The previous installment warned that some federal marketing activities can be too expensive for small to medium sized businesses. You probably can't afford to sponsor a golf tournament in Washington, DC.

The following federal marketing activities can work for small to medium-sized businesses:

• Send direct marketing literature to end users and buyers, and follow-up with direct sales calls.
• Conduct your own product or service demo event. This is only effective if you can get buyers and end users to attend.
• Write articles targeted directly to the government audience.
• Issue press releases. They are cheap to do and can be effective especially if they are reprinted in publications read by government end users.
• Consider advertising. Many find advertising to be too expensive until the government profits start rolling in. If you advertise, focus on targeted online and offline publications that government end users actually read.
• Attend government-sponsored vendor conferences. Although the buyers are there, end users don't usually attend. You might make good contacts, but don't count on it. Try to know who is attending before you decide to go. It's best to start with this type of meeting in your immediate geographic area to keep costs down.
• Attend large trade shows for the government market. These can be very expensive. If you must go, see if you can attend under the sponsorship of a prime contractor with whom you work. Share a booth to reduce expenses. Again, it's best to start within your immediate geographic area to keep costs down.

So, have I mentioned the importance of a relationship with the federal end user enough? Overkill maybe, but experienced federal contracting executives often forget this basic principle in their everyday battle for contract revenue.

In summary, learn the rules and play by them. Sell the end user and then work with the end user and contracting officer to find a way within the rules to close your sale.

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