How to get more serious sales opportunities

Want more serious sales opportunities?

Get recommended.

Not by anyone, but by the Tastemakers.

"Tastemakers" significantly influence which agencies are popularly accepted and used within a vertical market.

Tastemakers come in two flavors:

Influential Brands: the few businesses in your target vertical that you absolutely need as clients. They give your agency an immediate credibility boost within the vertical.

Mavens: (coined by Malcolm Gladwell) know an unusually high number of people within the vertical. They're are more likely to spread the news about your agency within your vertical market and be believed.

Questions to ponder:

👉 Are we actively pursuing client relationships with the Influential Brands in our vertical market?

👉 Do we know who the Mavens are in our vertical market? Are we actively and genuinely connecting with them?

Have a great day!

CQ

Frequently Asked Questions

What does "Tastemaker" mean in the context of vertical market sales?

Someone or some brand that significantly influences which agencies are popularly accepted and used within a vertical market. Their recommendation carries outsized weight compared to a typical referral.

What defines an "Influential Brand" as a type of Tastemaker?

The few businesses within a target vertical that would give an agency an immediate credibility boost simply by becoming clients. Landing one signals legitimacy to the rest of the vertical.

Who are "Mavens," and why do they matter so much?

A term coined by Malcolm Gladwell describing people who know an unusually high number of others within a vertical. Their word carries weight because they're both well-connected and genuinely believed when they recommend something.

Why does getting recommended by Tastemakers matter more than general outreach?

Because their influence shapes broader perception within the vertical. A recommendation from a Tastemaker spreads and is trusted in a way that standard outreach or marketing typically can't replicate on its own.

What questions are worth asking to check progress on this front?

Whether active pursuit of relationships with Influential Brands is happening, and whether the Mavens within the vertical have even been identified, let alone genuinely connected with.