SWaM Government Contractors: Doing Business With VCU

Patrick McFadden

In this no frills presentation Patrick McFadden, Founder and Marketing Consultant at Indispensable Marketing reveals 4 marketing strategies Small, Women-owned, and Minority-owned Businesses ( SWaM ) can employ during uncertain times to start increasing visibility, demonstrate expertise, and win VCU contracts.

Are you a SWaM business looking to do business with VCU during these uncertain times (or even great times)?

Do you want to know what the “Best In Class” SWaM businesses are doing differently right now?

Do you want to learn marketing strategies that work during any economic environment?

During the online seminar, we introduced elements of our B2G (Business to Government) Marketing Process – which are designed to help small government contractors present their business as capable, professional, and successful at doing the work they’re trying to win.

There truly is nothing like this available through any other source.

To help SWaM firms we made a very exciting offer during the presentation – skip to the end to see.

Here are the 4 Marketing Strategies During Uncertain Times presented in the presentation above:

  • Marketing Strategies #1: Know The Environment – Fully grasp what’s going on
  • Marketing Strategies #2: Effective and Frequent Communication – Responsiveness and the right information matters
  • Marketing Strategies #3: Innovate and Educate – The reality of SWaMs
  • Marketing Strategies #4: Develop a Obvious-Choice Online Presence – No online presence, no opportunities

By Patrick McFadden March 31, 2025
1. The Challenge: VMI was like many service providers — positioning their value around what they thought clients wanted : “Office furniture installation and assembly — let us handle creating your perfect workspace.” But the actual buyers — facility managers, project managers, furniture reps — weren’t looking for “perfect workspaces.” They were trying to avoid installation nightmares . Their real priority? ✅ Great installation days. ✅ No chaos. ✅ No missed deadlines. ✅ No angry phone calls from clients. 2. The Insight: After conducting stakeholder interviews under our marketing strategy consulting engagement , the Indispensable Marketing team uncovered critical feedback: “We need installers who maintain a professional site and follow instructions.” “We lose relationships when installations go badly.” “I need quotes back quickly or I can’t sell the job.” This wasn’t just about services , it was about trust, problem-solving , and professional reliability . So we reframed their differentiators not by what they did, but how they showed up : Same-day project quotes Problem-solving on-site Update protocol with clients Professionalism guarantee Lasting Impression Insurance 3. The Shift: We shifted the positioning from vague benefits to real-world, emotional triggers : Instead of: “Let us create your perfect workspace.” Now: “Get the perfect installation day, every time.” That subtle shift aligns with who’s actually buying (and who feels the pain when things go wrong). The end-user may care about the workspace. But the buyer cares about the install . 4. The Lesson for Others: If you’re selling a service, don’t describe what you do. Describe what the client wants to avoid or achieve — and who the real buyer is. Then, systematize what you’re already doing well and give it a name. Just like our team did with: “Same Day Quotes” “Lasting Impression Insurance” “Reliable Presence Protocol” 5. The Outcome Within weeks of updating their messaging and positioning: The company reported more qualified leads asking the right questions Furniture reps began referring them because they were “easy to work with and made them look good” They were shortlisted for larger, multi-phase projects due to increased confidence in their process But most importantly, they stopped competing on price — because they weren’t selling perfect workspaces anymore. They were selling peace of mind on installation day.
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