Our Asher Government Sales Training Experts Discuss Key Differences Between B2B and B2G
It’s increasingly common for B2B companies to try to make a transition into the lucrative world of governmental sales, but that doesn’t mean it’s necessarily a smooth transition. One of the key things a top government sales training program will emphasize is how B2G is not like B2B. Sure, they have similarities, but a company which goes into governmental sales thinking it will be just like B2B will not do well.
Any reputable governmental sales training program, like our very own at Asher, should spend a lot of time on this and help businesses break habits which could hold them back in the B2G world.
Three Ways B2G and B2B are NOT Alike
- Understaffed andreactive procurement teams.
In the business world, large amounts of money can be spent analyzing purchasing decisions, doing research, and running ROI reports. This is very often not the case in government agencies. Their procurement teams are frequently understaffed, and lacking the time and/or resources to do detailed analyses.
This opens great opportunities for government contractors, since the procurement teams will often be much more open to “advice” from those making a sale.
- Partnerships are more common.
It’s relatively rare in business contracting to see multiple businesses team up to all fulfill a single contract. However, it’s much more common in governmental sales. Often, it’s downright necessary, as the procurement needs of the government can be larger than what any single business can fulfill. In these situations, partnerships or extensive subcontracting are usually the solution.
A good government sale training class will always mention the importance of maintaining good relations with other contractors in your area of expertise, and always being open to partnership arrangements.
- Far more information is available publicly.
Government websites maintain a wealth of information about the internal operations of agencies, including details you’d never see about a private business. This can include their operating budgets, their small-business hiring quotas, their spending habits, and their upcoming expenditures.
Much of the time, the most successful B2G contractors are the ones who know how to leverage public information to better target their new ideas and proposals. Ignoring this information is a recipe for failure.
Learn Directly from Government Sales Training Experts
Asher Strategies has decades of experience working with the government, and helping others do the same. We teach you the strategies that succeed. Contact us today to learn more.
