Horizontal Market

What is a Horizontal Market?

A horizontal market is one where a product or service is designed to be used by a wide range of customers across many different industries. For example, software like Microsoft Office or a CRM system is a horizontal product because businesses in almost every industry can use it. This is in contrast to a "vertical market," where a product is designed for a specific industry, like software for dental offices. Partners who specialize in horizontal technologies often have a very broad customer base.

Related Terms

Halo Effect

What is Halo Effect? The halo effect is a type of cognitive bias where our overall impression of a person, brand, or product influences our feelings about their specific traits. For example, if we see a person as friendly, we are also more likely to think they are intelligent. In partnerships, the

Hand-off

What is a Hand-off? A hand-off is the point in a process where responsibility for a task or a customer is transferred from one person or team to another. In a sales process, there might be a hand-off from a BDR who qualified a lead to an account executive who will work on closing the deal. In a par

Hard Launch

What is Hard Launch? A hard launch is when a new product or company is released to the public with a big, coordinated marketing push. It's the opposite of a "soft launch," where a product is released quietly to a small group of people first. A hard launch aims to generate as much buzz and media att

Headcount

What is Headcount? Headcount is simply the total number of people employed by a company. It's a common way to measure the size of a business. When a company is planning its budget, it will often have a headcount plan that outlines how many new people it intends to hire in each department. One of th

High-touch

What is High-Touch? High-touch is a term used to describe a sales or service model that involves a lot of direct, personal interaction with the customer. It's a hands-on approach where the focus is on building a strong relationship and providing a personalised experience. This model is typically

House Account

What is House Account? A house account is a customer account that is managed directly by the vendor's own sales team, rather than by a channel partner. These are often the company's largest and most strategic customers. Having a clear policy on house accounts is very important for avoiding channel