How a “GUC” Changed the Way we Listen to and Market to the Government
The federal government is the largest purchasing agent in the world – yet for many years it was treated as if it was the red-headed stepchild of business enterprises and multi-national companies. This was nowhere more evident than in the world of information technology (IT).
The problem was that corporate America didn’t quite know how to engage the feds, talk their talk, or understand their very specific needs and challenges. All of which is at the very heart of marketing. So for a long time, the accepted thinking was that the U.S. government is just like every other business customer and that the same marketing strategies that work in the world of B2B selling work in government too.
Take for example that long term staple of many marketing departments – the direct mail piece. Who knows how many commercially-charged direct mail pieces have landed on the desks of federal IT managers talking of “helping you be more profitable” (say what?) and “increasing market share”, and so on?
Take it a step further and the feds would next be invited to educational IT seminars and user conferences. “Great,” the feds said! “We’re going to get out of the office and learn something”. The trouble was that these events and their agendas were developed with the commercial business customer and his or her very specific needs and challenges in mind. Even less appealing to funding-strapped agencies was that these events often took place in destinations such as Las Vegas, Orlando, or other exotic locations where it would be impractical and costly for public sector employees to travel to.
And, we’re not just talking about the federal government here, the very dynamic and evolving needs of state and local government agencies were also often overlooked in this mix too.
Pioneering a New Age in Government User Conferences (GUCs)
So just how do you connect the dots between government and the vendor community whose IT products and services support and enhance its mission, while recognizing the government for the unique entity that it is?
It was clear that new ground needed to be broken - in 2003, DLT Solutions did just this.
How? In typical pioneering fashion, DLT pulled off something quite unique and unseen in the government IT market – a conference dedicated entirely to the educational needs of government users.
This government user conference model had its genesis with the DLT-brainchild, VERITAS Vision for Government event. (VERITAS was a DLT vendor partner prior to its acquisition by Symantec in 2004).
Recognizing that few government users could make it to Los Angeles for VERITAS’ own annual user conference, VERITAS Vision, DLT re-packaged the winning VISION formula and held it in the heart of Washington, D.C. VISION for Government included multiple educational sessions, workshops, exhibits and networking opportunities that catered 100% to the public sector and its everyday tactical and strategic use of VERITAS IT storage technology.
And so, VERITAS Vision for Government was born.
Attracting over 200 government employees, the conference proved so successful that DLT was invited by VERITAS to repeat the event in 2004. In the ensuing years, DLT continued the success of the VISION for Government concept by replicating the model across its technology divisions. With the support of key vendor partners, these “GUCs”, as they came to be known, included two Red Hat Government User Conferences, one Oracle Government User Conference, and finally an Autodesk Government User Conference.
More than Just an Event Sponsor – DLT Sets a Trend
DLT didn’t simply sponsor these “GUCs”, in typical flair and on a shoestring budget, DLT’s sales and marketing team quite literally choreographed the events in their entirety, with the help and support of its vendor partners. From event logistics and marketing, through to event staffing and speaker coordination, DLT’s team went into overdrive to ensure each event was “top-notch”.
And it didn’t stop there, seeing the extraordinary value of these government-specific events, many of DLT’s vendor partners embraced this new concept in government marketing and threw their own corporate resources behind their own versions of DLT’s “GUCs”. So today, the legacy of the GUC can be seen in events such as the Symantec Government Symposium, the Oracle Federal Forum, and the Autodesk University Virtual Government event.
A Long Road Travelled
On reflection, we’ve come a long way indeed in listening to and responding to the needs of those who serve us in government. Today, you literally can’t set foot inside the beltway without tripping over an IT event targeted and customized for the public sector.
Here at DLT, we’re particularly proud to have been, and continue to be, a driving force behind that pioneering spirit.
The DLT 20th Anniversary Art Piece.
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