The “Winning Clients, Delivering Value” blog series is based on Vertical IQ’s latest free eBook, The Ultimate Guide for Winning Clients and Delivering Value. In these posts, we will break down 15 of the simplest ways to use financial data and Industry Intelligence from Vertical IQ to improve your prospecting skills, increase your business sales closing rate, and build strong, long-lasting client relationships to improve client retention.
We all know the first rule of business: “Find a need and fulfill it.” But do you know the first rule of marketing? It’s, “Know your audience.” Who are they? What are their needs? What keeps them up at night?
This concept of knowing and presenting to your audience to fulfill a need applies to selling widgets, financial products, B2B consulting services … or just about anything else. By using compelling, tailored messaging in each interaction and speaking directly to a business’s unique qualities and pain points, you show business owners and other decision-makers that you understand them and their industry.
Another important marketing concept is the Rule of 7. This is the theory that a person needs to see an advertisement an average of seven times before the ad’s message really sinks into their consciousness and they begin to make any buying decision. It’s like delivering a presentation — you tell the audience what you plan to say, you say it, and then you remind them what you said!
This is why you also want to stay in front of clients and prospects — physically and/or figuratively — to stay top-of-mind. Why? The key to closing new deals and deepening existing client relationships is for them to think of you as someone with the know-how and expertise to address their needs or solve their issues when they arise.
How do you stay top-of-mind consistently?
How do you convey to clients and prospects that you can be a trusted business advisor?
The answer is simple: Use Industry Intelligence.
The newest eBook from Vertical IQ, The Ultimate Guide for Winning Clients and Delivering Value, shares fast, straightforward ways to pass along useful industry insights and financial data analysis to your clients and prospects. These easy techniques showcase your (or your team’s) industry expertise and ensure your brand remains in front of decision-makers. When they need a widget (or accountant or financial advisor or … you get the idea), they will automatically think of you.
How to create go-to-market plans to stay top-of-mind with clients
1. Understand a business and its landscape
The business and economic outlook in a major East Coast city can obviously be far different than in a rural Midwestern area. That’s why a big part of knowing your audience is understanding the industry and economic landscape in which they operate. This concept has two essential applications.
First, when prospecting, you should research to understand better which industries in your footprint are growing and which are shrinking. This information can help you choose a niche industry to pursue or inform you about verticals to avoid.
Possibly more significant is the value this type of local knowledge can have for a business owner. It can help them determine the ideal placement of expansion locations, evaluate their employee salary and benefits packages, and monitor the economies in which their customers may be operating.
The economic and Industry Intelligence you’ll find on Vertical IQ makes this simple.
- Our Local Economies section provides data on more than 300 metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) and more than 3,100 counties across the U.S., giving you an up-close look at indicators like population, income, employment, residential real estate pricing, home and rent price forecast, and local business dynamics. It also includes a Quarterly National Economic Outlook with insights from local economy experts Local Market Monitor.
- Localized Industry Data on Vertical IQ lets you drill down even further. There, you can access MSA- and county-level insights on a specific industry. You’ll get details like the number of business locations in a specific locale, employment and wage trends, and geographic economic indicators.
And all of this localized economic information can easily be shared with clients and prospects as a way to bolster your trusted business advisor status and remain top-of-mind with clients.
Which leads us to #2 …
2. Create on-point presentations and marketing materials
Personalization is the name of the game in the business world. Decision-makers are no longer content with generic messaging and rote product pitches. Just as they are looking for someone who conveys knowledge of their industry and local economy, they expect your communications to be tailored to THEM.
Industry Intelligence from Vertical IQ is specifically designed to be actionable. We make it a snap to speak to a company’s unique needs — their challenges and opportunities — within your presentations and marketing collateral, and customize your proposed solutions accordingly. Use our popular SalesKit, found on every Industry Profile, to lighten your marketing load even further!
- Craft prospecting letters, emails, and call scripts that highlight relevant industry insights and pain points to entice decision-makers to meet.
- Integrate CEO-level industry content and salient local economic data into your pitch deck and other marketing materials.
- To reinforce your position as a knowledgeable, trusted advisor to their business, regularly share relevant industry content (such as business news articles and the latest industry trends) via email or printed leave-behind, ensuring you stay top-of-mind with prospects and clients.
3. Speaking a business owner’s language
If you’ve ever traveled abroad, you likely know how nice it can be to find someone else who speaks English. It puts your mind at ease and builds confidence when speaking the same language. The same holds true for business owners. Familiarizing yourself with their unique industry terms instantly boosts your credibility and puts you on the path to trusted advisor status.
While learning a new language can take years, getting up to speed on industry jargon and key talking points takes only a few minutes when you use Vertical IQ.
- Every Industry Profile on Vertical IQ has a chapter called Industry Terms, where you can quickly learn the lingo and acronyms you might hear in a meeting with a business owner or other decision-makers.
- Each Industry Profile also includes a Prep Sheet, a short, printable overview of the industry highlighting the vertical’s key terminology, working capital management, structure, and top trends. This five-minute read will get you up to speed when time is tight.
- Our ever-popular Call Prep Questions chapter of the Industry Profile lets you start conversations with savvy inquiries that keep the prospect talking!
4. Stay on their mind
CEOs and other decision-makers have a million things on their mind. Small business owners, in particular, often wear multiple hats, serving as CFO in the morning, sales manager in the afternoon, and end the day tackling HR responsibilities. It’s definitely a full plate!
That’s why, when someone comes along who can lighten their load—someone who clearly has a firm handle on the unique aspects of their business, speaks their language, provides relevant industry insights, and can offer solutions tailored to their specific needs—that person will not only grab their attention; they will hold onto it.
The Industry Intelligence found on Vertical IQ makes it fast and easy to personalize your messaging and stay top-of-mind with business owners. Add key data and insights into each communication, conversation, and touchpoint. That steady stream of value-added content will quickly position you as the trusted advisor they have been searching for.
With Vertical IQ’s Industry Intelligence, you…
Leverage industry-specific content to enhance your prospect and client relationship management strategies and empower your team with valuable industry insights that business owners truly appreciate. Explore Vertical IQ pricing here.
Want a FREE demo first? Request a free Vertical IQ demo here.
>> You can learn more about 15 actionable strategies to use Industry Intelligence to win new relationships and continuously engage your existing business clients. Download Vertical IQ’s newest free eBook, The Ultimate Guide for Winning Clients and Delivering Value!