First Research’s Bobby Martin to Lead Presentation at Small Business Banking Conference

Panel to Include Representatives from Bank of America, FirstMerit Bank and St. Meyer & Hubbard

Raleigh, NC – October 26, 2005 – First Research Inc., the leading industry intelligence company, announced today that its president and co-founder, Bobby Martin, will lead a panel entitled “Banking on Sales Success with Industry Intelligence” on October 27 at the 10th Annual Small Business Banking Conference.

Panel participants will include Brian O’Connor, Bank of America Business Banking national sales executive, Mike Benson, senior vice president and small business banking segment manager of FirstMerit Bank, and Jack Hubbard, chief experience officer of St. Meyer & Hubbard, Inc. Discussion will consider methods of empowering sales teams with the knowledge and tools necessary to develop and strengthen customer relationships, increase cross-sell opportunities and drive revenue, improving every stage of the sales cycle through the use of industry intelligence.

“In working with small businesses, developing strong relationships and establishing yourself as a trusted advisor are essential ingredients in successfully prospecting, maintaining and retaining customers,” said Martin. “I look forward to discussing the challenges this niche is facing, and the innumerable solutions and opportunities available through the application of industry intelligence.”

“Our firm partners with banks to develop strategies to enhance conversations and to articulate intrinsic value to the marketplaces they serve,” said Jack Hubbard. “Industry intelligence is key in strategically building and maintaining a viable client base and First Research is the best in the industry in facilitating that intelligence. It is our privilege to be on the panel with two great sales banks and a firm such as First Research.”

The 10th Annual Small Business Banking Conference, hosted by Source Media, will be held October 26-28 at the Intercontinental Hotel in Dallas, TX. For more information visit http://www.sourcemediaconferences.com/conferences/SBB05/index.html



About First Research
First Research is the leading industry intelligence company that helps sales teams perform faster and smarter, open doors and close more deals. First Research performs the “heavy lifting” by synthesizing hundreds of sources into an easy to digest format a sales person can consume very quickly to better understand a prospect’s or client’s business issues. First Research updates each Industry Profile quarterly and pushes out Email Alerts to ensure content is both timely and top of mind. Customers include leading companies in banking, technology, telecommunications, business process outsourcing and professional services such as Bank of America, Merrill Lynch and Sprint. Used by over 40,000 sales professionals, First Research can benefit any organization which has prospects in multiple industries. First Research is headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina. For more information, visit www.firstresearch.com

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Media Contacts:
Shawn Ramsey
Crossroads Public Relations (on behalf of First Research)
(919) 359-0947 (office)
(919) 621-0737 (mobile)
sramsey@crossroadspr.com

Kristin W. Bear
Crossroads Public Relations (on behalf of First Research)
(919) 784-0445 (office)
(919) 349-1856 (mobile)
kbear@crossroadspr.com