Market your business

Becoming a GSA contract holder does not guarantee you’ll get any business. You still need to compete against other businesses for contracts or orders.

How to market your business

We strongly recommend you think about what a successful marketing strategy is, and create and develop a federal marketing and sales plan outlining the activities you’ll conduct to meet your goals.

Things to consider when creating your marketing and sales plan:

• Educate your sales, marketing, and accounting departments

  They need to know everything about the contract, including who can order from it, pricing details, and ordering terms and conditions. If they don’t know this information, your company may unknowingly violate contractual requirements.

  Your accounting department may need to set up a tracking system to separate our orders from all other orders. They’ll need to know about the reporting requirements and prompt payment discounts.

• Use resources designed to help you become a successful marketer

  Our Vendor Support Center is full of helpful resources and information about a wide range of topics including market research, exposure, and bidding opportunities.

• Focus your efforts

  Identify and target the agencies and departments where you have the most opportunity based on your market research. Where are the government customers? How can companies partner with GSA and be a better provider to federal customers?

• Build your network

  Attend industry days and our other events to meet potential customers and build your network. Every federal agency has an office assigned to help small businesses access procurements reserved exclusively for small businesses participation. Connect with agency small business offices if you would like to do business with that agency.

• Promote your strengths

  Communicate what distinguishes your product or service from the competition.

• Keep your content current

  Make sure the online information about your offerings is current and relevant.

• Brand your business

  If you’re a GSA contract holder, you can use certain logos on commercial materials if you follow the rules governing use of the GSA logo. You still must comply with GSAR 552.203-71, Restriction on Advertising. Your commercial advertising or similar promotions cannot state or imply that the supplies, products, or services are endorsed or preferred by the government.

• Expand your customer base

  If your business is in the IT, security, or law enforcement field, you may be able to sell to state and local governments through our Cooperative Purchasing program.