Do you have a graduate degree, license, or certification?
Has it helped you get clients?
If not, perhaps it’s because you don’t have a distinct niche.
Many people select a target market when launching a business but avoid designating a smaller niche.
A target market broadly refers to all prospects who benefit from your services.
For example, a target market might be overweight individuals.
A niche is a subset of the target market. It is more specific and focused.
It combines WHO you serve (the audience) and WHAT you offer (your service).
For instance, a niche within weight loss is menopausal women who want to shed 25 pounds or more without exercising.
Having a defined niche gives you many advantages over your competitors.
- Niches address specific problems, needs, or solutions. They speak straight to and attract your ideal prospects.
- Niches face less direct competition due to their high degree of specialization. As a result, clients expect to pay a premium price. Hence, you make more money!
- Niche marketing allows for tailored and personalized messaging. You know what to say to interest your ideal prospects, saving you marketing costs.
Despite these solid reasons to niche, why do many solopreneurs avoid it?
FOMO. The fear of missing out.
You mistakenly think you’ll lose business by broadcasting that you serve a specific population.
However, what usually happens is just the opposite.
People will ask if you will work with them. This lets you clarify your services and decide whether to accept them as clients.
Another reason for sidestepping a niche is that you like variety.
You don’t want to be pigeonholed into one kind of client and modality. You offer many treatment approaches for a wide range of challenges and individuals.
Rest assured. Niching makes it easier to attract eligible prospects, allowing you to work in your zone of genius. You are not limited in what you do and can choose who becomes a client.
How do you select a niche?
Consider several factors: your education, experience, skills, talents, and interests.
Start by reviewing your resume.
Inventory what you like to do, not just as an adult but also as a child and teenager.
What gives you pleasure?
Recall the joy you felt when interacting with certain types of people in specific ways.
Embrace your passion. Relish and celebrate it because it points to possible niches.
Having selected a preliminary direction, you’re ready to do some research.
List these niches and ask artificial intelligence to estimate their sizes.
Remind yourself how many people you’d like in your ideal caseload. Is the niche you’ve selected large enough?
While gathering information, identify who is currently known for working with this niche. These are your so-called competitors.
However, you have NO competitors. Bringing your unique perspective, experience, intuition, and wisdom to the work makes you exceptional.
Seeing others serving the same niche also validates that this is a viable subset of your target population.
Learn from your competitors. What terms do they use to describe what they do and who they serve? What services do they offer? What’s their fee structure?
Answering these questions will help you define your niche, position yourself, and determine your pricing strategy.
By the way, cultivate relationships with them. You can refer clients who rub you the wrong way. In turn, they can send you individuals better suited to you.
As you choose your niche, remember what ignites your passion. Your work should bring you both personal satisfaction and provide a comfortable living.
Are you still pondering your niche?
Illuminate Your Ideal Audience is a 3-day challenge to help you find your niche.
Last thought: the riches are in the niches.
Have the courage and smarts to carve out your unique audience. You’ll prosper both personally and professionally.
To your sales success,
Nancy Zare, Ph.D.
The Sales Whisperer
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