© 2024 Melanie White
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Why does having a niche and knowing your niche matter in business? Simply, because it allows you to quickly build trust, and rapport and be seen as a specialist or expert, and therefore attract clients more easily. Today, I’ll outline three reasons why knowing your niche is valuable, with some examples, and how you can get to this level yourself.
While marking assessments in my Passion to Profit course, it became clear that some students knew their niche really well. I’d like to showcase the value of knowing your niche by sharing some of the insights presented by students.
When you understand what your niche is going through each day, you can easily demonstrate that and tell their story in your marketing.
When asked about the type of content they would create for the niche, one student really understood that her audience (busy professionals) were very capable people but often felt alone. They are the type of women who have role models and like learning from other successful women, and they like reputable, fact-based information sources.
Her ideas for content included expert interviews with or by other women, fact-based news and statistics, and some self-assessment tests.
These content ideas are perfectly matched to a professional, capable niche and will likely create better engagement.
Her niche is readers who trust published information written in more formal language, and who expect a more professional standard of information.
To that end, she has self-published a book, has developed a newsletter and will be creating a series of videos that match what they need and want.
This coach has also identified that her busy professional audience wants to wind down and get ready for a fun and inspiring weekend, so she plans to create content on Thursdays for posting on Fridays – just in time to end the week on a positive note.
What happens when you know your niche so intimately?
You know what they want, can anticipate when and how they want to receive it, and what they need and want to hear.
This builds trust and rapport and makes you the logical choice as the right person to work with.
When you get to the stage of a ‘good fit’ call, they have often already decided you’re the one they want to work with, because you ‘get’ them and speak the same language.
With a niche of busy, stressed professionals, this same student decided that the flavour of her content should be short and to the point (time efficient and easy to read).
In her marketing and her programs, she’s developing shorter forms and surveys using electronic links to complete and submit online with the press of a button, rather than lengthy documents to fill in.
Her niche tends to feel negative or frustrated, so she will focus on positive statements and reframes to help boost their spirits and bring a bit of spark to their day, and a supportive group that helps them to feel connected and engaged.
What comes to mind when you think of a specialist?
When I hear that word, I think of expertise, a higher price, someone who knows exactly what I’m going through and what I need, and someone who is equipped to help me with every little thing.
Niching down and being more specific allows you to be good at something specific – to become a specialist.
When you run a coaching program that is tailored to a certain type of person, using the content, words and imagery that they more personally relate to, they will more likely commit, persist and succeed with your program.
Of course, this assumes that you have screened and prequalified them first as someone who is ready, willing and able to change!
There is a saying that goes, you are the average of the 5 people closest to you.
What does that mean, in the context of THIS conversation?
It means that your successful clients have at least five friends who are just like them.
In other words, they know at least five people who are also in your niche.
If they have had the experience of personal, specialist experience from someone who ‘gets’ them and even better, has been on the journey or worked with lots of people like them, they will tell ALL their friends, which means referrals, referrals and more referrals.
In my previous weight loss coaching business, I would invite my finishing participants to let their friends and colleagues know about my coming information sessions and to invite them to attend.
That alone ensured that my next information sessions were fully booked, and resulted in 95% conversion rates on the night.
Niching down is important not just for client attraction and engagement, but also for client success and results and even better, referral to more people like them (who are your ideal client).
Understanding who you are and what you need will allow your business to thrive! If you’re truly ready to break old habits and get out of the rut I encourage you to check out the Habitology membership.
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© 2024 Melanie White