Is B2G Marketing Important? The need to stretch marketing dollars further has businesses questioning whether government is a worthwhile audience. Here are some reasons why the investment could pay off.

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Getting the largest buyer, employer, and rule maker in the United States to like you is no small task. Whether it’s federal, state, or local government, this audience has a reputation for being late adopters who make decisions at a snail’s pace. So why use precious marketing dollars on branding to the government? Simply because there’s likely no other entity that can both propel your business forward or stop it in its tracks with the stoke of a pen. And whether you want to do business with the government as a client or not, that’s a significant concern. The investment is critical. Consider these factors:

1. Most businesses are materially

impacted by regulations. The federal government produced 75,000 pages of regulation in 2014, and state and local governments collectively produced more than that. Regardless of the fact that the rulemaking process may seem to be impassable, regulators and lawmakers do gather information from interested and affected parties before establishing new regulation. It’s critical that the value of a company’s products and services are considered in this process, and the only way to do that is to message to government entities.

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2. There is pressure on the government to

be more innovative. This provides companies offering new technologies the perfect opportunity to market their services and nab grants such as the Small Business Innovation Research (SRIR) grants, Investing in Innovation (i3) grants, and Social Innovation Fund (SIF) grants.

3. Chances are your competitors and

other industry players are actively messaging to the government. Whether your competitors are head-to-head or in a legacy space that might be replaced, competitors will use their influence to block a new entrant. For example, the taxi industry has had a definitive impact on blocking Uber’s growth in certain markets. Uber has entered the conversation not only by highlighting its technology, but also its social relevance, which is essential whether a company wants to win contracts or merely wants to persevere against unfavorable regulation. Marketing your company’s social value and favorable effect on the local and broader economies can counter negative messaging and help overcome regulatory hurdles.

April 3, 2015

© 2015 Gide Confidential Property of Gide LLC

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4. Government can be a great customer. As a client, government offers long-term, predictable revenue streams, billions of contracting dollars, and most government agencies pay their invoices on time. While government markets have a reputation for being difficult to penetrate, a well-crafted branding plan coupled with a strong business development and government relations strategy can do wonders for establishing credibility and trust in this market. Many government entities are open to new vendors as long as the company has a recognized and credible brand. 5. Legislation can create new markets. The Affordable Care Act turned the healthcare industry on its head and created several new business opportunities in the process. As consumer health insurance coverage expanded, the health insurance exchange market blossomed, and as electronic health records were mandated, data digitizing, capture and management became sexy. Messaging the

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value of these services in facilitating better health coverage choices and care was critical in enabling them to be a component of the law. To effectively manage the risk and opportunity from government action, it will likely take a different form of marketing and profile raising than what you’re using for consumers and businesses. Regardless of whether your organization is pursuing government contracts, tax breaks, grants, or just wants a favorable environment to execute your business strategy, proactively messaging and marketing your brand to government can help avoid significant regulatory risks and facilitate industry-changing growth opportunities that standard marketing practices cannot.

Modern companies need to leverage government not ignore it

Maria Perrin is a Principal at Gide, a government relations consulting firm. Gide (pronounced guide) helps companies navigate the complex world of government regulation to further their innovation and growth. Ms. Perrin spent 15 years as a marketing and government relations executive, most recently as Chief Marketing Officer for HMS Holdings, where she oversaw over 100 government contracts, and managed the legislative strategy for the company.

Contact:

Phone: 202.750.2021

Website: www.gidellc.com

Email: mperrin@gidellc.com

Twitter: @mariaperrin

© 2015 Gide Confidential Property of Gide LLC