Positioning Your Agency as a Publishing Company with Kathleen Booth
Key Takeaways
- Repositioning your agency's online presence to resemble a major publication builds authority and attracts better-fit prospects
- Community building through groups like IMPACT Elite creates ongoing engagement and positions the agency as a trusted resource
- Shifting from service delivery to teaching and education deepens relationships and creates new revenue opportunities
Kathleen Booth from IMPACT joins the show to discuss a radical shift in how agencies can position themselves in the market. IMPACT made a deliberate decision to reposition their online presence to function more like a publishing company than a traditional marketing agency - and the results have been transformative.
The Publishing Company Model
Most agency websites are built around services pages, case studies, and contact forms. IMPACT took a different approach, inspired in part by Joe Pulizzi’s book Killing Marketing. They redesigned their digital presence to resemble a major publication - content-first, education-driven, and built for regular engagement rather than one-time visits.
The shift meant investing heavily in editorial content, educational resources, and thought leadership. Instead of leading with “here is what we do,” IMPACT led with “here is what you need to know.” This positioned them as the definitive resource in their space, attracting an audience that naturally included potential clients.
Building IMPACT Elite
One of the most tangible outcomes of this strategy was the creation of IMPACT Elite, a dedicated Facebook community. The group became a hub for marketing professionals to ask questions, share wins, and learn from each other. IMPACT provided structure through weekly office hours and regular webinars, creating consistent value for community members.
The community served multiple purposes. It kept IMPACT top-of-mind for potential clients. It created a feedback loop that informed content strategy. And it built genuine relationships between the IMPACT team and their audience - relationships that often converted into client engagements.
Teaching Over Selling
Kathleen emphasizes that the core philosophy behind this approach is teaching over selling. When your agency becomes known for educating the market, the sales conversation changes fundamentally. Prospects come to you already understanding your methodology, already trusting your expertise, and already aligned with your approach. The sales cycle shortens and close rates improve.
This does not mean giving away everything for free. It means being generous with knowledge while positioning your agency as the team that can implement that knowledge most effectively. The distinction matters: you teach the “what” and “why” freely, while your services deliver the “how.”
Lessons for Agency Owners
The IMPACT model is not for every agency. It requires a significant investment in content creation, community management, and editorial consistency. But the principles apply broadly: agencies that position themselves as educators and trusted resources will outperform those that rely purely on outbound sales and service-page SEO.
Kathleen encourages agency owners to start small - a consistent blog cadence, a LinkedIn community, or a regular webinar series. The key is committing to the approach long enough to build momentum.