“Are we keeping up with the Joneses?” Owners of small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) are always interested in how their competition is doing…and how they compare to them financially. Yes, it may be about ego to some degree, but it also tells a business owner how their company is faring financially. Are they middling, above average,...
How to Help Small Businesses Compare Their Financials to Their Industry
3 Tips to Turn Industry News into Valuable Content for SMB Owners
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...
5 Organizations You Need to Know to Know Small Business
There are literally hundreds, if not thousands, of niches that small businesses fill within this country. (On Vertical IQ, we cover over 450 of these sectors.) Yet, despite this enormous variety, there are certain aspects of running a small business that many of these companies have in common: concerns about capital and cashflow,...
Developing a Contact Strategy That Wins Over Business Owners
Having been a banker for 13 years and a relationship manager for five, I found that my sales process revolved around three basic groups: the business I had (my clients), the business I wanted (my prospects), and the people who championed my cause (my centers of influence). And a critical component of my sales process was a successful...
Vertical IQ is the Busy Branch Manager’s Life-Line
In March 2005, I was promoted to the branch manager position for one of the local branches of the bank for which I worked. Having managed a different department for the bank, I was excited about the new challenge. But, being tasked with both management and sales of the branch was going to require a different skill-set. I was ready. I was...
Bankers In the Know: Why You Need to Book an Appointment with an Auto Mechanic
Your check engine light just came on. You backed into your neighbor's mailbox. There's a strange squealing noise every time you start your car. Any of these scenarios ever happened to you? And your response? You, like millions of Americans each year, probably called an auto repair shop.