The Buyer’s Mental Shortcut

Discover what government buyers actually remember about your company, and how clearer positioning can make your brand easier to recognize, understand, and choose.

Presenter. Ashley Craparo, Caprid Consulting

What do government buyers remember after visiting your website? Often, far less than marketers expect. And what they retain may not accurately reflect what your company does.

In this GAIN 2026 session, Ashley Craparo shares findings from two studies examining how federal contractors position themselves and what potential buyers remember after a brief website visit. Drawing on an analysis of 45 contractor websites and buyer recall research, she explores why broad positioning can create confusion, why proof alone doesn’t establish differentiation, and how companies can shape the mental shortcuts buyers use to understand and evaluate them. Attendees will learn a practical three-part framework—Place Me, Pick Me, Believe Me—for making their positioning clearer, more distinctive, and more credible.

This course was delivered at GAIN 2026. GAIN is the premier B2G Marketing Conference, presented by GovExec.