Word of mouth for agencies

    CQ

    Corey Quinn

    Founder, Deep Specialization™

    What vertical specialists have that generalists don't

    Word of mouth is the holy grail of marketing.

    I define it as the unaided spread of your brand (by happy clients).

    But this is not a message about doing the right thing with your clients. 

    You already know about this.

    It's about the fact that by going vertical, you're tapping into an advantage that vertical agencies have that generalists just don't.

    Verticals are unique because they're like small villages; word travels quickly. 

    As you grow within a vertical, your reputation and word of mouth will build for your brand. Eventually, it becomes a meaningful source of new revenue.

    The successful vertical agency founders I interviewed on my podcast confirm that word of mouth drives 15-20% of new business. 

    That means if you bring on 200 new clients per year, you pay $0 to get up to 40 of them. Instead, they came in through referrals and recommendations from within the vertical. 

    That's powerful marketing.

    Have a great day!

    CQ

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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?”

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    You’re likely a strong fit if:

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    • 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
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