How I Escaped the Generalist Trap

I spent 17 years in agencies, including 6 as Scorpion’s CMO, where we grew from $20M to $150M. 

How? 

We stopped being generalists. 

Let me share what I mean: generic positioning makes you invisible. 

Here’s how we broke free—and how you can too.

• Pick Your Vertical: At Scorpion, we dominated attorneys first, then home services, then franchises. What’s your niche?
  

• Skip the Noise: “Award-winning” means next to nothing. We focused on results—clients noticed.
  

• Solve Their Pain: Prospects don’t care about our fancy building—they want growth. We gave it to them.

For example, at Scorpion, we shifted from “We’re great!” to “We’ll double your cases in 90 days.” Revenue jumped. Compare that to agencies shouting “award-winning”—who stands out?

The reality is, you don’t have to blend in. Specialize, get clear, and your agency will rise above the noise. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does generic positioning make an agency invisible instead of safe?

Because blending in doesn't protect an agency, it erases it. Generic messaging looks like every other option a prospect is already comparing, which makes standing out impossible.

Why doesn't "award-winning" actually mean much to a prospect?

Because it doesn't tell them anything about the results they'd actually get. It's a credential, not an outcome, and prospects respond more to what an agency will actually do for them.

What does picking a vertical actually solve?

It removes the invisibility of trying to appeal to everyone. Scorpion dominated attorneys first, then home services, then franchises, one at a time, rather than trying to be relevant to all of them at once.

What changed when messaging shifted from "we're great" to a specific outcome?

Revenue jumped. "We'll double your cases in 90 days" gave prospects something concrete to respond to, instead of a vague claim that could apply to any agency.

What's the real difference between specialization and standing out through claims like "award-winning"?

Specialization changes what an agency actually offers and to whom, while claims like "award-winning" just try to sound impressive without changing anything underneath. One creates real differentiation, the other doesn't.