This document summarizes the results of a market survey of 150 government agency decision makers. It finds that the most important factors when evaluating proposals are a contractor's ability to deliver, relevant experience, and a sound proposal. Decision makers prefer to learn about new IT solutions through word of mouth or previous experience working with a vendor. The most useful information sources are websites, and the most likely items to download are white papers and case studies. It provides tips for government marketing, such as focusing on mission goals rather than ROI, highlighting case studies, and getting involved in the community.

1. Marketing To The Government

2. What We’ve Heard
We recently conducted a market survey of
government agency decision makers:
• An online survey with 150 interviews were completed that were
15-minutes in length
• Respondents confirmed they worked for a branch of the Federal
government
– 50% of respondents were decision makers and the
other 50% have input into decisions for awarding IT
contracts
– 35% of respondents work for DOD and its agencies
– 43% work for other departments (Commerce, Labor, etc)
– 22% work for executive agencies such as NASA and a few
work for Congress

3. Order of Key Services and Solutions
83%
57%
47% 45% 44%
35% 32%
Security Disaster Recovery Large scale
integration of IT
Application
Modernization
Managed Services Mobility Cloud Servicesm

4. Factors in Evaluating Proposals
The factors that matter the most to those who give input into the contract
award decisions
– Contractors who have the ability to delivery
– Contractors who have the experience specific to the need
– Contractors who present a sound proposal
– Contractors who provide strong service
– Past experience is also an important factor impacting attitudes toward
contractors
TOP 3 BOX SUMMARY - IMPORTANCE
Total
Decision
Maker
Input to
Decision
Ability to deliver 75% 63% 87%
Has the experience specific to your needs 70% 60% 80%
A technically sound proposal 68% 63% 73%
Service 67% 57% 76%
Perceived quality of the solutions 62% 57% 67%
Have previous experience working with 57% 55% 59%
Innovation 55% 48% 63%
Simplicity of solution 51% 51% 52%
Flexible on cost 50% 41% 59%
Low Cost 44% 40% 48%

5. New IT Services, Solutions and
Products
Word of mouth or a previous working relationship are the way more
government employees learn about new IT services, solutions and
products
44%
39% 38% 37%
25% 23% 21%
Word of mouth /
have experience
working with
Vendor websites Technology trade
publications
Government
technology trade
publications
Trade shows Webinars Social Media

6. The Most Useful Sources of
Information
• Informational websites (43%)
• Issue specific digital campaigns lags while the
second choice lags well behind (30%)
• Radio (16%) and banner (13%) advertisements are
the least useful sources of information
• Those looking for disaster recovery services and
cloud services are more likely to use most of these
sources as it appears they are still looking to learn
more.

7. Most Likely To Download
• These government employees are more likely to
download a white paper or a case study – with 45
% selecting each of these.
• But, 33% say an infographic and 31% say other
premium content.
– None of these really stand out as something they would
download, but at the same time they are clearly open to
receiving information about new IT services, solutions
and products
– DOD employees are more interested in case studies
(57%)
– IT and project managers a white paper (53%)

8. Some Useful Conclusions
Your messages must hit their top concerns:
– Do you have the experience?
– Can you deliver?
– Do you have good service?
Less important messages:
– Low cost
– Innovation

9. Some Useful Conclusions
Your messages must hit their top concerns:
– Do you have the experience?
– Can you deliver?
– Do you have good service?
Less important messages:
– Low cost
– Innovation

10. Top 10 Gov Marketing Tips
Think mission goals over ROI.
Agencies are driven by legislative mandates
and regulatory requirements, and that’s how
officials get promoted and move up the chain.

11. Top 10 Gov Marketing Tips
Budget savings are important, but don’t talk
about how your solution can reduce
headcount.
No one wants to put their jobs at risk. Talk
about how agencies can cut costs and
reallocate resources to where they are needed
most.

12. Top 10 Gov Marketing Tips
Dedicated Government messaging that is clear
and easy to find is essential.
Agency decision-makers will not sort through
corporate messaging to discern what might be
important to them. If they can’t find it quickly,
they will stop looking.

13. Top 10 Gov Marketing Tips
Easy-to-find government specific landing
pages are a must.
If decision makers don’t quickly find
information that is directly relevant to them,
they will move on to a competitor’s website.

14. Top 10 Gov Marketing Tips
Social media should not be an afterthought in
terms of dedicated content.
We always recommend government-specific
social media handles.

15. Top 10 Gov Marketing Tips
Customer case studies are important.
No government official wants to be the beta
tester of a new solution. They want to know
how it’s been successfully used by other
agencies – and there is no better way to tell
that story than through the lens of their peers.

16. Top 10 Gov Marketing Tips
Highlight your government success stories.
Government officials don’t get much
recognition for a job well done, and they have
strict rules about promoting themselves. But
that doesn’t mean that you can’t tell their
story, making them look good in the process.

17. Top 10 Gov Marketing Tips
The government audience cuts across all
demographics. Personas are hard to create
because they can be so different in age, how
they get their information, what they read and
their comfort level with new technologies.
While the existing demos trend to the older
side and rely on trade publications, agencies
are aggressively recruiting in the younger
demos who digest most of their content
through social media. There is no ‘one-size-
fits-all.”

18. Top 10 Gov Marketing Tips
Get involved in the community.
Carpet baggers don’t succeed selling to the
Federal government. It takes a dedicated,
focused effort and commitment to the
community.

19. Top 10 Gov Marketing Tips
It is not just Washington.
Federal procurement teams and decision-
makers are across the country – from U.S
Central Command at MacDill AFB in Florida
to San Diego to military bases in between,
customers are everywhere and need to be
messaged to appropriately.