By Mike Schmidt
There’s this piece of advice every agency owner has heard:
“If you want to be successful, you have to pick a niche.”
The idea is that riches are in the niches. Find your one perfect industry, focus all your energy there, and the rest will follow.
But what if that advice isn’t the whole story?
After nearly 25 years running a successful agency that now runs largely without me, I’ve learned that niching down isn’t the only way to win. In fact, it might be holding some agency owners back.
The Myth of the Perfect Client
For years, I waited for that magical “aha” moment — the day I’d discover the one perfect client type that would make everything click. I’d look at other agencies who specialized in self-storage, or dentists, or lawyers, and think maybe that was the secret.
But the truth? That moment never came.
Every time I imagined devoting my life to one narrow industry, it didn’t feel right. It didn’t feel fun.
What did feel right — what worked — was focusing on being the best in my own backyard. Building relationships locally. Becoming the agency that people in my area trusted and recommended.
When three different people tell a business owner, “You’ve got to call these guys,” that’s better than any niche. That’s authority.
How We “Niche” Without Picking an Industry
Over time, I realized there are other ways to carve out a niche — ways that don’t require locking yourself into one industry.
In our agency, two strategies helped us stand out:
1. Define the Depth and Scope of Your Services
We decided early on: we’re not a boutique, custom-everything agency. We’re the agency that packages services clearly and delivers results consistently.
Think of it like going to the dentist. They don’t reinvent the wheel every time. They tell you to brush and floss — the basics that keep things healthy.
In business, those “basics” are things like:
- A clear, credible website
- A strong Google Business profile
- Great reviews
- Consistent local SEO and PPC presence
- Simple retargeting and email marketing
Most local businesses don’t do these things consistently — which is exactly why they need an agency like yours.
That’s how we built ours: by focusing on essential, repeatable services that keep clients healthy online.
2. Sell Through a Framework, Not Features
Years ago, I learned something powerful while studying under Russell Brunson: people don’t buy services — they buy understanding.
We created a simple visual system called the Customer Activity Roadmap. It helps clients see why we recommend things in a specific order:
- Marketing Foundation — Website, reviews, credibility.
- Active Searchers — People already looking for their services.
- Passive Prospects — People who aren’t searching yet but could be ideal customers.
When clients see that roadmap, they instantly get it. They see the logic, the plan, and the outcome. And they say things like,
“You were the most expensive option, but you’re clearly the best.”
That’s the power of a framework — it’s your niche. It’s your unique way of seeing and explaining the problem.
Your Framework Is the Niche
Today, we’re known locally not for the industries we serve, but for the way we approach business.
We have plenty of veterinary clients, but you wouldn’t know that by visiting our website. Because the thing people really buy from us isn’t a vertical — it’s clarity.
If you’re feeling pressure to “pick a niche,” take a breath. You don’t have to throw away what you’ve built just because an expert says so.
Instead, ask yourself two questions:
- Do I love the people I’m working with? Because when things get tough, that’s what keeps you going.
- Can I define my agency by the how, not just the who?
If the answer’s yes, then you already have a niche — it just looks different from what the internet told you to build.
Ready to Build the Agency That Fits You?
You don’t have to chase someone else’s model to scale your success. You can own your backyard, build relationships that last, and craft a framework that clients trust.
That’s exactly what we teach inside our community of agency owners. If you’re ready to rethink how your agency grows, join our Skool community — or schedule a strategy call to see how we can help you build your next phase of freedom.
