We recently read a great article by a friend and former client of Cassidy & Associates Tim Solms who detailed essential elements that should be included in a government sales plan. Tim recognizes from his own experience that government affairs can be a key ally both for the corporate entity as well as the federal customer, adding value and a force multiplier to the business goals.
Here’s an excerpt from Tim’s article…
The rules of engaging with Congress or staffers are complex so having a trusted professional team to guide and mentor you through the engagements is critical. There are many great firms that do GR, I’ve partnered with a few in the past and lately I have had success with Cassidy and Associates. The key differentiator that I’ve found, is building a relationship with a firm that ‘gets government business’ and actively engages within your same business community. If you partner with a firm that is isolated to the world of Politicians and K Street Lobbyists, they can lose the critical view of your market. It is that view which allows them to guide you effectively on The Hill; think of your GR team as another go-to-market resource. Government Relations is not a ‘one & done’ kind of engagement so planning, preparation, and consistency are critical to your effectiveness. One recommendation I have is to share government relations information and activities in advance with the senior leaders within your customers – this may help mitigate potential backlash and can allow your efforts to more directly represent customer needs. When the DoD CIO was able to read and comment on the paper I was about to deliver to the HASC, it helped make sure that we were engaging together in a partnership, align priorities, offer a fully vetted recommendation, and eliminate any potential surprises.
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