"A Horse of a Different Color: Marketing in the Public Sector" has finally been published, and is available at www.psmj.com.
The book describes how marketing architectural, engineering, planning, surveying, environmental and construction management services to public agencies is different from marketing the same services to private clients.
The approach to public sector clients is basically dictated by law, and involves public documents, transparent processes, written submittals, interviews and selection based on technical qualifications. Many of the primary strategies used in the private sector cannot be used in the public sector, so positioning can have undreamed-of perils. In addition, public sector proposal submittals are often long, complicated, repetitive, and full of seemingly unnecessary information.
The book explains the legal basis of the public procurement process (the Brooks Act, PL 92-582), highlights differences between public and private sector marketing strategies and activities, points out the dangers in these differences, and describes ways to navigate the dangers.
For those who are really savvy, the book also points out the need to obtain help (someone like ME!) to strategize your firm's entry into public sector pursuits, prepare your first few submittals and train your staff during those submittal preparation activities.
I am now working on developing an outline for a PSMJ course based on the book (a "public sector marketing bootcamp"), and hope to have that ready to travel very soon. Watch this blog and/or the PSMJ website for further information.
