5 B2G Marketing Takeaways from GAIN 2025

What You’ll Learn 

• How to build loyalty loops that keep your organization top of mind with government customers.
• Why trust beats speed in today’s turbulent B2G environment – and how to prove credibility.
• How AI and automation can sharpen your marketing strategy and create measurable impact. 

GAIN 2025 brought together leading marketers, communicators, and business development professionals working in the business-to-government (B2G) space. As budgets shift, procurement cycles accelerate, and technology adoption continues to reshape how agencies operate, this year’s event could not have come at a better time. 

For marketers trying to reach government buyers, the stakes are high. Decision-makers are harder to pin down, loyalty is more difficult to earn, and competition is intensifying. What permeated through GAIN 2025 were the practical, forward-looking strategies that go beyond theory and directly address the realities of today’s B2G environment.

This blog highlights five major takeaways from GAIN 2025 that can help you strengthen relationships, maximize ROI, and future-proof your B2G marketing strategy.

1. Loyalty is the New Currency

The day kicked off with a session led by Andrew Davis, who reframed the government buyer's journey around the concept of a B2G Loyalty Loop. Instead of a linear funnel, government buyers repeatedly cycle through moments of commitment, evaluation, and inspiration. Each micro-encounter, whether it’s an email, an event, even a follow-up note, can significantly  strengthen or weaken long-term loyalty amongst these potential customers.

Marketers who deliberately design experiences around anticipation, ease, and inspiration can create a self-reinforcing cycle that turns one-time buyers into repeat partners. For successful experiences, the key question at every stage isn’t “What do we want to sell?” but rather “What do we want this moment to feel like?”

2. Be Bold and Lead with Trust 

Speakers Leigh Dow, CMO at Mattermost, and Alexandra Jester, Director of Marketing at Carahsoft, emphasized that speed won’t win if trust is absent. With government buyers fielding hundreds of touchpoints before a deal closes, responsiveness and empathy are non-negotiable. Funnels are giving way to relationship-first models where every effort is tailored to deepen trust.

For marketers, that means success with these buyers does not come from flashy campaigns, but rather from showing up authentically, sharing thought leadership that resonates, and balancing creativity with credibility. 

3. Data, AI and Automation Are No Longer Optional

GAIN 2025 featured multiple sessions on AI-driven marketing that underscored marketers shouldn’t wait to incorporate the technology into their strategy. AI can help your team identify changing decision-makers, tailor outreach to specific agency missions, and turn overwhelming amounts of data into clear, actionable insights.

But the biggest shift comes when AI and automation work together. As Andrea Atkins, Sr. Marketing Manager, Integrated Campaigns at Google discussed in her session, AI generates insights; automation executes them. For B2G marketers, this means moving beyond vague promises of innovation to demonstrating practical, mission-aligned value. Organizations that prove measurable results, while educating stakeholders about AI, will stand out.

4. Maximize Event ROI Before, During and After

Lisa Sherwin-Wolf and Mark Amtower reminded attendees that the best events start early and end late. Engagement begins with personalized outreach weeks in advance and continues with authentic follow-up afterward. Form letters won’t cut it—genuine connections are needed.

AI can also help optimize event strategy, from selecting the right opportunities to analyzing outcomes. And in a crowded landscape, bold event design, breaking the mold on formats and experiences, can differentiate your brand. The message was clear: events are a critical piece of a marketer’s long-term relationship strategy. 

5. Familiarity Wins in a Fast-Moving Market

As procurement cycles shorten and new decision-makers enter the space, media engagement has become mission-critical. In the final session of GAIN 2025, Aaron Heffron, President of Research and Insights at GovExec, shared takeaways from the latest GovExec.M4PS report. The research highlighted the digital properties that government leaders rely on most for education and decision-making.

For marketers, the implication is simple: if your brand isn’t showing up consistently in trusted media channels, you’re invisible. As contracts accelerate from award to deployment in under two months, the organizations already known and familiar will have the edge.

GAIN 2025 made it clear: success in B2G marketing is no longer about volume or speed. It’s about loyalty, trust, precision, creativity, and visibility. By adopting these five takeaways, marketers can build stronger connections with government buyers, navigate turbulence with confidence, and position their organizations for growth in 2025 and beyond.

Ready to Elevate Your B2G Marketing Strategy?

At REQ, we specialize in public relations and marketing strategies crafted for the complex and nuanced government market. Our team understands how to help brands earn trust, build loyalty, and show up where it matters most.

Download our latest whitepaper for insights on how public sector media is covering AI – and learn how you can influence the conversation and shape their reporting. 

Or, contact us today to learn how we can help your organization strengthen relationships, drive visibility, and win in the competitive B2G landscape.