If you've been working in local government for a little bit, you've had some success and you're ready to expand, the natural thing is to think about expanding geographically, right? You want to expand to a new state or a new region. Makes sense. Something you should do, but I encourage my clients to never overlook the value of expanding within the areas you already have a presence.
So if you think about local governments, they're like nesting dolls, right? Cities lie within counties, special districts typically lie within counties, they can expand beyond those boundaries. And same thing with school districts as well, too, right? But the point is, those governments, although they are providing different services, are serving the same residents.
That means they have to collaborate, and they do collaborate, they talk to one another, they know each other. So if you have a great reputation, have done great work with the city, chances are you're set up to succeed and win work with the county. You're set up and ready to succeed and win work with the water or sewer district and the school district.
Of course this doesn't work if you sell something that's very specialized, but most technology is a bit more general than that. So when you're looking to expand, make sure that you are leveraging the reputations you have. To work with the local governments in the areas you're already in. Own those territories.
Max them out. Work with all the local governments within a county you're working in. Or all the local governments that are overlapping or neighboring to a city you have a good reputation with. That's an important feature of expansion in local government and something a lot of folks overlook. I hope that you do not.