The Deep Specialization™️ Podcast

Can you pivot a niche agency business into consulting? Let’s hear it from Joseph Hughes, an entrepreneur and founder who has successfully built a marketing training company from the legacy of a construction marketing agency he started all the way back in 2013.  After working his way up into the office of his family’s construction business (that has been around for over 100 years), he decided to carve out a path of his own while still staying in the lane his family had built by offering marketing services to construction companies.  Joseph quickly discovered a niche within the construction niche, and narrowed down his offering to serve roofing businesses. In this episode, Corey is joined by Joseph to discuss verticalization and his experience building and scaling niche coaching services through his agency-turned-consulting-business, Contractor Dynamics. The company has over 60 clients all across North America who turn to Joseph and his 12-person team to learn the ropes of digital marketing, and more specifically, a signature, year long marketing training program. As the visionary behind the company, Joseph spends his days deeply entrenched in the culture and marketing side of the business. But, he did not start out offering training services. Joseph actually found his way to coaching by initially offering marketing services as an agency from 2013 until 2018.  The turning point for the company came when they noticed that clients who were thriving were benefiting from a more consultative point-of-view, especially as social and video content was on the rise. So, Joseph and his team tested selling a training program offering in 2019 and made the full switch in 2020. They never looked back. Here’s what Corey and Joseph discuss: How a Facebook group turned into a bonafide business. How to test out new offerings before scaling them. What Contractor Dynamics’ current marketing training consists of. How niching down helps templatize offerings. What drives businesses to realize they need help with marketing. Here are some actionable key takeaways for company founders: If your business sells high-ticket services, small tweaks can make a massive impact on revenue. Find patterns in your clientele and revenue to distinguish repeatable business. Niches (like roofing) that can scale their business easily have more potential as a target vertical. Putting out more content can shift market perceptions positively. If you delegate well, you can work on the business, not in the business.  The resources mentioned in this episode are: - Connect with Joseph on LinkedIn Here - Learn About Contractor Dynamics Here   Join us as we build up a case for marketing training in a verticalized niche. 👍 If you liked this episode, please rate and review us on Apple Podcasts, and be sure to hit the subscribe button! 🔔 😩 Feeling stuck trying to stand out in a noisy market? I’d love to give you my free crash course that will help you go from “just another generalist” to a go-to expert people seek out. In just a few short days, you’ll learn how to position yourself with clarity, authority, and focus. ➡️ Sign up here: deepspecializationcourse.com

When it comes to the agency world, there are many niches to cater to - but who would have thought fabric and yarn could net close to a seven-figure business? Leanne Pressly, that’s who.  The agency founder and CEO of Stitchcraft has, according to her own words, spent a small mortgage on sewing equipment, so offering marketing services to fabric, yarn, and craft companies was a no-brainer. Since 2009, this Colorado-based, full-service marketing agency has been serving crafting companies all over the US. While the team is nimble, comprising six employees and a few contractors, Stitchcraft serves over 40 retainer clients in the craft industry, and is growing. Leanne joins the show to share how her agency, which impressively owns 2% of its market share, came to be, and how she gets things done. Leanne is a prolific speaker and has leveraged this skill to build domain authority in her space, a strategy that has netted her awareness and new business alike. What’s more, Leanne has built a bespoke consulting program to attract clients that aren’t ready to buy retainer services just yet. Impressively, that program ultimately converts 100% of its participants into clients. She joins the show to share her learnings in thought leadership, and how to lean into original research to produce compelling outbound messaging that converts. Here’s what Corey and Leanne talk about in this episode: Transitioning a side hustle into a full-time business. How Leanne initially grew her agency through her network and through trade shows. How sales and prospecting evolved from the early years to today. How investing in thought leadership drives speaking opportunities, and ultimately, sales. Tips and tricks to creating original thought leadership. Here are some actionable key takeaways for agency founders: Name your ICP and persona to really understand who you are serving. Sometimes, offering a trial for free can help bring in new clients. As a founder, be ready to do a lot of the prospecting yourself starting out. Establishing yourself as a thought leader opens doors to more industry visibility. Original research is the best way to build domain authority. The resources mentioned in this episode are: - Connect with Leanne on LinkedIn Here - Learn About Stitchcraft Marketing Here - Listen to Leanne’s Podcast, Business of Craft, Here   Join us as we dissect what it takes to thrive in a business niche. 👍 If you liked this episode, please rate and review us on Apple Podcasts, and be sure to hit the subscribe button! 🔔 😩 Feeling stuck trying to stand out in a noisy market? I’d love to give you my free crash course that will help you go from “just another generalist” to a go-to expert people seek out. In just a few short days, you’ll learn how to position yourself with clarity, authority, and focus. ➡️ Sign up here: deepspecializationcourse.com  

When should agency owners consider selling their business? What are buyers looking for? What’s the market like in 2023? Buckle up, because today’s guest, Jonathan Baker has the answers. As the Practice Lead for Mergers and Acquisitions at Punctuation (formerly, David C. Baker), Jonathan knows a thing (or ten!) about what it takes to successfully close a deal in this market, and in the agency landscape overall. Interestingly, Jonathan has experience in selling his own business, having gone through the process with his brewery company that today boasts multiple locations and close to 200 employees. So, what’s brewing with M&A? While it’s been a challenging year for many agency owners and deal flow has slowed down massively, there will always be buyers on the market looking to complement their offering with specialized services. This episode dives into topics like positioning and specialization, the emotional side of selling your darling, and why you should continue to act as if you weren’t selling even if you were in the process. Here’s what Corey and Jonathan cover in this episode: The state of agency M&A this year. When agency owners should consider selling. How agency valuations are formed. What buyers are looking for and who’s buying. Who should be involved from your team in M&A talks. Here are some actionable key takeaways for agency founders: If you don’t have it in you to grow your business further, perhaps it’s time for M&A. M&A can be a growth lever to get access to systems and perks of a larger firm. Strong positioning, client focus, and solid processes make you more attractive for M&A. A specific expertise can help get you acquired by generalist agencies. Don’t share too much too early internally because things can change dramatically. The resources mentioned in this episode are: - Connect with Jonathan on LinkedIn Here - Learn About Punctuation Here - Check out the MYOB Conference Here   Join us as we explore the ropes of agency M&A. 👍 If you liked this episode, please rate and review us on Apple Podcasts, and be sure to hit the subscribe button! 🔔 😩 Feeling stuck trying to stand out in a noisy market? I’d love to give you my free crash course that will help you go from “just another generalist” to a go-to expert people seek out. In just a few short days, you’ll learn how to position yourself with clarity, authority, and focus. ➡️ Sign up here: deepspecializationcourse.com  

When it comes to sales, “Founders aren’t important.” Provocative, yes. But hear today’s guest out. Rory Clark is a sales expert who has trained over 15,000 executives across 30 countries and has a revolutionary system in place to transform sales organizations. What’s more, Rory has actually trained Corey back at Scorpion. Now, the duo gets back together to discuss Rory’s proprietary Focus Selling system. You’ll need to listen for the full scoop but in short, Focus Selling is a groundbreaking customer development methodology that leans into human psychology spiced up with a rigorous system of approaching the sales process. In other words, this episode will unpack what salespeople need to master to open new opportunities, understand their prospects, and draft winning proposals consistently. This episode is a must-listen for any agency owner (or seller) struggling to drive growth from outbound sales. With engaging examples, anecdotes, and stories, Rory shares golden nuggets of wisdom from his career spanning over three decades. Here’s what Corey and Rory cover in this episode: Rory’s Focus Selling System and the five key areas salespeople need to master. The different social styles of people and how to appeal to them. How to connect with prospects and make them feel heard. Shift to discuss the prospect’s ideal future state and how to remove obstacles. Here are some actionable key takeaways for agency founders:  You need a system and a process for sales engagement. Founders are technicians but to manage teams, you have to be entrepreneurial. If a salesperson can’t start a sale, they can’t finish it, either. Make people feel heard and understood in the sales process. Proposals need to communicate both the ROI and the cost of inaction.  The resources mentioned in this episode are: - Connect with Rory on LinkedIn Here - Email Rory at roryjclark@aol.com - Learn More About Focus Selling Here   Join us as we dive into the sprawling journey of a successful law firm marketing agency.  👍 If you liked this episode, please rate and review us on Apple Podcasts, and be sure to hit the subscribe button! 🔔 😩 Feeling stuck trying to stand out in a noisy market? I’d love to give you my free crash course that will help you go from “just another generalist” to a go-to expert people seek out. In just a few short days, you’ll learn how to position yourself with clarity, authority, and focus. ➡️ Sign up here: deepspecializationcourse.com   More content from Corey:   Corey’s Website: https://www.coreyquinn.com Corey’s Daily Tips: https://www.coreyquinn.com/blog  Podcast Website: https://www.coreyquinn.com/podcasts/the-vertical-go-to-market-podcast/  Podcast YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/@coreyquinninc?sub_confirmation=1    This episode was produced and brought to you by Reignite Media.#gotomarket #businessniche #advertising #marketingpodcast #agencylife

Can a verticalized agency get referral business from its competitors? Believe it or not, today's guest Mike Perez made it happen. We'll get to just how he did it, but first: introductions. The founder of iLawyerMarketing has several decades of experience in law firm marketing and SEO.  Mike sits down with Corey to recount the story of his business from the early days working at one of the largest law firm marketing shops to founding his own agency all the way to getting successfully acquired. With some employees boasting impressive tenures of 10-15 years, Mike also delves into how he’s built that stickiness as an employer. He takes us back to the late 90s, when he began his career, initially working on client SEO on the side, before venturing into the legal marketing space.  The episode topics cover company culture, verticalization, and typical milestones of an eight figure agency business. And, as promised, Mike shares how he’s built relationships with competitors that send business his way. Here’s what Corey and Mike touch on in this episode: Early days of shaping a verticalized business. How the agency grew even during recessions. Getting referrals from the competition (yes, really). How to get acquired as an agency. Hiring and what Mike is currently recruiting for. Here are some actionable key takeaways for agency founders: Due diligence is a beast and can take time, get your books in order! If you’re branching out on your own, find a new territory to own and sell to. Don’t be shy to ask your clients to refer you to their network.  Content writers need to have deep vertical knowledge. The resources mentioned in this episode are: - Connect with Mike on LinkedIn Here  - Learn More About iLawyerMarketing Here   Join us as we dive into the sprawling journey of a successful law firm marketing agency. 👍 If you liked this episode, please rate and review us on Apple Podcasts, and be sure to hit the subscribe button! 🔔 😩 Feeling stuck trying to stand out in a noisy market? I’d love to give you my free crash course that will help you go from “just another generalist” to a go-to expert people seek out. In just a few short days, you’ll learn how to position yourself with clarity, authority, and focus. ➡️ Sign up here: deepspecializationcourse.com  

Should founders always remain hands-on with their clients, even as they scale? Today’s guest Bobby Steinbach would give you a resounding “Absolutely!” The founder of MeanPug Digital prides in running a successful legal marketing agency where partners are closely involved with client work to ensure quality, consistency, and the highest level of service. Tune in for a conversation on sales mishaps and successes, driving word-of-mouth, expert perspectives on client success, and what processes founders should look out for to be successful. And, as an owner of a seven figure agency business with close to 30 employees, this guest truly knows what he’s talking about. Bobby joins Corey Quinn on The Vertical Go-to-Market Podcast for a lively debate on the merits of verticalization. You’ll hear from Corey’s time at Scorpion as well as Bobby’s experiences in running his business. Here’s what Corey and Bobby cover in this episode: Why having unique founder backgrounds is a strength to leverage. How to create a strong inbound funnel (cue: word-of-mouth!) Why doing everything at once is not the best way forward. How to balance if you have to decide between sales and client success. Here are some actionable key takeaways for agency founders: You’ll need to keep trying sales tactics to see what sticks for your niche. Don’t try to tackle all marketing and sales projects at once: prioritize and scale what works. Lifetime value of a customer is the ultimate Trojan horse as a competitive advantage. If you do gifting, be prepared to vet every lead manually. The resources mentioned in this episode are: - Connect with Bobby on LinkedIn Here  - Learn More About MeanPug Digital Here   Join us as we get real about agency revenue growth and outbound sales. 👍 If you liked this episode, please rate and review us on Apple Podcasts, and be sure to hit the subscribe button! 🔔 😩 Feeling stuck trying to stand out in a noisy market? I’d love to give you my free crash course that will help you go from “just another generalist” to a go-to expert people seek out. In just a few short days, you’ll learn how to position yourself with clarity, authority, and focus. ➡️ Sign up here: deepspecializationcourse.com  

Can you scale agency sales with founder-led growth? Yes, but only to a point. After you hit a plateau (and most agencies do), you need to invest in a sales organization to help you break through. Yet, building that out from scratch can be a daunting task. That’s why today’s podcast guest, Joey Gilkey, founded a company to tackle that challenge. Apex Revenue offers outsourced, fractional sales operations to B2B companies and digital agencies. Joey joins Corey Quinn on The Vertical Go-to-Market Podcast to share his sales wisdom with our community.  Joey is an absolute renegade when it comes to sales strategy from tactics to technology. If you’re looking for a fresh (and data-backed) approach to agency sales, this is the episode for you. From list-building to messaging, sales engagement technology, and everything in between, Joey breaks down his process in detail to help you understand what it takes to sell in B2B today. Join Corey and Joey on Vertical Go-To-Market as they discuss: Why founder-led sales and relying on referrals isn’t a long-term growth strategy. Why outsourced lead generation doesn’t convert into sales without a process. What is new (and effective) in the world of outbound sales. Joey’s six-step approach to B2B sales. Affordable ways to acquire and clean up target lists. Here are some actionable key takeaways for agency founders: Talk to your existing customers to understand WHY you won them as clients. You need to test your messaging and offer in the market, study responses, and iterate. Your list is your strategy: invest in enriching the data so it’s actually usable. If you do gifting as a sales strategy, find ways to personalize for a wow effect. The resources mentioned in this episode are: - Check out Apex Revenue Here - Connect with Joey on Linkedin Here  - Read More About Best Damn Agency Mastermind Here - Listen to Joey’s Podcast: Best Damn Agency Podcast Here - Phonereadyleads.com    Join us as we get real about agency revenue growth and outbound sales. 👍 If you liked this episode, please rate and review us on Apple Podcasts, and be sure to hit the subscribe button! 🔔 😩 Feeling stuck trying to stand out in a noisy market? I’d love to give you my free crash course that will help you go from “just another generalist” to a go-to expert people seek out. In just a few short days, you’ll learn how to position yourself with clarity, authority, and focus. ➡️ Sign up here: deepspecializationcourse.com  

What does the dental industry have in common with the legal world?  Let’s ask the law firm marketing experts Tyler and April Roberts, who join the podcast this week, to discuss all things verticalization and agency entrepreneurship. The pair took the learnings they acquired working in a specialized marketing shop serving the dental industry to found Nomos Marketing together with their partners Laura Maly and Michael Anderson. Today, the five-year old agency serves over 75 clients with two offices in San Diego and Charleston. Our Host Corey Quinn is curious to dig into April and Tyler’s journey. Spoiler alert: The early days were intense. The couple worked full-time jobs while moonlighting in legal marketing at the same time.  Tune in to learn how they went from operating in a California basement-turned-studio apartment to running a 10-person strong team on both coasts. The couple shares how they established their services, workflows, processes, and offering to grow to a thriving verticalized agency business in the legal field. Join Corey, April, and Tyler on Vertical Go-To-Market as They Discuss: How their roles have evolved as founders. How to apply existing playbooks from other verticals to your own. How to package your offering into an MVP you can sell. How to templatize offerings and define processes to prime your business for growth. Actionable Key Takeaways for Agency Founders: Leverage what works in one vertical to launch a new one. Cross-compare your pricing and offering to the competition. You can get started with as little as defining your pricing, getting Quickbooks, LLC, a website, and a CRM. Your first clients will be referrals but you need to go beyond your network to grow. The resources mentioned in this episode are: - Check out Nomos Marketing Here - Connect with April on LinkedIn Here - Connect with Tyler on LinkedIn Here   Join us on a five-year legal marketing growth journey with Tyler and April. 👍 If you liked this episode, please rate and review us on Apple Podcasts, and be sure to hit the subscribe button! 🔔 😩 Feeling stuck trying to stand out in a noisy market? I’d love to give you my free crash course that will help you go from “just another generalist” to a go-to expert people seek out. In just a few short days, you’ll learn how to position yourself with clarity, authority, and focus. ➡️ Sign up here: deepspecializationcourse.com  

Do agencies have to cater to everyone to succeed? In the words of Chase Williams, Founder and Managing Partner at Market My Market, it's not about serving everyone; it's all about niching down. Around a decade ago, he established his digital agency, which eventually pivoted to serving small to mid-sized law firms. Over the years, Chase, alongside his business partner, Ryan Klein, who brought extensive marketing experience from law firms, has nurtured a multi-million dollar business. In this episode of the Vertical Go-To Market Podcast, our host Corey Quinn engages with Chase to delve into the realm of owning and expanding a niche agency business. They delve into the journey of how Market My Market transformed from its origins in a Brooklyn basement to a thriving agency in Florida. Tune in to Corey and Chase on Vertical Go-To-Market as they discuss: Strategies for breaking free from stagnating profit margins. Using time tracking to improve margins. Transitioning from reliance on referrals and word-of-mouth growth to actively marketing your agency. Harnessing highly specialized content, such as articles and podcasts, to broaden the client base. Demonstrating your capability to overcome challenges specific to your vertical. Here are some actionable key takeaways for agency founders: Monitor time and resource allocation to enhance profit margins. Raise prices to safeguard your business. Customize content for your niche to ensure discoverability through search engines. Discover unconventional, low-competition channels to connect with your niche market. The resources mentioned in this episode are: - Check out the Agency Market My Market Here - Connect with Chase on Linkedin Here  - Listen to Chase’s Podcast Here   Join us as we explore how agencies can build a thriving business by focusing on a niche market. 👍 If you liked this episode, please rate and review us on Apple Podcasts, and be sure to hit the subscribe button! 🔔 😩 Feeling stuck trying to stand out in a noisy market? I’d love to give you my free crash course that will help you go from “just another generalist” to a go-to expert people seek out. In just a few short days, you’ll learn how to position yourself with clarity, authority, and focus. ➡️ Sign up here: deepspecializationcourse.com

How does one decide to start an agency?  According to Drew McLellan, Founder of Agency Management Institute, most people who start an agency are accidental business owners. They know the ins and outs of their craft but not necessarily the ropes of running a business. And that’s where Drew’s company comes in. AMI helps agencies run their business better through workshops, peer-to-peer groups, and educational content like their podcast. In this episode of the Vertical Go-To Market Podcast our host Corey Quinn sits down with Drew to break down what it takes to build a thriving agency business regardless of your niche. Drew shares how he acquired AMI 15 years ago, who they work with, and what their approach to consulting small to mid-size agencies is all about. Hint: it’s all about getting personal, vulnerable, and really sharing the ins and outs of what’s going on with your business with your peers. Why? Because the best advice comes from people who’ve been there, done that, and emerged successful. Join Corey and Drew on Vertical Go-To-Market as They Discuss: Identifying the turning point when you need external support to continue on a growth path. Four major agency challenges and how to approach them. Niching down as a subject matter expert to meet client expectations.  The ideal split of agency operating costs against Adjusted Gross Income. Actionable Key Takeaways for Agency Founders: Agency owners should aim to build wealth while operating the business by optimizing sales, staffing, and profitability. Processes are a must-have; tribal knowledge won’t sustain success at a growing agency. Sharing and learning from peer challenges and successes calls for full transparency and vulnerability. A niche can be an industry, an audience, or even a deliverable. It isn’t always a specific type of business. Hire people who have a passion for the niche you serve to avoid the boredom pit. Adjusted Gross Income is the one metric all agency owners should be obsessed with. The resources mentioned in this episode are: - Subscribe to Drew’s Newsletter Here  - Check out Drew’s Profile on Linkedin Here  - Learn More About AMI Here - Explore Drew’s Books on Amazon Here   Join us as we explore how agencies can reach their goals by banding together for knowledge-sharing and insights. 👍 If you liked this episode, please rate and review us on Apple Podcasts, and be sure to hit the subscribe button! 🔔 😩 Feeling stuck trying to stand out in a noisy market? I’d love to give you my free crash course that will help you go from “just another generalist” to a go-to expert people seek out. In just a few short days, you’ll learn how to position yourself with clarity, authority, and focus. ➡️ Sign up here: deepspecializationcourse.com