I recently attended a Capstone Marketing webinar entitled, “Marketing Your Accounting Firm in Uncertain Times.” The presenter — Capstone’s founder, Jean Caragher — noted that there are lessons to be learned from the past when it comes to marketing during economic downturns. Accounting firms that continued to market themselves during the...

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has disrupted nearly every aspect of people’s lives. Countless small to medium-sized business (SMB) owners also are struggling to stay afloat as they deal with closures, layoffs, and supply chain issues. There’s little doubt this pandemic is going to impact these SMBs in both the short- and long-term.

Connect as a Proxy CFO to Help Guide Small Business Owners

Face-to-face meetings and firm handshakes have been staples in the banking business forever. So what happens when the meetings and events where we typically connect with clients and prospects are canceled and handshakes are off the table? With the coronavirus (COVID-19)...

I’m continually amazed by what you can do with new technology, applications, digital solutions, and system integrations in banking and beyond. But I’ve discovered that, for some business bankers, high-tech is becoming problematic. Today, next-gen business customers want high-tech banking options, and it’s time to get on board unless you...

Thanks to the increased use of technology like ATMs, online banking, and direct deposit, bank branch traffic has steadily declined in recent years. Without that face-to-face, in-branch contact, bankers have lost access to those interpersonal relationships that used to encourage consumers to remain loyal to their bank.

It’s no secret that B2B banking is becoming increasingly commoditized. These days, small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are using far more banks than even just a few years ago. According to Gartner’s 2016 study, “A New Basis for Competitive Advantage,” 53 percent of companies use four or more financial providers. 

The new year is a good time to start new, better habits, from improving our diets to exercising more. But it is also a great time to turn over a new leaf at work, setting more ambitious sales or client management goals. And Vertical IQ can help. 

Small business banking is being disrupted. Those cliché, predictable conversations that used to get a business banker in the door are slowly vanishing as bank clients begin to expect more out of their banker. For traditional banks and their relationship managers (RMs), this means they must find new ways to remain relevant to small- to...

You may have heard the platitude, “Cash is the most important, yet least productive, asset a business has.” It is a bit cliché, but it is also true. Properly balancing the so-called “big three” of cash management—accounts receivable, accounts payable, and inventory—is crucial to the financial success of any business. 

There is arguably no one busier than a small to mid-sized business (SMB) owner. Because they are wearing so many different hats, SMB owners often don’t have the time to concern themselves with news about their own industry. But when you send them news and engage with them about these relevant topics, it can help them think more broadly...