It’s maddening the way all those professional marketers say: “Well, first pick a niche, and then…” ERRRRRRrrrr! Hold everything, buddy! Don’t move on, I’m still stuck on step one!
Why is it soooo hard to pick a niche?
A niche is more than just focusing your business. If you have a heart, a niche isn’t just a clever way to make your marketing effective, it becomes a defining mission for what your business is about.
Niche enemy #1: Fear of Helplessness
When the Divine just guides someone to your doorstep, ahh, so pleasant. And, if the client shows up through serendipity, well, you can just be who you are, without needing to make any promises. What a relief!
But, putting yourself out there saying that you can actually help with a certain problem, actually inviting people to come trust you, now that’s some scary business. I mean, who made you an ‘expert’ anyway? And who said you can do anything at all? And what happens if you don’t come through?
These are not just niggling questions. These are the kinds of internal musings that can bring on a premature “Dark night of the soul.” No wonder so many people avoid the niche.
Do not go gently into that good night.
I want to encourage you to face these questions. Not just for the sake of your business, but for your life’s journey.
“Who made you an expert?” I think it’s important to debunk the definition. If you look at the word ‘expert’ it comes from the Latin ‘expertus’ which is the past participle of ‘experiri’ meaning “To try.”
Literally, an ‘expert’ is merely someone who has tried, or ‘experimented’ (another related word) with something.
I want to suggest that choosing a niche doesn’t mean you have to set yourself up as an authority. What it means is that you’re willing to experiment, to jump in and play in the sand.
Can you jump into a niche and play in the sand?
Isn’t that playing lightly with people’s trust?
Oh, you mean if you’re experimenting, you might let people down? The only way you can let anyone down is if you make false promises. So don’t make promises you can’t keep.
For instance, when I started Heart of Business, I subtitled my very first class “An exploration.” I didn’t make big fancy promises about doubling income, or opening your money flow.
And, it’s true, without clarity about what you can do for people, you won’t bring in as many clients. That’s okay, you have to start somewhere. As your experience and confidence grows, you’ll build a track record and clarity on what promises you can make. And more people will step in.
Your clients will want to see results.
But they want something else even more.
The human spirit is invincible. If your clients get what they really need, witnessing, empathy, support, and a sense of not being so alone, they’ll get results just from having your presence in their life. And, as long as you aren’t forcing yourself into false promises, they’ll be happy to play in the sand box with you.
The more you play in the sandbox, the more people will want to play in the sandbox, and the larger your business will grow.
Hold it- are you building a business, or a play yard? What are the elements of a niche?
Keys to building a niche sand box.
- What corner of the world do you want to see better?
Yes, I know you want to see all of it better, but what lights you up business-wise? Is it business? Raising children? Intimate relationships? Creating home? Health? Birth? Death? Food and nutrition?
Your life can encompass all of that and more, so don’t limit your life. But where does your business want to play?
- What unsightly problems do you see in that corner of the world?
If you’re looking in the business corner, are you constantly drawn to think about marketing, or teamwork? In families, do you hate to see new parents overwhelmed by their infants, or is it the battles between older teens and their parents? Are you attracted to health issues that are chronic diseases, or do you want to see athletes get over traumatic injuries and back out on the field?
Naming a problem in the corner of the world, gives you a defined sand box to play in, and a real reason for new clients to show up.
- Don’t panic! The niche is just a doorway.
Picking a niche doesn’t mean you won’t ever work with other issues or problems. But, it does give your clients a very clear doorway to walk through. Once they join in the sandbox, to mix metaphors, who knows where you’ll go from there?
Picking a niche is partly about guidance in your heart, and partly about your willingness to choose to plant your flag and stand for something. If you don’t have a niche, spend some time today musing with the questions above, and giving your heart some space to be tender in the process of planting your flag.
If you already have a niche, then notice how much you’ve gained in the process of playing in your sandbox. Have you fully claimed your experience and confidence that you’ve found there?
