Completing the Circle with Industry Intelligence
If you’re in sales and especially if you use RelPro, then you understand the
value of learning about a company’s history and their key contacts. But have you
considered the importance of completing the circle of knowledge by understanding
the ins and outs of the company’s industry in order to build credibility and
offer more value-added advice? This is exactly why RelPro and Vertical IQ have
teamed up.
Vertical IQ provides actionable industry intelligence for sales and marketing professionals on more than 500 unique industries, as well as economic/industry reports for 325 cities across the U.S. Our innovative industry intelligence solution helps arm bankers, accountants, financial planners, attorneys, and others who target and advise small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) with the knowledge needed to win more happy customers.
These two complementary solutions offer you micro-level data (company-specific contact details and research on decision-makers) as well as macro-level information (industry insights) you need to achieve sales success and deepen customer relationships.
At Vertical IQ, “industry intelligence” is a term we hold near and dear to our hearts. It means understanding the trends and challenges of an industry so you can have an informed conversation with business managers and owners. It means that you’re tracking industry news and sending relevant articles as a follow up to your client calls. It means understanding financial drivers within the industry and adding value by offering ideas to help the client’s company improve its financial position.
Why would we take the time to learn all of this information about your client’s industry? Why is it so important to complete the circle by incorporating industry intelligence into your call planning strategy? Well, primarily because it will enable you to become a trusted advisor to your clients. As a trusted advisor:
- You will get referrals. When you are considered a credible resource by your clients, they will inevitably give you referrals to other businesses.
- You will fetch premium fees. With most products and services, people are willing to pay more for better quality. This will hold true for your clients who see the value that your industry knowledge brings to the relationship.
- Your job will be more interesting and fun. You have the knowledge that clients crave, and this makes you highly valued by them. And importantly, a computer can’t replace you.
You’re ready to complete the circle and show your client or prospect that you understand the ins and outs of their industry. Here are some simple ways to get the most out of the industry intelligence you glean from Vertical IQ.
- Email or letter: Incorporate information about the latest trends occurring within the client or prospect’s industry. Close your correspondence by telling them you will follow up with a call to discuss how these trends may be impacting their business.
- Phone call: Discuss the above trend(s) with them, but also mention another trend or potential challenge occurring within their industry. Advise them on how you can help address this issue for them.
- In-person meeting: Print off and share some of Vertical IQ’s industry-specific financial benchmark data and/or local economic data with them. Ask the client/prospect how their business compares to the average company within their industry.
- Leave-behind or mailer:Print off a relevant industry article, staple your business card to it, and jot a note that says, “Thought you might find this interesting.” Then reach out to schedule a follow-up to discuss how the article relates to their own company’s experiences.
Knowing what companies to call and who are the ideal contacts is crucial to securing a meeting, but to build credibility in that conversation, you need business and industry knowledge as well.
By using the company intelligence from RelPro and the industry intelligence available from Vertical IQ, you have the opportunity to complete the circle of knowledge and become a “trusted advisor.” You’ll be able to provide key contacts with insights on specific tactics to grow their business, and you can offer guidance on how to mitigate the complex challenges others in their industry are facing.
Read the two pager RelPro & Vertical IQ: A Smart Combination or email info@verticaliq.com today for more information about getting the most out of the integrated intelligence tools available on RelPro and Vertical IQ!