A practical guide for small businesses and solo founders
Your niche is the specific overlap between who you serve, the problem you solve for them, and the way you do it that nobody else quite does. Finding it means narrowing down from your target market to the space where you’re the obvious choice.
If you’ve read my last blog on finding your target market, you’ll know who you’re talking to (or at least have a pretty good best guess). Niching is the next step, and it’s the one that scares people, because it feels like you’re shutting doors. Honestly, darling, it’s the opposite. When you’re for everyone, nobody remembers you, when you’re for someone specific, they tell their friends.
What’s the difference between a target market and a niche?
Your target market is the group of people you’re selling to. Your niche is your particular spot within that group, the specific problem, approach or type of person you’re known for. Small business owners in Kent is a target market, helping female founders in their first two years feel confident on social media is a niche.
Why niching works (even though it feels scary)
Niching is about what you market, not who you’re allowed to work with. You can still say yes to the lovely client who doesn’t quite fit. But a clear niche means your content is easier to write, referrals come in because people know who to send your way, and you can charge more, because specialists are always worth more than generalists.
Find where your skills, passion and market overlap
Write down what you’re genuinely good at, what you love doing, and what problems your target market will actually pay to fix. The sweet spot is where all three meet.
Go narrower than feels comfortable
“I help small businesses with marketing” is a category, not a niche. Try narrowing by who you serve, the problem you solve, their stage of business, the way you work, or where they are. Combining two or three is usually where the magic happens.
Look at your best work so far
Which clients got the best results, were easiest to work with, or sent you referrals? There’s often a pattern in there that points to where you’re naturally strongest.
Find your point of difference
Ask what everyone else in your space is doing, and what nobody’s doing. Your background, your approach or simply your personality can be the bit nobody can copy.
Check there’s enough demand
You can go too narrow. Make sure people are actively looking for help with this problem, that there are places they gather, and that there are enough of them to keep your business going.
Test it before you commit
Write your niche in one sentence, I help (who) with (problem) so they can (result), then put it in your bio and your posts for a few weeks. If people say “that’s me”, you’re on to something. If not, tweak one part and try again.
Your niche can change
Your niche isn’t a tattoo. It’ll shift as your business grows, and that’s completely normal. The aim is to be clear enough today that the right people recognise themselves in what you say.
Where to start this week
Have a go at writing your niche sentence. It doesn’t have to be perfect, it just has to be a start. If this all feels really overwhelming, let me help you. I offer strategy sessions to solo business owners so you can get clear on your ideal clients, your niche and how to get in front of those people, easily and quickly!
Gini x