From Connection to Conversion: Unlocking GovTech Success with Strategic Relationships
We’ve all heard the phrase, “It’s not what you know, but who you know.” In the GovTech market, this is doubly true. The public sector market is huge, but well-connected. Relationships and references within that network are the foundation of success for marketers. They can provide a strategic advantage, build trust, and are the foundation of high value, repeatable marketing campaigns.
Your GovBuyer is the foundation for focused, repeatable marketing
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 JourneyTM. 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. Unlike in the private sector, where customer testimonials are often freely shared, 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. This 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.
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. This champion can help streamline the sign-off process for use cases and success stories. A strong relationship with a government customer can make all the difference in navigating this process.
Leverage integrator partnerships to expand your marketing reach
Cultivating a good rapport with other government contractors or 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 partnerships, 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, they often have knowledgeable marketing 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 is not just about having the right product; it’s about building strategic relationships that amplify your reach, credibility, and influence. From fostering strong connections with government customers to partnering with system integrators, technology vendors, and aggregators, these relationships are the foundation for scalable, repeatable marketing efforts.
Leveraging these alliances will help you navigate the complexities of the government buying process, expand your market presence, and create powerful, co-branded solutions that meet the growing demand for hybrid technologies. Ultimately, it’s the strength of these connections that will unlock new opportunities and drive long-term success in the public sector.
Just remember, it’s not just about what you know, but who you know—and how to use those relationships to create powerful marketing stories that drive rapid and lasting results for you, and your government customer.