Having a niche market to focus on can make marketing a whole lot easier. And serving your ideal client is a lot more fun as well as rewarding for both of you. That's two good reasons why you should choose a marketing niche. Now here's 5 tips to help you choose the one that's just perfect for you.
Choosing a niche is more than just focusing your marketing efforts on one group of people, often referred to as "your target market". And the task can bring up all sorts of fears and resistance that can result in overwhelm and non action.
Thoughts like, what if I pick the wrong one? If I pick one I have to leave some people out. Or I'll miss out on other opportunities if I focus on just one.
If you're considering whether to choose a niche and having any of these negative thoughts then you're going to love these 5 tips to choosing your perfect niche
1. Get clear on your ideal client
One of the first things to get clear about is who you want to work with. After all you are creating a business to provide you with much more than money. What does your ideal client look like? Who will bring you most joy to serve? What will they get to be, do or have in exchange for their money?
Write a story about your ideal client and set an intention to attract them to you.
And relax, it's OK to leave some people out. If they're not a match then you'll both struggle to make the most of your relationship and that won't serve either of you. On the other hand if you find your perfect match then marketing difficulties will be a thing of the past.
2. Get specific
Once you're clear about who you want to work with get specific about what possibilities there are to narrow or niche your offering.
For instance, if you are a wellness practitioner do you want to help ill people back to health or assist healthy people to stay that way?
This could involve choosing between genders, between age groups like children or baby boomers. Perhaps corporate executives or working mums, pregnant women or athletes. The choice is yours. Just make sure it fits your ideal client picture.
So you might end up with a niche to assist female corporate executives wanting to stay fit and healthy under stress. Or just as easily choose pregnant women suffering back pain.
3. Find a market needing a solution
Whatever niche you choose it must pass these critical marketing tests. Does your niche group have an identifiable problem and are they looking for a solution. And more importantly, are they prepared to pay for it? This may seem obvious but it is amazing how many business owners fail to understand and apply these basic principles.
4. Provide a solution to meet your market's need
Another critical factor is to make sure your solution is a match! It's pretty simple really. You've already identified your niche group has a problem that they are aware of and seeking a solution to, with credit card in hand. Provide that solution and you get the client. If you get this right then you will have a profitable niche with no end to the demand for your products or services.
5. Make sure your chosen market is reachable
I've saved the most important tip until last. Unless you can reach your chosen market in a cost effective way you don't really have a niche. Not a viable one anyway. So you must make sure you have a means to identify and communicate with them to deliver your marketing message. They must have a place where they gather in person, in a medium such as print or on a list or forum of some description. Whether that's a club or association, professional body or social group, you will want to be able to reach them where they congregate or hang out.
Whether you do this in person, via direct mail or an advertisement the more places you can reach your audience the better and easier your marketing will be.
So to niche or not to niche? That is a question that you can now address with confidence based on proven marketing principles that take out the guess work. Once you find your perfect niche you'll have a lot more fun marketing and a whole lot more success.
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