Month: September 2025

That sound you hear? It’s the final bell ringing. Tomorrow is October 1st. Welcome to the fourth and final quarter of 2025.

For those of us in sales, this isn’t just the start of another quarter. It’s the final, high-stakes sprint to the finish line. This is where goals are met, accelerators are hit, and champions are made.

Let’s do the math, because the numbers don’t lie.

As of tomorrow there are 92 days left in 2025. That sounds like a lot of time, right? Wrong.

Let’s get real about your actual selling days. Once you remove weekends, you’re looking at a much starker reality:

• 23 business days in October
• 19 business days in November (Thanksgiving will eat at least two of these)
• 22 business days in December (And let’s be honest, the last week is a ghost town)

That gives us 64 days.

Sixty-four opportunities to prospect, present, and close. Sixty-four chances to turn a “maybe” into a signed deal. Sixty-four days to define our entire year.

The time for casual prospecting is over. The time for “I’ll get to it tomorrow” has passed. Every call, every meeting, and every proposal has to count. It’s time for ruthless efficiency and strategic targeting.

Your Q4 Vertical Hit List: Where to Aim Your Firepower

Forget chasing every lead. In a time crunch, you need to focus on the merchants who are about to get slammed with business and feel the pain of their current processing solution (or lack thereof). Here’s where you hunt:

1. Healthcare & Wellness (Dentists & Chiropractors): The “Use It or Lose It” Goldmine This is the most potent, time-sensitive pitch you have. Patients are scrambling to spend their “use it or lose it” FSA/HSA dollars and use up their insurance benefits before deductibles reset on January 1st.

• Pain Points: Front desk chaos, inability to accept FSA/HSA cards, no way to offer payment plans for larger treatments.
• Your Pitch: “Are you prepared for the end-of-year patient rush?” Ensure their terminals are properly coded for healthcare payments. Pitch recurring payment plans for procedures not fully covered by insurance. This isn’t a “nice-to-have”; it’s a critical tool for them to maximize their Q4 revenue.

2. Automotive Services (Auto Repair, Tire Shops, Towing): The Winter Rush As the weather turns, vehicle needs become urgent. People need new tires for snow, get cars serviced for holiday travel, and unfortunately, need towing and repairs from weather-related incidents.

• Pain Points: Large, unexpected repair bills for customers. Towing companies need to take payments on the roadside. Inefficient invoicing for fleet accounts.
• Your Pitch: Offer terminals with built-in consumer financing options. Pitch wireless terminals and mobile solutions for tow truck drivers. Highlight security for high-ticket transactions. You’re selling them a way to make a stressful, expensive customer purchase much smoother.

3. Home Services (HVAC & Plumbers): The Emergency Call Lifeline The first cold snap is your trigger. Furnaces break, and pipes freeze. When a homeowner is in an emergency, they care about speed and reliability, not just price.

• Pain Points: Invoicing in the field, collecting payment on-site, managing emergency dispatch calls.
• Your Pitch: Equip their technicians with mobile payment solutions (Pay-by-Text, QR codes, mobile swipers). Offer a virtual terminal for the office to take deposits over the phone securely. You’re selling them a way to get paid faster and more efficiently during their busiest and most chaotic season.

4. Retail (The Obvious Goldmine): This is their Super Bowl. From small boutiques to large storefronts, they are bracing for the holiday rush.

• Pain Points: Long lines, slow terminals, poor inventory tracking, no gift card program.
• Your Pitch: Modern smart terminals (Clover, Poynt) for faster checkouts, integrated inventory management, and a branded gift card solution you can get up and running in a week. Sell them efficiency and a better customer experience.

5. Restaurants & Catering (The Holiday Party Kings): Office parties, family gatherings, and event catering are about to explode.

• Pain Points: Taking deposits over the phone, managing invoices for large parties, needing to take payments at off-site events.
• Your Pitch: Virtual terminals for secure card-not-present transactions, invoicing solutions, and wireless terminals for catering gigs. You’re not just selling processing; you’re selling them tools to manage their busiest season.

6. E-commerce (The 24/7 Cash Machine): If a local business isn’t selling online, they are committing financial suicide in Q4.

• Pain Points: No online store, clunky payment gateway, high risk of chargebacks during the holidays.
• Your Pitch: A secure payment gateway (like Authorize.Net or NMI) that integrates easily with their website. Offer them a path to capture the massive wave of online holiday spending.

The next 64 days will fly by. What you do right now—the calls you make today, the verticals you target this week—will determine where you stand on December 31st.

Stop reading. Get Up and Get out and Go hunt!

What verticals do you target this time of year? Let me know in the comments below.

Happy Selling,

David

Let’s be honest. In our line of work, you can feel like just another salesperson slinging the same old song and dance about lower rates. Business owners have heard it all before. Their guard is up, and they’re ready for you to launch into your pitch the second you walk through the door. But what if you could change the entire dynamic from the first “hello”?

The secret isn’t a slicker pitch or a more competitive rate. It’s about building genuine rapport and earning trust. In an industry flooded with competition, the salesperson who builds a real relationship is the one who wins—not just the initial deal, but a loyal client for life.

The First 30 Seconds: Building the Bridge

Before you can even think about discussing processing statements, you have to connect on a human level. The initial interaction sets the tone for everything that follows. Your goal isn’t to sell; it’s to be invited into a conversation.

• Observe and Listen: Walk in with your eyes and ears open, not just your mouth. Notice the photos on the wall, the awards behind the counter, or the way they interact with their customers. Find a genuine point of connection. “I see you’re a big fan of the local high school team—my kid plays for them too!” is infinitely more powerful than “I can get you a more competitive rate on your credit card processing.”
• Ask Open-Ended Questions: Instead of transactional questions, ask relationship-building ones.
  • Instead of: “Who do you process with now?”
  • Try: “How has business been lately? What’s been your biggest challenge this quarter?”
• Mirror and Match: Subtly mirror their body language and tone of voice. If they are laid-back and casual, a stiff, corporate approach will create a disconnect. This isn’t about manipulation; it’s about making the other person feel comfortable and understood.

From Vendor to Valuable Partner: Earning Their Trust

Trust isn’t given; it’s earned. A business owner’s payment processing is the lifeblood of their company. They won’t hand it over to someone they don’t trust implicitly. This is where you shift from being a salesperson to becoming a trusted advisor.

• Transparency is King: Be honest about everything—rates, fees, agreement terms, and potential pitfalls. Use a consultative approach. Lay out their current statement and explain it clearly, even if it means pointing out that their current provider is giving them a decent deal in some areas. This honesty builds incredible credibility. When you recommend a change, they’ll know it’s because it genuinely benefits them.
• Solve Problems, Don’t Just Sell Products: A business owner might think they need a more competitive rate, but what they really need is better cash flow, a more reliable POS system, or a way to accept online payments. Listen for the underlying pain point. The salesperson who says, “I understand you’re frustrated with your terminal always going down during the lunch rush. Let’s look at a more reliable solution that also integrates with your inventory,” will always beat the one who just promises to shave off a few basis points.
• Follow-Up and Follow-Through: The simplest way to build trust is to do what you say you’re going to do. If you promise to send an analysis by Tuesday, send it by Tuesday. If you say you’ll call back on Thursday at 10 AM, their phone should be ringing at 10 AM sharp. This reliability demonstrates that you respect their time and are a person of your word.

Ultimately, anyone can offer a lower rate. But not everyone can build a foundation of trust that makes a business owner see you as an indispensable part of their success. Stop selling merchant services and start building partnerships and make the connection. The results will speak for themselves.

Happy Selling,

David

We’ve all been there. You’ve accomplished something great, something you’re genuinely proud of, and then the little voice in your head pipes up: “Don’t toot your own horn.” It’s a common sentiment, often rooted in humility or a fear of appearing arrogant. But what if I told you that sometimes, tooting your own horn isn’t just okay, it’s essential?

I recently had a conversation with someone who, after a stating where she had done a good job , demurred, “I don’t want to toot my own horn.” My immediate thought? “Why not?!”

Think about it. We work hard, we achieve goals, we overcome challenges. These aren’t minor feats; they’re the result of dedication, skill, and often, a lot of extra effort. So why do we hesitate to acknowledge our own successes?

The Power of Self-Advocacy

In a world where opportunities often go to those who are seen and heard, self-advocacy is a crucial skill. If you don’t highlight your accomplishments, who will? Your boss might be busy, your colleagues might not realize the full scope of your contribution, and potential clients certainly won’t know unless you tell them.

“Tooting your own horn” isn’t about arrogance; it’s about confidence. It’s about recognizing your value and effectively communicating it to others. It’s about owning your successes and using them as stepping stones for future growth.

It’s Not Bragging if It’s True (and Delivered Thoughtfully)

The key here is how you toot your horn. There’s a fine line between confident self-promotion and obnoxious bragging. The difference often lies in your intention and delivery.

• Focus on impact: Instead of just listing what you did, explain the positive outcome or benefit. “I successfully implemented X, which resulted in a 15% increase in Y.”
• Share credit when due: While you’re highlighting your contribution, acknowledge the team or individuals who helped you achieve the success. This shows you’re a team player, not just self-serving.
• Be authentic: Don’t exaggerate or make things up. Stick to the facts and let your achievements speak for themselves.
• Choose your moments: Not every moment is the right time for self-promotion. Be strategic about when and where you share your successes.

This concept is especially vital for those in sales. You’re constantly seeking to demonstrate value and differentiate yourself from the competition. Your past successes are your most powerful testimonials!

When you’re talking to a potential client, don’t shy away from sharing how you helped a similar business streamline their payment processing, save on fees, or improve customer experience. “I recently helped a client similar to you reduce their processing fees by 20% by optimizing their system, which freed up capital for them to invest elsewhere.” This isn’t just tooting your horn; it’s providing tangible proof of your expertise and the benefits you can deliver. Your confidence in your past wins will translate into confidence from your prospects.

So, the next time you achieve something noteworthy, take a moment to celebrate it. And if that little voice tells you not to toot your own horn, remind it that sometimes, a little fanfare is exactly what you need to move forward.

What’s one accomplishment you’re proud of that you’ve been hesitant to share?

Happy Selling,

David