Why We’re Zigging While Everyone Else Zags

Most agency owners right now are racing to become AI automation shops. They’re chasing prompts, building bots, and trying to turn their agencies into low-cost outsourced labor centers. It reminds me of the classic “zig while others zag” idea, often tied back to Seth Godin and Al Ries ... when the crowd moves one way, real opportunity sits in the opposite direction.

I saw this shift happening fast. Agencies going so deep into tools and tech that they forgot the core job. To get clients attention, create demand, and grow their revenue. Instead of mastering marketing, many agencies are becoming AI hobbyists. I watch peers claim they can replace teams with automation, cut corners on strategy, and chase efficiency over outcomes. That’s their zig.

I'm zagging.

Yes, we use AI. It shrinks timelines, tightens our systems, cuts waste, and gets our clients visibility in AI search. But we’re not handing our agency over to it. While others chase the dream of fully automated fulfillment, we’re doubling down on fundamentals that have always moved the needle.

That’s why we built out a branding service with our world class branding partner. Real brand strategy. Messaging architecture. Avatar that customers can connect with. Positioning frameworks. Not just a logo that most agencies hack together. Yes, our branding includes logos, colors, and a brand guide, but these are the byproduct of profound analysis into the client's market, personality, and strategy. Real branding, not lipstick on a pig.

We expanded our Public Relations (PR) team. Not the fake “publish-to-a-blog-no-one-reads” PR. Actual placements. Real media. Earned attention. We’re already getting clients onto TV, radio, magazines, national outlets, and niche publications. The backlinks, the citations, the authority signals that boosts both Google and AI visibility in a way automation shops can’t touch.

We launched masterminds. Industry leaders sitting together, learning from each other, and seeing what’s coming next. This is old school community building and it works. It works incredibly well. Every time I’ve grown the fastest, it was because I was in the room with people I learned from who pushed me further.

And of course we’re still executing the core work. Websites, SEO, advertising, and social media. All these tactics execute on a strong brand. And of course, supported by smart AI usage. All driven by people who care about results.

That’s the zag. While others chase shortcuts and hacks, we’re building what lasts. These are the same fundamentals that got my agencies to $7.5 million a year, and growing fast! They worked twenty years ago and will still work twenty years from now. The tools change. The principles don’t.

This is the same approach I teach agency owners who want to run profitable firms and reclaim their time. If you want to grow without losing your edge, subscribe to The Business of Agency newsletter or visit businessofagency.com to learn more.

I hope that helps and gives you something to think about.

~ Erik