Marketing Success Begins With Good Market Research

by Arkansas Procurement Technical Assistance Center - September 17, 2020

Great Questions Reveal Critical Facts that Enable Proven and Repeatable Sales and Marketing Processes

Question 1: Who is the most valuable point of contact that you can influence to generate demand for your products or services?

This person could be the actual buyer, but more likely, they are someone working inside the agency trying to do their job well. What is their title? What are their goals? What are their challenges?

Question 2: What solutions (relative to what you sell) are they currently using (or not using) to do their job effectively?  

If they are not using a solution similar to your offering, you'll need to educate your prospects about your solution and how it will benefit them.

Question 3: After interviewing your prospect, do you believe that your solution will truly help them do their job better, faster, easier, or more cost-effective?

If the answer is no, you may need to adapt and evolve.

Question 4: What is the size (in dollars) of the deals you want to win?

1. Micro (under the micro-purchase threshold)
2. Small (greater than the micro-purchase threshold, but less than $25k)
3. Medium (between $25k and $250k)
4. Large (greater than $250k)

It is essential to understand that each deal above may require a different marketing and sales approach to win.

Question 5: Does your prospect typically award contracts (on products or services similar to those you sell) based on low price or best value?  

The answer to this question will shape your sales process into transactional or relational.

Question 6: How do your prospects predominantly buy similar products or services? Select all that apply.  

1. Open market solicitations posted on beta.sam.gov.  
2. Open market solicitations not posted on beta.sam.gov (typically under $25k).
3. Delivery orders and task orders within a government-wide IDIQ contract vehicle.
4. Delivery orders and task orders within an agency-specific IDIQ contract vehicle.
5. Government purchase cards.

Answering this question will help you find the right opportunities for your business and develop a pursuit strategy that can result in wins.

Question 7: Are there any exemptions to the competitive process (e.g., 8(a), sole-source, special programs)?