It’s our inherent human nature to follow the pack, especially when it comes to marketing to federal decision-makers. However, the misguided belief that federal decision-makers want to see conservative approaches and content often leads government marketers to stick with traditional technical white papers and online “brochureware” that lack personality or creativity.
As marketers, we often make the mistake of viewing the government customer as one-dimensional and focused only on the mission. This could not be more wrong.
Although providing content and insights to help agencies support mission goals is paramount, federal marketers lack a major key ingredient: creativity.
The reality is that federal decision-makers are just like you and me. Some spend their free time studying to be an amateur sommelier, or others seeing their favorite bands at the 9:30 Club.
They want to be approached with innovative and clever ideas. And now this is even more important since gaining access to government executives has become more challenging due to dwindling budgets. According to a recent Market Connections poll, event cancellations and federal travel restrictions are negatively impacting innovation and collaboration.
With marketing budgets tightening, now is the time for federal marketers to muster the courage to be creative. We can no longer enjoy the benefits of nearly unlimited marketing resources to capture the attention of government executives.
As contractors are finalizing their 2014 marketing plans, I urge them to consider developing programs that will make them truly stand out. This could include:
- A content marketing campaign that shows the unique human element of government decision-makers;
- A YouTube campaign that shines a light on the unique personalities of government;
- A branded news site that spotlights the “brightest stars” in government.
These are flattery-oriented campaigns aimed at capturing the attention of government – and the possibilities are nearly limitless. Plus, since we have all been doing the same old marketing tactics, it won’t take too much to stand out in the crowd.
Find the courage to take creative risks in brave ways that will captivate your government customers and prospects.
About the Author:
Matt Langan is the Founder and CEO of L&R Communications, a PR and content marketing firm that develops dynamic marketing strategies for enhancing brand awareness and lead generation.
