B-to-B : Ask 4 Questions Before Targeting B-to-G

How to become a proactive seller in the lucrative Government market

These resources vary from company to company, but you may need a veteran of the government market, some new accounting methods if you choose to sell via contract or perhaps some outside guidance.

3. Does the government buy what we sell? The government buys nearly everything to greater or lesser degrees. This includes all B-to-B products and services, and even some B-to-C things. To get a feel for the range of products the government buys, go to www.gsa.gov/elibrary and spend some time browsing categories.

4. Will we sacrifice margin in the B-to-G market? Margins are sacrificed when you’re negotiating contracts in any market; the government market is no different. If you choose to target the government credit card business and sell via the open market (less than $3,000 per order), you sacrifice no margin. But when you enter the bidding process, often the driving factor will be price.

You start in this market like any other: research, and when necessary, advice and guidance. One place to start your research is at the www.gsa.gov/elibrary. Another is GovernmentExpress.com (click on the “resources” button and browse).

It’s time you start getting back some of your tax dollars!

Mark Amtower is a B-to-G consultant and author, and is senior partner at Amtower & Co. Reach him at Mark@FederalDirect.net.

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