Note: TMP Government is dedicated to communicating on behalf
of all of the players within the government community. In addition to
serving the citizen and recruitment communications needs of government
clients, TMP Government serves the communications needs of contractors
and associations. During the present focus on deficit reduction, the
entire government community shares a common concern of giving the
taxpayer the best possible value for dollars spent.
When the Berlin Wall “fell” On November 8, 1989, the Internet had
only a little more than a million users, mostly in government and
academia. Sir Tim Berners-Lee had only recently written a proposal for
what would become the World Wide Web. Consequently, the Cold War, which
had witnessed the world divided into two irreconcilable camps for over
40 years, ended without digital fanfare. There were no YouTube or blogs
to celebrate the freeing of Eastern Europe, no Facebook to welcome
millions to a shared community, and, for contractors, no digital
communications to respond to diminishing defense budgets.
Using the one-way media of print and broadcast, companies scrambled
to get their message out to official Washington. Ads touted the value of
firms and the programs they supported, telling the story on behalf of
government customers, who could not advertise to Congress. Because
Washington is a local market with national significance, they could zero
in on the influencers in the legislative and executive branches with
opinion leader media like the Washington Post Federal Page, classical radio and regional runs in the Wall Street Journal.
Now, 22 years later, budget cuts are breeding uncertainty far beyond
the defense community: government departments, lawmakers, giant prime
contractors, small disadvantaged businesses, non-profit associations,
state agencies, indeed everyone who benefits from the Federal budget,
all must make a case for their value to the American people. Only this
time, they can reach their stakeholders with the intimate, two-way,
power of digital communications.
Value propositions and tough choices
In late July, the Internet provided non-stop coverage of the
last-minute contentions on raising the deficit ceiling to prevent a
government default. Even with an agreement, most astute observers have
realized that the situation has highlighted more problems than
solutions. While few can deny that spending $4 billion a day more than
revenue remains far from fiscal sanity, many are equally concerned about
implications of cuts for the nation’s well-being.
For example, during the deficit debate, U.S. Army General Martin
Dempsey, nominee for Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, raised an
alarm during his confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services
Committee (SASC). In the previous article in this series, TMP Government
mentioned that the SASC seemed to be taking more of an active
decision-maker role in the acquisition process. To be sure, SASC, like
every legislative committee and executive agency, feels the heat of
fiscal restraint. Lawmakers are presently mulling over cuts in defense
expenditures from $400 billion to twice that amount and more over the
next 10 years
Hence General Dempsey’s remarks came as a counterpoint: “I wouldn’t
describe our economic condition as the single biggest threat to national
security. There are a lot of clear and present threats to our security
in the current operational environment...National security didn’t cause the debt crisis, nor will it solve it.” (emphasis supplied) Dempsey further said that big cuts would place national security at a “very high risk.”
In the midst of discussions over cuts, General Dempsey drew attention by stating what TMP
Government would call a Government-to-Government (G2G) value proposition.
Can’t Energy, Education, the Environmental Protection Agency and any
other Department make the same argument? Is there a threshold that when
crossed brings negative results to our citizenry? Is it even possible
that we could cross that threshold unknowingly and not be aware of
cutback downsides until long afterwards? Similarly, is it possible that
your organization brings a unique contribution to the party that when
removed will cause unexpected problems?
Of course, and that’s why both public and private sector
organizations, large and small, need to know the value of what they
offer and how to communicate it. Those value propositions, in turn, must
consist of more than rational factoids. An effective value proposition
takes into account the large emotional component of decision-making. For
instance, you can cite factoids for both sides of an environmental
issue, but the weighing of environmental against economic concerns
remains wedged in personal values.
The most eloquent reasoned discourse may not budge either side. But a
brand message, rooted in an understanding of audience values, stands
the chance of resonating with the receiver.
Digital brand and the downturn
Our work with mega-websites like Recovery.gov and Treasury.gov, which
are fully integrated with social networking tools, has shown a way
forward in communicating value. These sites provide relevant information
to the citizen while economizing through cloud computing and other cost
management measures. They create a “digital brand,” a presence that
sends relevant information on a timely basis.
Unlike the downturns and drawdowns of yesteryear, the present crisis
gives all organizations access to powerful interactive tools. While
local campaign D.C. strategies are still viable, they are obviously
cost-prohibitive for all government organizations and small businesses
or associations.
Yet a digital strategy, built around a well-articulated value
proposition, can be within everyone’s means. Social networking, in fact,
is proving to be the great “narrowcast equalizer” that one had hoped
the Web itself would be. And the price is right for cost-conscious
times.
For help with your B2G or G2G digital communications please contact Mark Havard at Mark.Havard@tmpgovernment.com or give him a call at 703-269-0144.
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