Turning Insight into Opportunity: How Local Market Sentiment Can Drive Commercial & Business Banking Growth

In today’s competitive landscape, financial decision-makers at small & mid-sized businesses are inundated with generic outreach—emails, calls, and marketing messages that fail to resonate. To break through, commercial & business bankers must go beyond surface-level selling and instead build real relationships rooted in understanding, relevance, and trust.

At RelPro, we believe the key to standing out is through intelligence—specifically, the kind that helps you understand what’s really going on in the minds of business owners and their local markets. That’s why we’ve integrated insights from Rivel Banking Research directly into our platform, giving bankers the edge they need to build relationships that win business. Rivel Banking Research helps banks and credit unions gain a competitive edge by conducting 250,000 annual interviews with consumers and businesses to uncover local market insights, brand perceptions, and decision drivers. Their data-driven research reveals where institutions are vulnerable and where new growth opportunities lie.

Why Sentiment Matters in Commercial & Business Banking

Rivel’s Fall 2024 data surfaced a striking insight: only one-third of business bank accounts currently have an assigned banker. That’s not just a gap—it’s an opportunity. Businesses should feel seen and supported. When banks lead with personalized service and demonstrate understanding of a company’s needs and goals, they win trust—and with it, loyalty.

But understanding a prospect’s sentiment isn’t just about asking the right questions. It’s about knowing what to ask and where to go in the first place.

Actionable Insights = Smarter Outreach

RelPro users can leverage Rivel Bank Research data to:

• Identify local dissatisfaction with existing banking relationships
• Understand which products and services are in demand by region or sector
• Pinpoint who to speak to—and what to say—based on sentiment data
• Uncover competitive gaps in their local markets
• See communication preferences, so your outreach lands the right way

This is more than data - it's direction.

Know Your Prospect. Know Their Market. Know the Opportunity.

Most banks talk about “building relationships,” but relationships start with relevance. To build trust with a local business owner, bankers must show that they’ve done their homework—about the business itself, the industry it operates in, and the market forces influencing decisions.

RelPro gives you that context at your fingertips by integrating with Vertical IQ and IBISWorld, so you can quickly get up to speed on any industry and tailor your message accordingly. Pair that with Rivel’s sentiment research, and you’ve got a formula for impactful outreach.

Human Touch in a Digital Age

While many banks are investing in digital transformation—and rightly so—it’s important to remember: personal connections still matter. Rivel’s research shows business clients still prefer:

• Phone calls (64%)
• Emails (59%)
• In-person meetings (46%)

Yes, digital tools are essential for convenience—but when it comes to strategic advice, business owners want to talk to someone who “gets” them.

Recommendations for Banks Looking to Grow

1. Assign dedicated bankers to key accounts in your market—many businesses are still unassigned and open to new relationships. Use RelPro and Rivel data to identify underserved businesses in your local area.
2. Leverage buyer intent signals available on the RelPro platform to know what products and services your prospects and clients have demonstrated interest in before you reach out.
3. Use the “Filings and Loans” Advanced Search in RelPro to identify companies with expiring loans, or those companies that are using banks that Rivel research shows are underserving their clients. Set alerts for those companies to stay updated on their activity.
4. Tailor your messaging using industry insights and sentiment data.
5. Communicate across multiple channels—meet your prospects where they are.
6. Invest in training for relationship managers focused on industry knowledge + interpersonal skills.
7. Keep your bank’s reputation strong by focusing on transparency and consistent service.

Conclusion: Use Data to Build Trust, Not Just Pipelines

Commercial & Business banking success doesn’t come from sending more emails—it comes from showing up in a smarter, more meaningful way. With RelPro and Rivel Banking Research, you can now do just that.

Whether it’s uncovering dissatisfied clients of a competitor, identifying which products a market is hungry for, or knowing how to reach out—RelPro empowers you to act on data-informed intelligence.

In the end, it’s not about selling a loan. It’s about becoming a trusted advisor. And that starts with understanding not just who your prospects are, but how they feel—and what they truly need.