes years. A rule of thumb is that it takes about five years for a great enterprise seller to become a reasonably good government seller. There are many reasons for this, but the most critical is that the government seller needs to go through at least three government budget cycles before they learn how to harness them in support of a quota. For a marketer, it’s four years. So, for this reason, you will want to set up a public sector Organization with experienced public sector leaders, marketers and sellers.

However, along with that experience often comes discernment. The truth is, it doesn’t matter how innovative the product is if the company is unwilling to invest in standards, contracts and ecosystems. Those foundations must be in place to sell into the market.

So, an experienced public sector seller or leader will usually not agree to work for a company that doesn’t have these things or hasn’t made a substantial commitment to them. They know they will likely spend an enormous amount of time trying to get these things put in place and very little time selling. This is why Contracts, Ecosystems and Standards come before Organization.

4. Finally, accelerate your growth with targeted sales plays, demand campaigns and awareness

Most companies want to lead with PR, advertising and marketing – however we’ve shown why this doesn’t work.  Unless you can easily transact business for your product, have a product that is well-suited for the vertical and have experienced marketers and sellers at the helm – the effect of your marketing and sales outreach will be hampered (and you’ll probably experience churn as a result).  But, if you save Use Cases and References for last and prioritize the first four elements of SOURCE, you’ll find that you’ll speed the return on these often significant investments and fuel your public sector success.

SOURCE investments are continuous

How long does it take to fully invest in SOURCE? If you’re just entering the government market, it will take you about three to four years to get through it all . But the reality is that it’s an ongoing investment. Once you solve SOURCE for one product at one level of business, you’ll need to solve it again once you reach a new revenue level or new product.

Investments in standards, contracts, ecosystems, and organizations for a five-million-dollar business are very different than those needed for a five-hundred-million-dollar business. So at each stage of revenue growth, you will need to assess the SOURCE and make the investments. We have this all mapped out for you, so feel free to contact us if you’d like us to walk you through it in depth.

Here are a few other practical tips to guide your journey:

Know your buyer: Become an expert on your target agency’s pain points and procurement process. Each sector is different. Understanding these nuances can make or break your approach.

Leverage repeatability: Focus on repeatable sales plays by solving key use cases for agencies. Once you’ve cracked the code for one buyer, replicate it across other departments.

Be ready to invest: Securing government business is not a one-off transaction—it’s a long-term commitment. Invest in certifications, sales training, and marketing to make your presence felt.

And, invest again at every growth level: Always think ahead. Your strategy should account for investment at every level of business growth. Building a thriving government business takes more than just selling technology or meeting standards. It requires a deep commitment to understanding and aligning with government needs at every level. With the right strategy and the SOURCE framework, your company can unlock sustained success in this complex market.

Contact us today to discuss how we can help you with your government business growth at hello@govbizresults.com.

The post The Key to Unlock Fast Growth in GovTech appeared first on GBR.

This blogs reviews the various relationships that exist in the government vertical market, and how you can leverage them to accelerate your public sector business results.

Your GovBuyer is the foundation for focused, repeatable marketing

One of the biggest advantages of cultivating a good relationship with a government customer is their ability to act as an internal or external champion.  Government agencies are constantly looking to learn from their peers. They want to understand what works, why and how.  Reviewing references and peer adoption is an important step in their GovBuyer’s Journey™.  You can help.  If your solution has been successful elsewhere, they are more likely to consider it.  If your solution has a proven track record in one agency, it can unlock doors to new opportunities with other agencies.  

However, securing a government success story isn’t always easy or straightforward. In the private sector, where customer testimonials are often freely shared.  But government agencies are bound by strict rules that prevent them from appearing to endorse one vendor over another. This means that any success story must undergo a formal approval process, often involving the agency’s public affairs officer. A strong relationship with a government customer makes all the difference in navigating through agency ranks and signoffs.

The process takes time, but the payoff is well worth the wait.  Once approved, the success story becomes a powerful marketing asset that can help your government customer take the next step in their GovBuyer’s Journey and help your sales team close deals more effectively. 

Leverage integrator partnerships to expand your marketing reach

Cultivating a good rapport with system integrators can provide a significant advantage in your marketing efforts. Partners bring domain expertise and additional credibility in areas you may not have. They can also help fill in gaps in your solution offering, enabling you to tell a more comprehensive story to potential GovBuyers.  

Scaling through aggregators

In addition to making it easier for government customers to purchase your products, working with aggregators can help scale your marketing efforts across a broader segment of the government community. In the GovTech market, an aggregator is a type of partner that consolidates products, services, or data from multiple providers into a single source for government agencies to access. Aggregators streamline the procurement process by offering a wide variety of solutions on common government contract vehicles.  This enables agencies to efficiently discover, compare, and acquire technologies that meet their specific needs.  

So aggregators have the reach, contracts, and capabilities to introduce your solution to new buyers you may not have been able to reach on your own. And, top tier aggregators will have knowledgeable, expert marketing and sales teams that can help brainstorm ideas and concepts, and amplify your message and campaigns. 

Better together:  Meet the hybrid demand with other tech vendors

Today’s government agencies are relying on commercial technology to meet their mission needs.  They want to avoid the high costs and long timelines associated with custom-coded solutions, opting instead for hybrid technology workflows. These workflows typically involve integrating multiple commercial products into a cohesive solution that meets the agency’s requirements.  

However, with over 9,000 technology vendors in the GovTech market, it can be difficult for agencies to know which products will work well together. This is where co-marketing with technology partners can make a significant impact.  Demonstrating a workflow compatibility will help the agency buyers understand the strengths and benefits of your solution in their hybrid agency tech stack.  

As you’re building your strategies and campaigns, consider collaborating with other partners or participating in alliance co-marketing. You can create joint marketing campaigns that showcase how your combined solutions deliver greater value to government customers. You’ll also highlight the compatibility of your solution with others in the market, showing that your solution fits seamlessly into a hybrid environment. And, you’ll emphasize the added value that comes from working with a broader ecosystem of technology providers. 

Building the future of GovTech marketing

In the GovTech market, success isn’t just about having the right product—it’s about building strategic relationships that boost your reach, credibility, and influence. These relationships are the cornerstone of scalable, repeatable marketing efforts.

By leveraging these alliances, you can navigate the complexities of the government buying process, expand your market presence, and deliver impactful, co-branded solutions that meet the growing demand for hybrid technologies. Strong connections unlock new opportunities and drive lasting success in the public sector.

Remember, it’s not just about what you know, but who you know—and how you use those relationships to craft compelling marketing stories that deliver rapid, meaningful results for you and your government customers.

The post From Connection to Conversion: Your Guide to Leveraging Relationships in GovTech appeared first on GBR.

You’ve probably done your share of cloud campaigns by now, but it’s always a good idea to run a check every now and then to ensure you’ve got your bases covered.

Here are 6 tips to help you optimize your cloud marketing strategy … and win more deals.

1. Develop a deep understanding of target agencies’ specific needs, challenges and priorities

 A broad approach to your marketing and sales efforts won’t help you in today’s government cloud market. Agencies aren’t just looking for cutting-edge cloud technology, they need real solutions that solve their specific problems and align with their agency mandates, budgetary constraints and regulatory frameworks. By showing you understand their pain along with their ecosystem – and can deliver the right solution for their individual agency’s needs – you’ll position yourself as a trusted partner.

Start by understanding which subsegment of the market you’re targeting. Is it state, local, DoD, FedCiv, IC? They each have a different set of drivers, personas, needs and value centers.

Following that, within your target government sub-segment consider the government sub-vertical that you want to develop. This serves as a cross reference that should help to narrow your focus.   Each of these verticals has different trends, challenges and opportunities, and each offer a different use case that can be targeted.

Next, learn which agencies within the sub-vertical are increasing their cloud technology spend – and which programs they’re using to do that. Deep dive into their specific use cases and compliance requirements. Research the agency’s current IT infrastructure, pain points and future goals.

We like the site USAspending.gov, which allows you to slice the data easily. Another great resource are companies like Deltek and their GovWin IQ reports on government cloud markets. Finally, look to the agencies themselves. All agencies have their annual strategies available on their agency website. These are invaluable for understanding their operating strategies, mission imperatives and current programs they’re funding.

Finally, it’s time to identify your target buyers and their needs.  Start by zeroing in on their titles and personas.  Personas can be developed any number of ways, and tools like AI can help to make this and other marketing processes easier.  The best personas, however, are the ones that are vetted by sales teams and address each stage of the GovBuyer’s Journey™ .  Armed with the personas, you’ll be able to create something like a GovBuyer’s Essential blueprint (the easy button here is to just have GBR do it for you).  This type of tool is a great way to align your sales and marketing efforts through a shared vision of the customer buying experience.

2. Showcase your compliance, security and proven success

 OK, so you know the agencies, use cases and personas you want to target – how do you position your solution? You have to go beyond the statement that your product is FedRAMP-authorized or has received authority-to-operate (ATO) at a certain DoD Impact Level. It’s important to clearly state this in your marketing and sales efforts, but as we all know, that only makes you an eligible player. To stand out in the crowded GovTech cloud vendor arena, you need to focus on messaging to the security needs of the mission or specific workflows that you’re targeting.

In this process, it’s also important to know what security and privacy compliance requirements are needed for these workflows, and make sure your product has the required level. For example, marketing a FedRAMP-Moderate product to a DoD Inspector General audience probably won’t get you very far. Similarly, marketing a StateRAMP product to a state that has its own cloud certification, like Texas, won’t get you very far either.

Additionally, it remains important to leverage case studies and success stories to showcase your track record delivering results to your subsegment. These real-world examples provide powerful proof points that help build trust and credibility with potential customers. And if you don’t have exact matches for your case studies, that’s OK. Try to align the best you can with what you have, remembering that each segment would prefer to hear from a peer agency in their same segment.

3. Engage through educational content and thought leadership

 Once you have your message and positioning down, consider your content mix. Today’s government buyer is a savvy consumer of digital content, so consider a broad mix of content assets such as whitepapers, e-books, webinars and blog posts that cover topics relevant to your target agency and positions you as a go-to resource. This is where the GovBuyer’s Journey also comes in handy. You want to align your content to the stages your target prospect will go through in their cloud buying journey. The GovBuyer’s Journey Essentials can be used to identify the messaging, content and events that meet a GovBuyer’s needs at every step of their Journey. With the blueprint you (or GBR) can perform a Content Analysis and identify gaps to be filled.

Along the way, you want to create content that will break down complex cloud concepts, explain best practices for government-specific use cases and provide actionable insights that help them make informed decisions.

Remember, the goal is not just to promote your products. By consistently delivering relevant and informative content, you’ll establish your company as a trusted authority in the GovTech space, stay top-of-mind with them and be well-positioned to capture opportunities when they arise.

4. Collaborate with your partner ecosystem

 It’s rare today that a single product on its own can meet an agency’s full needs. You also need integrations and partnerships to market and sell the cloud solutions that agencies need. So, it’s important for your company to keep evolving your ecosystem of partnerships and alliances.

As a marketer, identify and shortlist GovTech cloud players, system integrators and consulting firms that have a strong presence and reputation in the government sector. Start by including them in your target audience to create awareness for your product. As you or your company develops strategic relationships with these partners, begin to collaborate with them to develop joint value propositions, co-branded or “better together” marketing campaigns and integrated solutions that showcase the power of your combined capabilities.

5. Navigate cloud buying cycles and procurement processes

As we know, government sales cycles vary from the private sector in length and timing. We also know that to succeed, it’s important to have a firm understanding of how these cycles can impact your marketing efforts. But, as you develop or improve on your cloud campaigns, it’s also important to consider the following:

• Knowledge of how buying cloud technology is different from traditional IT – the sales cycle length, and GovBuyer’s Journey^TM for your specific solution.
• Understanding of how cloud funding is structured and released. It can impact contract solicitations and acquisition strategies. Beyond the regular Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) processes in place, cloud solutions may also be eligible for Other Transaction Authority transactions (OTAs), which come with different rules and shorter timelines. Understanding the acquisition landscape will help you to create more effective sales and marketing campaigns.
• Get insights into your specific prospect’s GovBuyer’s Journey^TM. It’s important to meet your buyers where they are in their journey with the information they need to move forward. Research budgetary calendars and appropriations cycles of your target agencies and identify key decision points. Once you know where your potential buyers are on their journey, you can align your marketing and business development efforts to meet them where they are with the information they need.
• Architect continual engagement with your prospects and customers through nurture campaigns that span at least 12 months. Government sales cycles are long, often spanning 12 – 18 months or more. If you don’t keep top-of-mind with them, your competitors will.

6. Authentically engage with the GovTech community

 As we know, success in the GovTech market comes down to the strength and authenticity of your relationships. Government buyers want trusted partners who understand their mission and are committed to their success. So now is a good time to ask, is your messaging authentic? Are you promising too much? Are you appropriately recognizing the size, complex IT and cloud hybrid nature of the world your prospects exist in? Are you describing your solutions proper fit and function in that world? All of this underscores the credibility of your brand, and your value promise.

An important aspect of authenticity is engaging with the GovTech community both online and in person. Make sure you are attending or exhibiting at key government-focused conferences, trade shows and networking events with cloud tracks. Also, look for smaller scale “gem” events outside of the larger obvious ones. It may not be as big of an audience, but investing in a sponsorship, especially a speaking or roundtable opportunity, allows you to stand out and get your message across more than you would at a larger event – be a bigger fish in a smaller pond. Attend the conference sessions if you can. Listen and learn about the challenges and priorities of your target audience and adapt your messaging and offerings accordingly.

Building relationships takes time and effort and those relationships can be set back with administration changes. But by providing value and establishing trust across the agency with multiple stakeholders you’ll forge lasting connections that will carry over in change and serve you well throughout your GovTech journey.

Accelerate your cloud sales, starting today

The government cloud market presents a massive opportunity for GovTech marketers and sales leaders, but success doesn’t just happen overnight. It requires a strategic, disciplined approach. By considering the six tips above, you’ll be headed down the right path to winning your share of the cloud funding and making a meaningful impact in the public sector.

Contact us today to discuss how we can help you with your government marketing strategy at hello@govbizresults.com.

The post 6 Strategies to Help You Land Your B2G Cloud Marketing appeared first on GBR.

How AI Can Help You Market to Government Agencies

Government agencies operate within a unique ecosystem, characterized by specific compliance requirements, procurement processes, and mission-critical objectives. As marketers, our goal is to deliver compelling value propositions that align with these unique challenges and help move the government buyer forward on their journey.  AI tooling and the Large Language Models (LLMs) they are based on empower us to not only connect with the government buyer more effectively, but also help us up-level our game with:

1. Personalized, high-value content creation: We know that the more you can tailor your message, the better your marketing campaigns will perform. Leveraging AI tools like ChatGPT is a massive game-changer in personalization. It enables us to easily generate customized content that speaks directly to the needs and interests of specific government audiences, from IT leaders to mission owners to procurement officers, all in different sub-segments (eg: Local Government, Intelligence, DoD, Civilian) and the government verticals.
2. Data-driven insights:  AI-driven analytics provide deep insights into campaign performance, audience engagement, and market trends, allowing us to make informed decisions and adapt our strategies in real-time.  This is especially valuable in GovTech marketing, where the standard government sales cycle is 12-18 months. Keeping a pulse on the performance is critical to making the most of these longer investments.  But who wants to be mired in spreadsheets and pivot tables?  AI makes this so much easier.  All you need to do is create a clean spreadsheet (clear of any PII or other company-sensitive data) of your tactics and their performance, PDF it, and drop it into your favorite AI chatbot (we have two recommendations below), and let it do the work for you.
3. Brainstorming and operations partner: From automating routine tasks to optimizing ad placements, AI enhances operational efficiency, freeing us to focus on strategic initiatives and creative ideation. It can even act as a brainstorming partner on government marketing tactics and content.  For example, you can provide information about an event, your target audience, and goal for the campaign, then ask for pre- and post- event connection and nurture recommendations.  Or, ask it to provide a topic cluster analysis around a core concept to surface creative content ideas.

Navigating the AI Chatbot Landscape for Government Marketing – Which Tool to Use?

The AI ecosystem is deep and varied, with different tools offering distinct advantages for government marketing.  The biggest areas of growth within the technologies are understanding how big the prompts can be (this is measured in tokens – fundamental units of data), what kind of content can be analyzed in the prompt (text, image, video, etc.), and how well the chatbot can understand your intent (reasoning).  As a marketer, we move fast and want to have as many options as possible available to us for prompting.  So you have to lift the hood a little bit on these systems and develop a better understanding of how they work.

Here’s how we can harness two of the most common technologies.  Before going too much further, it’s worth noting that while both have free versions, what you get for the paid version is substantially better – and well worth the $20/month cost.

• ChatGPT: At the moment, there are two options for ChatGPT: 3.5 (free) and 4.0 (paid).  Both are good for creating engaging content, but 4.0 really stands out as a true content collaboration partner.  4.0 has superior reasoning skills, memory controls that allow it to remember information about your company and your desired prospects across different chats, and the ability to support multiple file uploads.  ChatGPT can also remember information about your company and your desired prospect and assist in drafting everything from press releases to email and social media posts, tailored with the language and priorities of the government sector.  Plus, it has a Team and Enterprise version that allows you to collaborate with peers. With all of these features, ChatGPT does a better job of supporting  the government marketers’ content needs.
• Gemini: Gemini is Google’s follow-up to Bard, and also offers two options;  Gemini (free) and Gemini Advanced (paid).  Built on the incredible horsepower and capability set of the Google 1.0 Ultra AI model, Gemini Advanced has a superior understanding of language nuances and the ability to process diverse data types.  It is emerging as a powerful tool for data analysis and brainstorming, delivering superior content with real-time web searches that relate to your government marketing content and strategy. Gemini is also available in Gmail, Docs, and more, with 2TB of storage with the Google AI Premium plan.  And, if you haven’t seen what Gemini 1.5 Pro can do with multimodal, check out this video on YouTube.

While both of these chatbots have their strengths, remember that each of them treats the privacy of your data differently.   You’ll want to read their terms and conditions carefully to understand what content and data will be available to the public or used by the companies to further train their AI models.  It’s also important to note that if your company uses firms to draft content, you should be asking them (as part of their standard delivery model) to identify what content has been developed by AI, and what has been developed by a human.  You should set the expectation that anything developed by AI has been vetted and verified by a human.

Looking Ahead: Embracing AI in Government Marketing

As we look to the future, the integration of AI into our marketing tactics and strategies is not just an option but a necessity. AI’s ability to process vast amounts of data, understand complex patterns, and generate human-like content offers us an unparalleled opportunity to refine our approaches, engage more deeply with government clients, and achieve our marketing objectives with greater efficiency and impact.

There are a few keys to unlocking this magic:

1. Think of AI as Robin to your Batman.  Don’t ask it to be the GovTech marketing expert in the room – that’s your job.  You need to be able to oversee what it executes so you don’t wind up using hallucinations in your marketing.
2. If you’re not getting the response you want, look in the mirror.  With AI, the output is directly related to the prompt input.  Spend time building a good prompt library and you can save yourself hours on the backend.
3. Don’t try to make a potato chip into a fruit cake.  When the AI doesn’t deliver the result you wanted, don’t ask it to try again in the next prompt.  After all, you got a potato chip – and now you want it to make that potato chip into a fruit cake?  No. Instead, if you didn’t get what you wanted, go back to the original prompt and edit that. You have to start with a good source prompt.  After all, a fruit cake has different ingredients, right?

Imagine a future where government marketing is smarter, faster, and more targeted. That’s the power of AI. By helping you create personalized content, uncover hidden data insights, and automate tasks, AI can revolutionize the way you connect with government agencies.

But here’s the catch: AI is a sidekick, not a superhero. You’re still the government marketing expert, and AI is here to enhance your skills. With a clear plan and some practice crafting prompts, AI can become your secret weapon for success.

So, are you ready to ditch the spreadsheets and unleash the potential of AI?  The future of GovTech marketing is bright, and it’s waiting for you.

Contact us today to discuss how we can help you with your AI-fueled government marketing needs at hello@govbizresults.com.

The post Level Up Your Gov Marketing Game with AI appeared first on GBR.