The red lights are blinking, the sirens are blaring, the signs that say “Danger Ahead” are flashing: Sales professionals of all stripes are in for a challenging 2021. Yes, 2020 was a rough one, but if you think next year is going to be smooth sailing, I have some unwelcome news for you.

This is the fifth and final post in a series of five blog posts about how to create and implement a “SMART” strategy to manage client relationships — one that incorporates personalization and industry expertise into every client interaction. By using this tailored approach, your team will boost your organization’s sales conversion...

Across many industries, marketers are consistently asked to do more with less. Oftentimes, when the budgetary belt has to be tightened, marketing’s budget is the first to get trimmed. It’s an ongoing challenge for people in this line of work.

I’ve talked to a lot of Vertical IQ customers lately about what meeting with customers looks like in the COVID-19 era. The consensus is that it is a different world than what they are used to. Many people who call on customers and prospects used to being face-to-face. Being relegated to phone calls and video conferences goes against...

We’ve all heard the phrase, “I’m only human.” There was even a hit song from ‘80s pop stars The Human League with that catchphrase as its chorus. While the expression implies that human beings are prone to failure or somehow less-than, I have to disagree. Especially when it comes to facing down the financial technology and banking bots...

“Trigger events” are major changes that affect a business. They can be milestones achieved through the normal course of a business’ life such as buying new equipment or moving locations. Or, they can be through environmental happenings outside of the business’ control such as new laws. For a business owner, they can be joyful, such as a...

As a busy professional, you likely find yourself burning the candle at both ends much of the time. You know that you should do more to prepare for meeting with small business owners, but there just aren’t enough hours in the day. 

In 2017, River Cities Capital Funds, a growth equity fund focused on healthcare and information technology, produced a study on software as a service (SaaS) companies. At the time, River Cities already had invested roughly $100 million in 16 SaaS companies, which had resulted in six successful liquidity events, including two IPOs. 

Last week, we hosted the final installment in Vertical IQ’s free spring webinar series—a presentation entitled Building Prospecting Momentum, led by banking industry sales expert Ned Miller. Ned notes that banks can grow their book of business through effective prospecting, but it’s a competitive world out there when it comes to...