The previous sections described methods to become better connected and more relevant to customers. To fully grasp and address your customers’ needs, it’s essential to comprehend the environments within which they operate. Their industry, not yours, is the universe within which customers’ priorities, challenges, and objectives exist. The rules in this section discuss how to achieve that perspective.
Many of the recommendations in this section are based on studies conducted by The Shirman Group in 2008 and 2010 on industry specialization by companies selling products and services to other companies, and on work done directly with vendors pursuing vertical markets. The findings from both surveys and in-depth interviews reveal that specialization of marketing, sales, services, products, and partnerships around key target industries produces significant improvements in revenue and brand awareness within those industries.