Earnest Consulting Group

Unlock More Product Sales with These 4 Tactics and Strategies

April 2, 2025 | Business Development, Government

It’s easy to fall into the trap. You’ve got your SDVOSB or HUBZone certification, your SAM registration is active, and a brand name RFQ hits your inbox. You scramble to get a quote from the manufacturer and submit a bid. You’re excited—maybe this is your first win.

But here’s the truth: if you’re chasing bids without a strategy, you’re just guessing—and in most cases, you’re giving up your margin just to be in the game.

Winning product sales in the government space takes more than luck. It takes preparation, positioning, and knowing how to use the rules to your advantage. Here are four tactics and strategies that will help you stop racing to the bottom—and start building profitable wins.

1. Start Before the RFQ Hits

By the time an RFQ is live, the real work should already be done.

You should know who buys what you sell, how they buy it (open market, GSA, BPA, credit card, etc.), what brands they prefer, who they’re buying from now, and what kind of deals your competitors are winning (and losing).

The most successful resellers identify gaps, contact end users early, and plant the seed for an equal product before it’s in the solicitation. That’s how you influence specs—and stay ahead of the pack.

2. Build Supplier Relationships That Give You an Edge

Resellers who win consistently do more than move boxes—they build partnerships.

That means touring the manufacturer’s facility (or at least requesting deeper insight into their process), signing a distribution agreement that complies with the Non-Manufacturer Rule, negotiating pricing based on loyalty—not one-off quotes, structuring deals as FOB Destination to simplify government purchasing and stay within budget thresholds, and showing exclusivity by selling one brand, not competing equivalents.

Suppliers want channel partners who represent them well in the federal space. Become that partner, and you’ll get better pricing, better support, and a better shot at the win.

3. Leverage the “Equal” in Brand Name or Equal

Most contractors fixate on the brand name and forget the most important word in the clause: equal.

This is your chance to propose a comparable or superior product and disrupt the bid.

To do it effectively, understand the salient characteristics of the brand-name item, match or exceed each requirement with your proposed solution, use language the contracting officer understands—clear, direct comparisons, provide support materials like spec sheets, certifications, or performance data, and highlight added value like better lead times, stronger warranties, domestic sourcing, or agency past performance.

A strong “equal” offer allows you to avoid crowded distributor networks and submit a quote with real margin.

4. Follow Up After the Award—It’s Not Over

Most resellers stop after the invoice. The smart ones stay in touch.

Here’s what post-award engagement looks like: confirm shipping and delivery timelines, check in with the end user after receipt, ask for a post-delivery review meeting, capture feedback and note future needs, and track product lifecycles and reorder windows.

This isn’t about one deal. It’s about building a repeatable model—one where your agency contacts see you as a reliable, low-risk partner worth calling again.

Want to Learn How to Put All This Together?

On April 10th, I’m teaching a Govology webinar: Boost Your B2G Margins: Winning Strategies for Small Business Resellers.

This session will walk you through building long-term relationships with manufacturers, using the Brand Name or Equal clause to your advantage, and developing pricing and follow-up strategies that actually increase your margins.

If you want to win more and do it profitably, don’t miss it.

If you like what you see in this article and are ready to get to work on increasing your product sales margins, click here to schedule a call with me. Let’s put together a plan that works.