Selling The Future: How Tech Innovators Can Win In The Public Sector

Selling into the public sector as a technology innovator can be rewarding and challenging in equal measures.

Councils, the NHS and other public bodies are actively looking for solutions to meet their climate, social impact and infrastructure goals, but the sales process is rarely simple.

If you lead sales in a tech-driven, scaling business and you’re trying to break into the public sector, you’re probably dealing with:

• Long sales cycles that stretch your funding and implementation runway
• Complex buying processes involving 10 to 30 stakeholders
• Champions who love your product but cannot unlock the budget needed

To explore these challenges, we invite three sales specialists to share their insights with us: Laura Jacklin, Director of UK Sales at Grid Smarter Cities, Richard Kemp-Harper, Chief Commercial Officer at AirEx Technologies and Jason McAlister, Senior Business Development Consultant at Ethical Sales.

These sales professionals have deep experience in selling into councils and public bodies, offering practical insights and honest reflections for salespeople selling into this sector, particularly those with a new or unfamiliar product. 

Read on for their six top tips on selling into the public sector… 

1. Start with research and connect with the right people

Doing your homework is a vital starting point. Take a deep dive into public sector strategy documents, policy plans and funding announcements – anything that shows where the organisation is headed and what problems they’re trying to solve. 

Look up the key stakeholders and see if you can get a feel for whether they’re interested in innovation, too, or whether they tend to take a more traditional approach. All this will help refine your approach.

Use this research when contacting people, referencing what’s written in policy documents and how your product or service can meet their needs. Make sure any contact is personalised, rather than automated, and talks directly to the issues of this particular public body.

Many assume that going straight to the top is the most effective route into the public sector. But real traction often comes from mid-level managers who understand the challenges on the ground and have influence over the decision-making process.

Watch Jason speak about his proven approach for starting meaningful sales conversations with councils and public bodies: (4 min watch)

2. Engage early and involve all relevant teams

If your technology affects more than one department (which it usually will), it’s essential to bring stakeholders together from the start.

“We always try to get different teams in the same room early. Otherwise, someone will pop up later and block the whole thing.” Laura Jacklin, Grid Smarter Cities

Public sector organisations are becoming increasingly strict about integration and cybersecurity, so product adoption often depends on how well you can support cross-functional collaboration. Being proactive about this saves time and prevents blockers later in the process.

3. Support your champion with business case tools

In most cases, your champion in the public sector – the person who wants to work with you – needs to convince others. That means writing a business case, which is where your input becomes critical.

“Understanding those processes and making things easy for your lead contact (who’s working on the project) and their team is really helpful.” Richard Kemp-Harper, AirEx Technologies

Framing your information around the Government’s Green Book themes of strategy, management, commercial, financial and social value will instantly give your public sector buyer what they need to approve you.

Prepare a clear, tailored one-pager that aligns with their internal structure. It’s about making their job easier and showing you understand how their world operates.

Laura Jacklin, Director of UK Sales at Grid Smarter Cities, shares practical advice for engaging public sector stakeholders and selling innovative tech solutions with clarity, collaboration, and care: (3 min watch)

4. Build trust with real-world results

Risk aversion is high in the public sector, which is why pilot projects and reference clients are so important for selling into this area.

“Sometimes you just have to accept a small, low-margin project to prove it works. Once you’ve done that, you’ve got the story you need to scale.” Jason McAlister, Senior Business Development Consultant, Ethical Sales.

Your first client becomes the anchor for every future sale. Other buyers from neighbouring locations or strategic bodies will ask them how it went, so make sure the relationship is sound. Investing in this will pay off not just in retention, but also in credibility, which in turn will help drive future sales.

5. Understand procurement and ask about it early

Procurement is often misunderstood or avoided, but there’s a clear case for early conversations.

Find out if there’s a dynamic purchasing system or framework you can get onto, or look at selling your product or service via contractors who have already been through procurement and are approved by the public sector organisation in question.

Knowing your options early helps you plan more effectively and avoid wasted time.

Richard Kemp-Harper, Chief Commercial Officer at AirEx Technologies shares powerful insights on how to navigate around lengthy procurement processes by leveraging indirect routes: (2 min watch)

6. Prepare for a longer, more layered sales cycle

Selling innovative tech into the public sector takes time. You need to understand internal politics, track budgets, and manage multiple stakeholders across departments.

“Councils have to justify every penny they spend, not just the cost of your product, but the internal resources to manage it.” Laura Jacklin, Grid Smarter Cities.

That means being clear, consistent and responsive. It also means staying engaged throughout, even if decisions take months.

This hard work can pay dividends, however. If you approach the public sector as a trusted advisor, not just someone selling to them, you’re more likely to build the kind of relationships that lead to real, lasting impact.

Final takeaways for tech-led sales teams

Want to bring new technology into the public sector? Here’s what to keep in mind:

• Do your homework: understand strategy, budget cycles and political context.
• Start with mid-level managers. They often have more influence than you realise.
• Bring all the right people together early – don’t wait until procurement to engage other teams.
• Support your champions by giving them the tools to build a strong internal case.
• Use pilots and case studies. Real-world evidence builds trust.
• Explore procurement routes – ask about frameworks and indirect options early.
• Be patient but persistent. Build trust, not just pipelines.

Ready to win sales in the public sector?

Ethical Sales is here to help you navigate complex buying processes and boost your sales function to close more deals. Book a meeting with us to explore your public sector sales challenges.

You can also join the Ethical Sales Academy to access our library of 25+ hours of sales training on trending topics from AI to lead generation. Start your free 30-day trial today to sell with confidence, clarity and impact.