Great client testimonials do one of two things: 1/ Communicate that you deliver a desired outcome. 2/ Diffuse a common sales objection. Here’s how to tell if you have the right ones. Make two lists: List One: Outcomes your ideal-fit clients want List Two: 5–7 sales objections you hear often Then, review your existing testimonials and ensure you have coverage on both lists. If you don’t, go get the ones you’re missing.

In this episode of the Vertical Go-To-Market podcast, you’ll hear Mike Perez’s journey from an SEO to founding and then selling iLawyerMarketing, an eight-figure digital agency business specializing in serving Law Firms. We discuss: Early days of shaping a verticalized business. How the agency grew even during recessions. Getting referrals…

Taking a vertical market approach is like tipping the first domino. Once you do, a lot of things get much easier. You know who to target online with ads You know who to create thought leadership for You know what keywords to rank for You know which podcast to start You know which email newsletter to launch You know which associations to join You know which conferences to attend You know which influencers to connect with

Think you need to understand a niche market completely before diving in? Like first-time parents, you’ll never be fully “ready.” Keep in mind: You’re already an expert in marketing. Your clients hire and stay with you because you create outstanding results. You probably already know more about the vertical than…

Some agency founders meet their growth goals by focusing on one vertical market. For others, it can be a stepping stone to larger growth opportunities. For example, at my last company, Scorpion, we initially sold to attorneys and hospitals. Then, we expanded to home services, franchise brands, and medical practices. This scaled the company to the $150M mark. Here’s the thing… Just because you start with one vertical market doesn’t mean you have to stop there.

By going vertical, you’re tapping into an advantage. Verticals are unique because they’re like small villages. Word travels. And word of mouth accumulates for your agency as you grow within a vertical. Eventually, it becomes a meaningful source of new clients. Successful vertical agency founders say word of mouth drives 15–20% of new business. That means if you bring on 200 new clients per year, you pay $0 to acquire up to 40 of them. Instead, they came in through referrals and recommendations from within the vertical.

Should agency founders always remain hands-on with their clients, even as they scale? Today’s guest Bobby Steinbach would give you a resounding “Absolutely!”. …

I often hear this: “I’m worried about clients leaving when they hear we’ve focused the agency on a vertical they’re not in.” The reality is that they won’t care that you’ve updated your website and positioning to focus on dentists (if they’re an attorney). What they care about is that you continue providing them with the support they came to you for in the first place. Instead, these existing relationships will act as a financial safety net as you find your footing in your new target vertical market.

Like a 5-year-old on Christmas Eve, most agency founders aren’t going to accept the required 18–24 months to build a deep understanding of a new vertical. Instead, hire two external roles to save up to 15 months. Vertical Subject Matter Expert They’ll tell which conferences to go to, associations to join, influencers to know, editors to work with, and podcasts to guest on. Good ones will even make intros for you.