The $20 Million Mistake Most Agencies Make
I was standing on the sales floor, separated from the rest of our agency.
Phones were ringing. Deals were closing. And a massive metallic gong would sound 3-4 times per week, celebrating another successful sale.
But this wasn't just any sales floor.
This was the beginning of a profound discovery about agency growth that would transform our business from $20M to $150M in revenue.
You see, most agencies make the same mistake we initially made...
They try to be everything to everyone.
One day you're building a website for a plumber. The next, creating marketing campaigns for a bank. Then pivoting to help a restaurant with their SEO.
It feels productive. After all, you're winning business.
But here's what's really happening:
Your team is constantly context-switching. Your marketing message gets diluted. And your pricing power evaporates.
We discovered a better way.
Instead of casting a wide net, we started with lasersharp focus on one vertical: attorneys.
Specifically, personal injury attorneys.
The results were stunning:
- Shorter sales cycles
- Higher client retention
- Premium pricing power
- Exponential word-of-mouth
Once we mastered that vertical, we expanded into others - home services, franchise businesses, and medical practices.
Each new vertical followed the same playbook we developed with attorneys.
But here's the key insight...
We didn't try to conquer all these verticals simultaneously. We went deep into one first, perfected our approach, then expanded.
Think of it like climbing a mountain.
Most agencies try to climb multiple peaks at once, exhausting their resources and never reaching any summit.
We focused on conquering one peak first. Then used that victory camp to launch expeditions to other peaks.
The formula is simple but requires courage:
- Choose ONE vertical
- Become the undisputed expert
- Let your success fund expansion
- Repeat
Remember: The path to $150M doesn't start with serving everyone.
It starts with serving someone specific... extremely well.
Would love to hear your thoughts.
What vertical could you focus on first?
