This quick reference is a visual guide that categorizes the 20 most common government sales prospecting methods into three effectiveness levels: weak, strong, and core. Based on RSM Federal’s experience training over 25,000 companies that have won billions in government contracts, this strategic framework helps businesses prioritize their prospecting efforts for maximum impact. This quick reference, referred to throughout the lessons in the Prospecting & Business Development module, addresses a critical challenge in government sales – determining which prospecting activities actually generate contract opportunities versus those that waste valuable time and resources.

This resource reveals that successful government contractors focus on three core prospecting methods. Additionally, it identifies eight strong prospecting methods. However, it warns against over-relying on weak methods such as government acquisition systems, bid-matching services, and unsolicited proposals that often yield poor results for new contractors.

Use this resource to build your government sales strategy by concentrating efforts on proven prospecting methods. The Training Center’s data-driven methodology eliminates the guesswork from business development, allowing you to win government contracts more efficiently. Rather than spreading resources across all available prospecting methods, smart contractors combine multiple techniques while emphasizing the core strategies that consistently deliver results in the competitive federal marketplace.