Getting started with choosing a vertical

Most agency owners understand the value of choosing a vertical for their business.

Many of them don't know how to do it.

Here's what I tell them: 👉 Start with your current book of business.

Analyze Your Client Base: Identify up to three current client verticals with outstanding retention and revenue. 

Engage Your Teams: Get feedback from your sales and client success teams. Do they enjoy working with these verticals? 

Personal Alignment: Consider whether YOU can get excited about working with them for a long period of time. (Don't discount this)

This focused approach gives you a starter list of verticals to choose from.

CQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Where should choosing a vertical actually start?

With the current book of business, not a blank slate. Looking at existing clients reveals real patterns worth building on, rather than guessing at an unfamiliar market from scratch.

How do I analyze my client base to find potential verticals?

Identify up to three current client verticals with outstanding retention and revenue. Those patterns often reveal where the agency already has natural strength, even if it hasn't been formally recognized yet.

Why does team feedback matter when choosing a vertical?

Because sales and client success teams have direct, ongoing experience with these clients. Their enjoyment, or lack of it, working with a specific vertical is a real signal worth factoring into the decision.

Why does personal alignment matter as much as the data?

Because sustained specialization requires genuine excitement about the work, not just strong numbers. A vertical that looks great on paper but doesn't excite the founder long-term may not hold up over time.

What's the actual output of this three-part process?

A starter list of vertical candidates, built from real client data, team feedback, and personal alignment, rather than a single guess at the "right" vertical from the outset.