The Dirty Secret Most Marketing Agencies Don't Tell You
Here's the truth nobody in this industry wants to say out loud. Most marketing agencies take on every client who can cut a check. HVAC company in Dallas? Sure. Another HVAC company in Dallas? Absolutely. They'll sign both of you before lunch.
Why do most marketing agencies work with competing home service companies?
Because it's profitable. An agency that already ranks one plumber in Tampa knows the keywords, the audience, and the ad strategy. Signing a second plumber in that same market is easy money. They copy the playbook, swap the logo, and bill both companies full price.
The agency wins twice. You split the results.
How common is it for agencies to have competing clients?
It's the industry standard. The vast majority of marketing agencies have zero restrictions on how many competing businesses they serve in one market. Even the FTC's antitrust guidelines don't address agency-side conflicts of interest in digital marketing. Ask yours. If they hesitate, you have your answer.
Does your marketing agency have a conflict of interest?
If your agency also works with your competitor, every decision they make carries a conflict. Which client gets the better keyword strategy? Which company gets priority on the shared audience data? Which crew gets the campaign that actually moves the needle? They can't go all-in for you when they're hedging with your rival.
What Happens When Your Agency Works with Your Competitor
This isn't theoretical. It's math. When an agency splits its effort across competing companies, both companies get less. You're paying for a team that's actively helping the other guy book the jobs you need.
How does shared keyword strategy hurt your business?
Keywords aren't unlimited. Research from WordStream's industry benchmarks shows that home services has some of the highest cost-per-click rates in Google Ads. In a given market, there are a finite number of high-intent searches for "emergency plumber near me" or "AC repair today." When your agency builds keyword campaigns for you and your competitor, those campaigns cannibalize each other. You're bidding against yourself in a rigged auction. Your cost per lead climbs. Your competitor's cost per lead climbs. The agency collects from both of you.
What happens to your ad spend when competitors share an agency?
Your Google Ads management budget goes further when your agency isn't splitting its intelligence. But when they run campaigns for you and the shop across town, your ad dollars compete directly. Click costs go up. Lead volume goes down. The agency still gets paid either way.
Can your agency share your data with competitors?
Most agency contracts don't explicitly prevent it. Your audience insights, conversion data, and creative performance: all of that intelligence lives inside the agency's systems. Even if they don't hand over a spreadsheet, the knowledge transfers. The campaigns they build for your competitor benefit from everything they learned running yours.
How the Exclusive Territory Model Works
The exclusive territory model is simple. One company per trade, per city. Period. If Watson & Co. works with an HVAC company in Orlando, we don't take another HVAC company in Orlando. That territory is locked.
What does exclusive territory mean in home services marketing?
It means your market belongs to you. When you partner with an agency that runs on exclusive territories, every strategy, every campaign, and every dollar is aimed at making you the dominant company in your area. No divided attention. No split priorities. Your agency's success is tied directly to your success, because there's no backup client in your trade.
How does Watson & Co. handle territory exclusivity?
We keep it dead simple. One HVAC company per city. One plumber per city. One roofer per city. If your territory is already taken, we tell you upfront. No exceptions. No workarounds. We'd rather turn down revenue than compromise the model.
Right now, all three of our clients (TreesRX, JMT Cabinets, and Amoroso Remodels) operate in non-competing markets. That's by design. Every crew gets our full attention.
What if my market is already taken?
We'll tell you honestly. If we already have a company in your trade and your city, we'll let you know and we won't string you along. You can join the waitlist or we can discuss adjacent markets. Transparency is the whole point.
Stop losing leads to competitors. Watson & Co. offers a free growth audit for home service companies. Check if your market is available →
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Get My Free Growth AuditWhat You Gain When Your Agency Is 100% in Your Corner
When there's no conflict, the results speak for themselves. Your agency can push harder on home services SEO, run more aggressive ad campaigns, and build a brand strategy that actually stakes out territory, because helping you win doesn't hurt another client.
What kind of results does the exclusive territory model produce?
Look at what happens when an agency goes all-in on one company per market:
TreesRX came to us barely getting 1-2 calls per month. Today, they pull in multiple daily leads and have racked up over 200+ reviews. That kind of growth only happens when every ounce of strategy is pointed in one direction.
JMT Cabinets now holds top Central Florida SEO rankings and generates over 20+ calls per month from Google Ads alone. No competing cabinet company at our agency diluting that performance.
Amoroso Remodels brings in 60+ leads per month with top SEO rankings in their market. Their schedule stays full because our strategy isn't being borrowed by the remodeler down the road.
Does exclusive territory marketing cost more?
Not necessarily. What costs more is paying an agency that splits your results with a competitor. When your ad dollars aren't competing against another client at the same agency, your cost per lead drops and your booked jobs go up. The ROI math favors exclusivity every time.
How does exclusivity affect SEO results?
Dramatically. SEO is a zero-sum game in local markets. There are only 3 spots in the Google Map Pack. When your agency builds link campaigns, writes content, and manages your Google Business Profile with one goal (getting you into those spots) you move faster. When they're doing the same work for your competitor, both of you stall. Our HVAC marketing and plumbing marketing strategies are built to dominate because we don't have a reason to hold back.
How to Ask Your Current Agency If They Work with Your Competitors
Most agencies won't volunteer this information. You have to ask directly. And you have to know what to listen for.
What questions should I ask my marketing agency about competitor clients?
Start with these:
- "Do you work with any other [your trade] companies in my city?" A straight yes or no. If they dodge, that's a yes.
- "Do you have a policy against taking on competing businesses?" If there's no written policy, there's no protection.
- "Can I see it in my contract?" If exclusivity isn't in writing, it doesn't exist.
- "What happens if a competitor approaches you tomorrow?" Their answer tells you everything about their loyalty.
What are the red flags that your agency works with competitors?
Watch for vague answers like "we manage that internally" or "we have processes to keep things separate." That's agency-speak for "yes, but we don't want to lose your account." If they can't show you a written exclusivity clause in your contract, assume you're sharing the playbook.
Should I switch agencies if mine works with my competitor?
Ask yourself this: Would you hire a dispatcher who also schedules jobs for the company across town? Would you share your pricing sheet with your biggest rival? That's what you're doing when your agency works with your competitor. Your growth plan and their growth plan sit in the same project management tool, reviewed by the same strategist.
Why Watson & Co. Built the Exclusive Territory Model from Day One
We didn't stumble into this. We built Watson & Co. around the exclusive territory model because the alternative is broken.
Why doesn't every marketing agency offer exclusive territories?
Money. Taking on one HVAC company per city means turning away revenue. Most agencies won't do that. Their model is built on volume: sign as many clients as possible, run the same playbook, and let the results fall where they may. Our model is built on outcomes. Fewer clients, deeper partnerships, better results.
How is Watson & Co. different from other home services marketing agencies?
We treat your market like your jobsite. Nobody else gets access. When we build your SEO strategy, run your ad campaigns, and manage your reputation, all of that firepower is aimed at one target: filling your schedule. We don't water it down by running the same play for your competitor.
Every campaign we launch, every keyword we target, every review we help you earn, it all compounds because there's no internal competition bleeding off the results.
What does Watson & Co.'s exclusive territory guarantee look like?
It's straightforward. When you sign with us, your trade and your city are locked. No other company in your trade gets in. If someone calls us and they compete with you, we say no. If your market is already taken when you reach out, we tell you before wasting your time. This isn't a marketing gimmick. It's the foundation of everything we do.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an exclusive territory marketing agency?
An exclusive territory marketing agency limits itself to one client per trade per geographic market. That means if you're a plumber in Austin, the agency won't also work with another plumber in Austin. All strategy, ad spend, and SEO effort goes toward making your company the top choice in your area. No shared playbooks. No split focus.
How do I know if my marketing agency works with my competitors?
Ask them directly and demand a written answer. Request to see your contract's exclusivity clause. If there isn't one, assume they work with competitors. Watch for evasive language like "we keep things separate internally." That phrase almost always means they have competing clients and no real firewall between accounts.
Can two competing companies get good results from the same agency?
Not sustainably. In the short term, both might see some traction. But local SEO and paid search are finite games. There are only so many top-ranking spots and high-intent keywords in a market. Eventually, one client wins and the other stalls, and neither knows the agency's divided loyalty is the reason. Both companies would perform better with dedicated, non-conflicted representation.
What trades does Watson & Co. offer exclusive territories for?
We work with home service companies across multiple trades: HVAC, plumbing, roofing, remodeling, tree service, cabinetry, and more. Each trade gets one company per city. If you're not sure whether your trade qualifies or your market is available, reach out and we'll give you a straight answer within 24 hours.
How much does exclusive territory marketing cost?
Our pricing reflects the value of exclusivity and dedicated strategy, but it's competitive with what most agencies charge, and you get significantly more for your money because nothing is diluted. The real question is how much you're losing right now by sharing an agency with your competitor. Most companies find that switching to an exclusive model pays for itself within the first 90 days through increased lead volume and lower cost per acquisition.
What markets does Watson & Co. currently serve?
We serve home service companies across the United States. Some markets and trades are already locked by existing clients. The fastest way to find out if your market is open is to contact us directly. We'll check availability and give you a clear yes or no, no pressure, no runaround.
Ready to Stop Losing Leads?
Your competitor might already be talking to their agency about your market. Every day you wait is another day your leads, your rankings, and your revenue are being split with someone who wants the same jobs you do. Lock down your territory before someone else does.