How to position for the long term

You can specialize your agency in two ways:

1: What You Do

For example: 

• You specialize in content marketing

• You specialize in AI-driven SEO

• You specialize in producing podcasts

2: Who You Serve

For example:

• You specialize in serving dentists

• You specialize in serving personal injury attorneys

• You specialize in serving the aviation industry

Both will differentiate your positioning, but here's the thing...

In today's rapidly changing world, when your digital marketing agency specializes in What You Do alone, you risk becoming obsolete.

Forcing you to re-position down the road when your once-loved specialty gets put out to pasture. 

But, when you specialize in Who You Serve, you can bet:

1. Your vertical buyer will always have expensive problems

2. You'll be able to modify what you do to meet their evolving needs

Questions to ponder:

👉 Do we position based on What We Do, Who We Serve, or a blend of both?

👉 Is our positioning at risk of becoming obsolete in the near term?

Have a great day!

CQ

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the two ways an agency can specialize?

By "what you do," like content marketing, AI-driven SEO, or podcast production, or by "who you serve," like dentists, personal injury attorneys, or the aviation industry. Both create differentiation, but they hold up differently over time.

Why does specializing in "what you do" carry a risk of becoming obsolete?

Because specific tactics and services can be disrupted or replaced as the world changes rapidly. A specialty built entirely around one capability risks needing to be repositioned once that capability becomes outdated or less relevant.

Why does specializing in "who you serve" hold up better over time?

Because a vertical buyer will always have expensive problems to solve, even as the specific solutions evolve. Specializing in who is served allows the "what" to adapt without requiring a full repositioning.

How does specializing in a vertical allow an agency to evolve without starting over?

Because the underlying relationship and understanding of a vertical's problems remain valuable even as the specific services offered shift to meet the vertical's evolving needs over time.

What's the practical question worth asking about current positioning?

Whether the agency is positioned around what it does, who it serves, or some blend of both, and honestly assessing whether that positioning is at risk of becoming obsolete as the market and available tools continue to change.