Be a Subject Matter Expert (SME) for Government Contracts

How to Get your Expert Content in Front of the Right Audiences

Are you a genuine expertise in your field? if you can establish yourself as a subject matter expert (SME), you become instantly more valuable to federal buyers.

Key Takeaways

1. Engage with online content to helps demonstrate your expertise to your audience.
2. Maintain consistency in your online presence and ensure that your Sam.gov and LinkedIn profiles showcase the same expertise and keywords.
3. Build your strategic marketing plan using your SME status

Are You a Subject Matter Expert (SME) for Government Contracting?

Experience in your industry is not the same as being an 'expert'. Subject Matter Experts (SME) have specialized knowledge in a specific area. Often, their competencies are developed through years of on-the-job experience and education in their field.

According to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM), a subject matter expert, or SME, is a "person with bona fide expert knowledge about what it takes to do a particular job. 

Subject matter experts (SMEs) have specialized knowledge in a specific area of expertise. In project management, subject matter experts can bring expert judgment and experience.

How Can You Use Your SME Status to Get the Attention of the Federal Buyers?

More than 200,000 businesses jockeying for attention in the government contracting  marketplace. How can you make your company stand out?

You need to raise your SME profile as a leading vocal expert and become recognized as the go-to Subject Matter Expert in your field. 

The first step is to determine and validate your real expert status. The next step is to develop a marketing plan to get the word out in terms that will resonate with the market.

The 5 Step Process to Establish Subject Matter Expertise

When buyer are searching for experts in your subject matter, how can you make sure they find you? The best way to stand apart is to raise your SME profile as a leading vocal expert and become recognized as the go-to Subject Matter Expert in your field.

STEP 1 Choose a Single SME Topic

STEP 2 Calendar your Social Media Content in advance

STEP 3 Identify the strategic keywords that differentiate your expertise. 

STEP 4 Save Time with Automation

STEP 5 Use LinkedIn for ideas to supplement your own original content.

Choose a Single SME Topic

You will be tempted to showcase the range of your competencies. In the beginning, it is important to distinguish your expertise in a single core competency.

Developing a reputation requires time and a long-term commitment. Fortunately, the path to being recognized as a SME is ‘just a process’ – just like everything else in government contracting. 

Prepare a Full Year of Social Media Content

The process begins by brainstorming an entire year's worth of expert content. A long-range planning calendar can help you track your content creation and distribution across various industry and social media channels.

Next, you must identify the strategic keywords that differentiate your expertise. Consistency between your social media and marketing, DSBS profile and capability statement raises your overall visibility.

While this sounds overwhelming, it really is manageable because you are already the subject matter expert.

You are just trying to showcase what you already know!

AI-Powered Keyword Generator

To find keywords that federal buyers use when searching for companies like yours, use the AI powered Keyword Generator available for free at GovCon in a Box. Start by describing what you sell in 5 words or less. Refine your description further by adding your core competencies that make you an expert. Use three keywords (or phrases like "Software Development") to further define what you sell.

Use the tool to continually refine your narrative with AI generated keywords until you have a description that clearly describes your expertise. 

Elements of a Planning Calendar

An annual plan should include five seasons with ten episodes each and each week has specific daily content.

Content then cycles through a sequence typically including blog posts, articles, podcasts, videos which are distributed via LinkedIn personal and company pages, Twitter, Facebook, your YouTube channels 

Over time, your potential customers will come to see you as the expert who can keep them up to date with whatever is going on in your industry.

Save Time with Automation

Whether you automate the process with free or paid tools like Buffer or post content manually, a consistent flow of original content releasing every week is required.

Tools like Hootsuite and Buffer enable companies to schedule posts, analyze performance, and manage multiple social media profiles in one place. 

Throughout your marketing, it is important to monitor your results and engagement. Tools can help you analyze brand and industry conversations in real time, identify key content and influencers and analyze the social activity of the competition.

Many enable you to search and track by keyword, hashtag, phrase or username to analyze recent Twitter activity.

Most services also provide free tutorials. For example, YouTube teaches you how to ‘Brand your channel’.  For example, Buffer offers a series of guides and resources.

Use LinkedIn for ideas

Use LinkedIn for ideas to supplement your own original content. Share and add value to other people's content and be sure to give them credit for their contributions. Your engagements will help raise the visibility of everyone and help you extend your reach.

  Watch the full LinkedIn Live GovCon Sales Training Series with Neil McDonnell 

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