Verticalization is like climbing a mountain. Before you take a single step, you need clarity on the destination. Are you aiming for base camp — a lower‑commitment climb that signals relevance, gets you closer to buyers, and lets you learn the terrain with a manageable investment? Or are you preparing for the summit — committing significant time, resources, and organizational energy to build deep vertical expertise that fundamentally reshapes your go-to-market (GTM) motion?

Both are valid goals. The problem is treating them like the same climb.

At this year’s Forrester B2B Summit, my session, “To Verticalize Or Not To Verticalize,” answers questions many B2B leaders ask: Should we verticalize? And if so, how far and how fast? I’ll share how GTM leaders should determine how high to climb and what it will really take to succeed at that altitude.

Why This Session Matters

Buyers are telling us something important. In Forrester’s Buyers’ Journey Survey, industry expertise ranks among the top technical reasons why buyers choose a provider. But not every buyer values the same depth of vertical specialization, and building it is not cheap. That’s where things get tricky.

Some GTM teams attempt a summit push before the organization is ready to support it. It forces product, marketing, and sales to operate at an altitude they were never prepared for. Others never attempt the mountain at all, underinvesting in vertical relevance and watching competitors climb past them.

This session focuses on how to make that choice intentionally. It’s designed to help you decide whether base camp is the right strategic position or whether the summit is worth the efforts and investments.

During the session, I’ll answer:

  • Why you should (or shouldn’t) verticalize. Is buyer demand strong enough to justify the ascent, and at what height does vertical focus start to pay off?
  • When verticalization makes sense. Are market conditions, internal readiness, and growth goals aligned for the next stage of the climb?
  • How to do it in a way your organization can actually support. Do marketing, sales, and product have the stamina, skills, and alignment to operate at the altitude you’re targeting?

Let’s Talk Summit At Summit!

Verticalization is a climb. Come to my track session to learn how high you should go — and what it really takes to get there.

Can’t make it to Summit this year? Schedule a guidance session with me or reach out via LinkedIn.

(Photo by Patrik László on Unsplash)