How many inbounds per month is good?

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    Corey Quinn

    Founder, Deep Specialization™

    Knowing the number of target businesses in your vertical market is critical.

    Few agency owners know the answer to this question. 👇

    How many target businesses are in your vertical market?

    Translation:  

    How many total plumbing businesses are in the US that have a problem you solve?

    (For agencies who target plumbers)

    Side note: This metric has many names, including  Total Addressable Market (TAM), Total Relevant Market (TRM), Serviceable Available Market  (SAM). Side note #2: Yes--I know these are all different but related metrics--I don't want to get into a war of definitions right now. 

    Here's the thing...

    Knowing the number of target businesses in your vertical market is critical.

    How else do you answer the following questions:

    • How many inbounds per month is good? (5% of your vertical market is actively buying per quarter)

    • When should we launch the next vertical? (when 3-5% of your vertical market are clients)

    • When should we raise our prices? (also when 3-5% of your vertical market are clients)

    • How many businesses should we target with our outbound?

    • ...and more.

    Good news: If you don't already know the number of target businesses that are in your vertical market, it's not hard to get started.  One of my favorite sources for this type of data is IBIS World.  Check them out!

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    About Corey Quinn

    Founder, Deep Specialization™

    Corey helps founder-led agencies scale through Deep Specialization™ and programmatic M&A. Former CMO of Scorpion ($20M to $200M). Author of "Anyone, Not Everyone."

    “Is this a good fit for my agency?”

    I partner with founders who want to build something meaningful, not just a busier agency, but a stronger, more scalable business.

    You’re likely a strong fit if:

    • You’re generating $1M–$20M+ annually
    • You want to lead your market, not blend into it
    • You’re thinking about long-term scale, not short-term tactics
    • You want a growth engine that doesn’t rely on you
    • You value clarity over complexity
    • You’re open to advanced growth levers, including acquisitions
    Anyone Not Everyone Book Cover

    Escape Founder-Led Sales With My Free Book

    My bestselling book Anyone Not Everyone reveals the positioning and outbound system that helps founder-led agencies create predictable, scalable growth.

    Endorsed by Aaron Ross, Alan Dibb, Dr. Benjamin Hardy, and many other top thinkers in the agency world.

    ★★★★★
    Over 100 5-star Amazon reviews