Wednesday, October 11, 2006

What Are Your Verticals? Musings on Writing My Budget Report

Okay, so I am in budget report-writing mode at the moment. Most of the other law firm managers I know are either finished and waiting to hear if they have had theirs approved, or are like me still working away to get the beast tamed. I must say, the first year I worked on my budget the thing seemed almost insurmountable. But, having done this for several years now I am more comfortable with the uncomfortableness of it all. I try to just dig in and get the thing over with instead of throwing myself into existential angst over a few dollars.

So that sets the mood. I am working away and then suddenly get this call from an online information product sales person. I agree to a quick web demo another day, when the budget will hopefully be done. But at the close of our conversation, his last question throws me: "What are your verticals?"

Um, I'm close to responding "Hunter Douglas" but quickly realize this is industry speak for, well, what industries I am interested in. Not which types of blinds I have. D'oh!

Anyway, this reminds me that when I write this budget thing, if I want to see any sort of approval of new products or initiatives, I had better strip out all of that publisher and library jargon and write in plain English.

Imagine writing something like: "We request additional funds to pursue a new electronic initiative with better coverage of previously neglected verticals." Oh my! Sounds almost obscene.

Okay, back I go to my numbers!

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