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Pitching to Government: How to Build Your Unique Value Proposition

Introduction

When you choose your differentiators well, articulate them clearly, and use them wisely, you make it easier for Federal buyers to choose you…and do business at the price you offer. Best values, also known as unique value propositions, define what sets you apart from your competitors. In this blog post, you’ll learn how to choose your differentiators so pitching to government delivers top results! 

Imagine: your first call on a new Federal prospect has started out great. The conversation is warm, they sound so friendly. But then they ask, “We already have a supplier for that. Why would I choose you?”

What would you say?

Successful vendors always have the right answer to that question ready for the players at every layer.

Best Values: Defined

Federal buyers often award contracts based on how strongly each vendor’s offer compares to the buyer’s desired “best value”: a weighted mix of price, technical, and other factors. There is no single universal “best value” definition used for all contracts. The contracting team and the end users collaborate to determine the mix of factors that best reflects the characteristics of the ideal vendor to meet the specific requirement in a unique solicitation.

Vendors can borrow from that concept of “Best Values” when developing your differentiators. 

Your best values articulate your company’s unique assets or qualities that translate easily into selection criteria that your Federal buyer finds sufficiently compelling and valuable to specify in a solicitation to justify choosing you, even at a higher price than your competition.

As a vendor, your best values are unique to your company. They are ideally quantifiable and objectively verifiable and are easy to prove from your past performance.  

Generic phrases like “world-class solution,” or “family-owned business,” are not qualities that a Federal buyer can verify, or use to predict successful contract performance.  Your contract vehicles narrow the competitive range, but still often leave you in the same pool with dozens to hundreds of others. Your small-business certifications are not best value, either: thousands of competitors hold those same certifications.

When pitching to government departments and agencies, identify three or four compelling differentiators that are tailored for the agency and the business requirement you’re pursuing, and that resonate with the interests and needs of the decision-makers in their respective roles (the players at every layer). 

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Identifying Your Company’s Best Values for Pitching to Government

Begin defining your best values by focusing on what reduces perceived risk for your buyers. Identify what your company does better than anyone else and find ways to quantify those strengths. 

If you’re unsure about what makes you special, contact your current clients. They can provide valuable insights and help you understand the unique advantages that set your business apart.

Here are some examples of what government buyers and influencers value:

  • Years in business: Being established for decades is a significant advantage.
  • Outstanding contractor performance: Top ratings in the Contractor Performance Assessment Rating System (CPARS) can significantly reduce perceived risk. If 80 percent or more of your contracts are rated “Outstanding” or “Exceptional,” that’s a solid best value.
  • Project manager experience: Highlight your team’s experience and expertise in specific sectors or project types, especially if it aligns with the buyer’s needs.
  • Years of experience: Don’t claim “500 years of combined experience;” bigger companies will beat you every time. Instead, consider something like, “90% of our key players hold advanced degrees in aerospace engineering,” or “85% of our project managers have been with the company for more than ten years.”
  • Proprietary processes: If you have unique methodologies or processes that guarantee better results, mention them.
  • Lower turnover: Low turnover is a massive plus in industries like staffing. It indicates stability and reliability that give your customers better performance.
  • Speed and delivery: Objectively verified response times, on-time delivery rates, or fast deployment times, especially relative to industry averages, are excellent best values.
  • Safety record: If your company – especially in construction trades — has an excellent safety record or industry awards, highlight that.
  • Partnerships with trusted primes: Mention the formal teaming, subcontracting on vehicles, or joint ventures you have with the prime contractors they already work with.

Marketing Your Best Values

You should be talking about your best values all the time! 

Include them in your voicemail, email signatures and presentations. Create a dedicated section on your website that outlines your unique value proposition, past performance, and certifications. Share case studies or testimonials highlighting how your company has solved problems or delivered exceptional results for other government agencies or clients. Include specific examples of how you’ve reduced costs, improved efficiency, or exceeded performance expectations. 

Professional networks like LinkedIn are a great way to advertise your best values and share thought leadership, case studies, and success stories highlighting your expertise.

When meeting with the government decision-makers and influencers, mention your best values. You want to consistently position yourself as the low-risk choice so that when a potential buyer is deciding between you and others, they already see you as the obvious choice.

Pitching to Government With A Strong Capability Statement

A capability statement is a concise, professionally crafted document that highlights a company’s key competencies, qualifications, and unique strengths.

A well-prepared capability statement can open doors, start conversations, and reinforce your best values to prospects, partners, and clients. The most effective ones look simple but make it easy for the intended audience to quickly find everything they’re looking for.

Content comes before layout! Develop – and maintain a current version – of all the content you’ll use in the Capability Statement in an editable format like Word or a Google Doc. Designate one person in the company who keeps that information current.

Outline key offerings and include measurable achievements, such as cost savings or project delivery success rates. Numbers like that get your reader’s attention and makes them want to find out more…which is exactly what you want!

When you’ve got the basics solid, it’s time to head over to the graphic designer. Create a final version that is visually clean and professional, with ample white space and type sizes that are easy to read. Make sure the critical information—such as your contact details, GSA Schedule Number, Contract Vehicles, and Unique Entity Identifier (UEI), and certifications —is right up front. 

Use point form rather than prose paragraphs to keep it brief and scannable. 

Insider pro tip: shift your buyer’s thinking toward you by using check marks instead of bullets! What do check marks convey? Complete, correct, compliant, done.  

Done? Save in PDF. Then add a download link to your capability statement on the government landing page of your web site and in other electronic collateral.

Power Up Your Capability Statement Today!

This complimentary guide tells you the essential data Federal buyers look for in your Capability Statement, give you a basic template to organize your content, and shares some examples to get your thinking started. Download your guide here!

Then, Make It Personal.

Gone are the days when vendors printed 500 capability statements and handed everyone the same document all year long. Your contacts in the Federal arena now expect something up-to-the-minute and current, filled with content handpicked just for them.

If you’re not doing that, you’d better believe your competition is.

So, step up. Tailor the content and create a version of your capability statement just for the specific government buyers or prime contractors you’re calling on. Highlight your unique value proposition, differentiators, past performance, or specialized expertise. 

Use best values that resonate with your government buyers, focusing on how your company reduces risk, ensures compliance, and delivers exceptional performance. Include relevant specific examples or metrics to demonstrate reliability and capability. 

You are not alone! Let me help you with pitching to government

Pitching to government requires a unique and structured approach that starts with research and focus! With over 37 years of experience helping clients win contracts with nearly every Federal agency, I can help you build value statements that will resonate with the buyers you want to reach. 

Summit Insight offers programs and resources for established businesses, whether you’re new to the Federal arena or looking to grow your Federal business to the next level.

Contact me to learn more about how I can help you find your ideal government buyers and reach them with the right message at the right time, so that you are top of mind when they are ready to buy.

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