Dear Pigeonholed,

It’s understandable that you don’t want to pass up any new business, but the short-term gain you may see from an “all things to all people” approach could wind up hurting you in the long run.

Certain marketing principles are universal, but every industry deals with unique challenges. Would you market the same way to physicians as you would to moms deciding between brands of apple juice at the supermarket? Probably not.

Here are just a few advantages that come with narrowing your focus:

• Fewer competitors – The quickest and easiest way to improve your odds is to reduce the number of players. It’s simple math: there are fewer specialists than generalists, and the law of supply and demand dictates that the less the supply, the greater the demand.

• Higher revenues – In every field, the specialist earns more than the generalist. Specialists are more educated and experienced in their chosen area of expertise, and therefore can ask for, and get, higher rates. Think of the superstore where a shopper can find anything – there’s a reason everything shoppers find is dirt cheap.

• Larger market area – If a company simply wants an ad agency, they can usually find one pretty easily. A law firm who wants an agency that understands the audience, best advertising venues, and proven strategies in the legal realm can be a lot harder to pinpoint. That’s why specialist agencies can draw clients from all over the nation (and indeed, the globe.)

• More respect from clients – No one knows better than a client how challenging their industry is. When an agency can “speak their language,” it automatically affords that agency a type of respect that isn’t given to a cookie-cutter marketing firm.

Don’t be afraid to specialize. When it comes to marketing, one size definitely doesn’t fit all.