Vertical market or domain expertise, for a person who has more than a modicum of smarts, is easily acquired (if not already possessed). But if the ability to communicate compellingly does not exist, no amount of domain expertise can overcome that deficiency. In fact, a significant portion of my work comes from clients disappointed in the work of a self-styled “domain expert.”
Why? Because my domain expertise is horizontal: strategy, branding and positioning and their applications: naming, taglines, creative direction, copywriting, scripting, marketing planning, and the like.
That’s why the #1 mistake is looking for “vertical domain expertise,” instead of seeking someone who knows how to communicate passionately, persuasively and concisely. David Ogilvy, perhaps the greatest copywriter ever, built his entire agency and legacy on this principle. As a result, his practice encompassed every industry imaginable. He was a Renaissance person. So am I, and that’s why I can help you.
