You’ll be humming along as Vertical IQ continues our Industry Intelligence Summer Concert Blog Series! We’re sharing some of our team’s favorite songs while also demystifying Industry Intelligence. Join us for tips on the value of Industry Intelligence, discover some new musical artists, and reminisce on the classics!
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My husband, Jeff, and I are moving … again. Over our last few moves, we’ve gotten pretty good at picking and choosing what we take, selling things that don’t make the cut on Marketplace or hauling them to the donation center. But one thing that we do move from house to house is what I call my “Songs in the Attic.”
It’s a cardboard box of piano sheet music and song books, some of which I’ve had since I was 9 or 10 years old. There are a few song sheets from middle school and high school choir performances, some sacred song books I’ve kept from when I’ve played in church, and several compilation books of the Beatles, Steely Dan, Elton John, and my favorite “piano man,” Billy Joel, whose “Greatest Hits Volume 1 and 2” is well-worn with a few pages missing.
Billy’s songs span my youth and young adult years. As a kid, my favorite tune to play was “Moving Out.” I had to keep the staccato right-hand beat going while the left hand played the intro riff in the bass clef.
In each tune, Billy shows off his incredible piano skills, intricate melodies, and unpredictable chord progressions. In addition to touching love/loss songs like “And So It Goes” and “She’s Got a Way,” he wrote lots of incredibly singable pop songs: “Say Goodbye to Hollywood,” “You May Be Right,” and “Uptown Girl,” to name a few. He’s also one of the greatest ever singer-storytellers. Who can forget “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant” — the story of “Brender” and Eddie?
It truly is all about trust
In 1986, Billy released “A Matter of Trust,” with its lyrics about trust in love and relationships. Some relationships come in hot and then quickly go cold. Some loves are built slowly over time. But this song to his current partner relays that their relationship is based on trust.
The first bridge goes:
You can’t go the distance
With too much resistance.
I know you have doubts
But for God’s sake, don’t shut me out.
Wow — if this isn’t a universal truth! Building trust in any relationship — love, friendship, even business — is foundational to a bond’s longevity. In fact, according to research from Salesforce, 78 percent of business owners say they seek out trusted advisors to their business. We’re talking about someone who is more than a “salesperson”; they want someone who will truly add value to their business relationship.
If you “have doubts,” there’s even more compelling data for salespeople who truly want to “go the distance” to form a solid relationship with business owners — one built on trust.
- A 2019 Edelman-LinkedIn study on Thought Leadership discovered that 89 percent of decision-makers believe that thought leadership enhances a brand’s reputation and thus increases their trust in that brand.
- A 2018 State of Sales Report found a whopping 93 percent of decision-makers said they were more likely to consider a product or service if a sales professional shared content relevant to their role.
…and this is where Industry Intelligence (like you’ll find on Vertical IQ) can help ensure your client or prospect won’t have doubts or shut you out.
A trustworthy resource
There are a lot of online sources for trend data on various industries. It’s easy to become complacent and think that it’s all pretty much equal. But not every information source puts equal emphasis on the credibility, reliability, and timeliness of its data. Yet that’s precisely what good Industry Intelligence does — it’s not just “convenient,” it’s also trustworthy.
By using the Industry Intelligence on Vertical IQ, you can have confidence that the information you are sharing is reliable and worthy of your client’s or prospect’s trust (and yours!). We use primary sources like government data and reports, third-party data from trusted sources like Inforum, Barlow Research, and Local Market Monitor, and commentary written by our own expert writing and research staff.
Use Vertical IQ’s content to start a conversation, asking how an industry-specific challenge is impacting their business. Print and share an industry-focused news article. Incorporate industry trends into your proposal. Pass along benchmark data so they can see how they stack up to their competitors. These are just a few of the quick and simple ways that you can build trust by sharing reliable industry insights, solidifying your position as an indispensable advisor to a client’s or prospect’s business.
>> Learn more about why Vertical IQ is actionable, convenient & focused.
The trusted Industry Intelligence your relationships need
In any relationship, actions speak louder than words. By sharing trustworthy Industry Intelligence with business owners or other decision makers, you show them that you are putting effort into their business’s success. You show them that you have the industry expertise needed to provide them with tailored solutions. And you alleviate any doubts they may have that you want to “go the distance” and are committed to being a trusted advisor to their business.
>> Contact us to learn more or see a list of the industries we cover.
Image credit: Pavel Danilyuk via Pexels