When fiction writers undertake a new project, they usually spend time getting to know their characters through surveys and profiles. This lets them write characters whose actions and speech seem believable to readers.
Even if you’re not trying to write the next Great American Novel, getting to know your niche—and the clients in that niche—will supercharge your marketing and help you win the hearts and minds of your target audience.
Why Finding Your Niche Matters
Small-business owners have limited resources, which means that they can’t realistically do lots of different things really well. But that isn’t a bad thing—finding your niche is a way of determining what specific products or services you are supremely qualified to offer.
When you discover your niche and focus marketing efforts on the right target audience, you establish yourself as an expert in what you do. For example: if you needed an operation on a very specific part of your brain, you’d want to go to a surgeon familiar with performing the exact procedure you need—not a generalist who knows as much about bunions as the prefrontal cortex.
Think of yourself as a sort of super-specialized surgeon who has exactly what your clients need—nothing more and nothing less.
Discover Your Unique Niche
You started your business to solve a specific problem or fill a specific void in people’s life, but maybe you’ve gotten bogged down with developing marketing strategies or establishing price points. Refocusing on your niche can help breathe life into your current efforts.
Start by profiling your business with questions like these . . .
- What need do my products or services fulfill?
- Who has this need? (Who are my ideal clients?)
- How can I reach these clients?
- How will my product or services change my clients’ lives?
- How can I communicate this to my clients?
- In what ways does my business differ from the competition?
This process may require more than just filling out answers on the page. When researching your potential clients, for example, you may have to talk to people, visit online forums, and ask a lot of questions to find out where your clients are and how you can get their attention.
Make the Niche Your Own
Once you’ve determined your niche—that is, once you’ve realized that you’re the only person who does exactly what you do—it’s time to let the world know. Or, more specifically, the section of the world that needs your product or service.
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