The 20-second test
If a prospect, a client, a teammate, or you cannot describe what you do in under 20 seconds, Tim says you have no defensible position. You have a brochure.
Positioning and vertical positioning
Agency positioning coaching for agencies that outgrew referrals
Agency positioning coaching helps you decide who your agency is for so the market can remember you in one sentence. Tim Kilroy treats positioning as burning the boats: removing options so what remains is the strongest link between your impact and what buyers need, which is the base for winning clients beyond referrals.
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How do I position my agency when referrals dry up?
Start with three things Tim Kilroy calls the keys to escaping the owner-operator trap: a defined ideal client, scalable lead generation, and the right offer for that client, meaning the right service and pricing model.
Referrals do not scale. They arrive because of your past work and relationships, and you cannot amp them up today to get leads today. A clear position gives the market a reason to find you without an introduction.
The buyer owns your position
Buyers categorize you quickly based on options they already understand. If your case studies say “everyone,” your tagline cannot say “specialist.” The market reads the case studies.
Moat or trap?
Vertical positioning buys faster trust and higher rates, and it concentrates risk in one market. Tim’s warning: nobody tells you what to do when the niche has a bad year.
Referrals or a positioned demand system: how do they compare?
Both have a place. Referrals bring well-matched clients; Promethean Research’s 2026 report, as summarized by Tim Kilroy, finds referred clients stay 1.9x longer than clients won through outbound or events. The problem is relying on them alone.
| Criteria | Referral-only growth | Positioned demand system |
|---|---|---|
| Where leads come from | Past work and personal relationships | A defined ideal client who already recognizes your point of view |
| Can you increase it this quarter? | No: referrals do not scale on demand | Built to be repeatable |
| Who it depends on | Mostly the founder’s network | The whole team showing up for the same buyers |
| Client fit and retention | Strong: referred clients stay 1.9x longer (Promethean, 2026) | Depends on how tightly the ideal client is defined |
How to work toward vertical positioning, step by step
Name the buyer
Describe the specific buyer you serve, not a list of services.
Check the evidence
Make sure your case studies back the claim your tagline makes.
Run the 20-second test
Ask a client and a teammate to describe you. Listen for the same sentence.
Use the ideal client as a filter
Apply it in real time to new deals, not just in hindsight.
Commit long enough
Hold the position until the market notices. Repositioning takes years.
Watch concentration
Track one market the way you would track a client at 40% of revenue.
Common questions
Short answers here. See all 44 questions on the FAQ page.
What is vertical positioning for an agency?
Vertical positioning means focusing your agency on one industry or buyer type instead of serving everyone. Tim Kilroy frames positioning as burning the boats: taking options away so what remains is the strongest connection between your impact and the market need. He also warns that a niche concentrates risk, so watch for over-concentration.
More in the FAQ: What is vertical positioning for an agency?How do I explain what makes my agency different?
Tim Kilroy uses a simple test: if a prospect, a client, a teammate, or you cannot describe what you do in under 20 seconds, you have no defensible position. Name the buyer you serve, make sure your case studies back the claim, and commit long enough for the market to notice.
More in the FAQ: How do I explain what makes my agency different?Why do agencies keep losing deals on price?
In Tim Kilroy's view, because the agency sells effort while the buyer pays for an outcome. When a prospect cannot see the specific change you create, the rate is the only thing left to compare. He calls a price objection a positioning problem in disguise, and fixes it by shifting the conversation to outcomes.
More in the FAQ: Why do agencies keep losing deals on price?I have outgrown referrals. Is that something coaching can fix?
Often, yes. Referrals do not scale on demand, because they come from past work and relationships rather than anything you can turn up this month. Tim Kilroy describes three keys: a defined ideal client, scalable lead generation, and the right offer for that client. Coaching helps you build those three in order.
More in the FAQ: I have outgrown referrals. Is that something coaching can fix?Does Tim Kilroy coach PR agencies?
Yes. Tim Kilroy's about page lists marketing, creative, development, PR, and content agencies among the businesses he works with. The common thread he names is that the agency sits inside its clients' marketing and sales layer, so the same positioning and sales work applies to PR firms.
More in the FAQ: Does Tim Kilroy coach PR agencies?What is DemandOS?
DemandOS is Tim Kilroy's system for turning the whole agency team, not just the founder, into a demand engine. The strategist, project manager, analyst, and founder each show up for the same target buyers from their own seat, so the agency's positioning lives everywhere instead of only on the founder's LinkedIn.
More in the FAQ: What is DemandOS?Talk to Tim about your agency
Tell Tim where your agency is stuck. The contact page at timkilroy.com is the direct route for questions about group coaching, one-on-one coaching, or custom work.