Before you even start implementing any marketing strategies, it’s important to be crystal clear about whom it is you are trying to reach.
Some of the questions you should be able to answer around this include: What is your niche? Who is your target market and what is it that they want? What is your message to them?
Often, small business owners are afraid to narrow down their target market for fear that this will limit them. Countless times I have heard people say “my target market is small business owners” or “my niche is really anyone who needs what I offer.”
The truth is, you can’t be everything to everyone, and it is actually easier to market and attract prospects when you focus on a particular group of people. It is also easier for others to refer people to you when they see you as someone who works with a specific group.
To further illustrate, here is a simple example: Instead of “I’m a financial planner,” you could clarify it to say “I’m a financial planner who specializes in families with special needs children.”
Or, instead of “I’m a marketing consultant,” a more descriptive way to say it would be “I’m an online marketing consultant who specializes in social media strategies for coaches.”
Many times, figuring out who it is you want to serve the most involves digging into who it is you are. Particularly online, in order to create the type of presence that draws people to you, you will need to clearly communicate who you are, what you are about, and why people should take notice.
To figure this out, some of the questions you could ask yourself might be:
- How would I describe the essence of who I am in a single word?
- What are my top three passions related to my work and three that are unrelated to my work?
- What would be three adjectives used to describe my business?
- Who are my best clients or the people who are most likely to benefit from my work?
Those are just some of the questions you can ask to really get clear on who you are professionally, as well as who you are personally. Try this out and just begin noticing who shows up for you.
Clarifying your niche is a point of “stuckness” for many business owners and it does take a bit work to discover if you aren’t clear on it yet. But once you have that specific niche narrowed down, reaching them with your marketing becomes a whole lot easier.
What has your experience been in focusing in on a target market? Is this something that has challenged you in your business? Let me know in the comments.
> figuring out who it is you want to serve the most involves digging into who it is you are
Very well put.
A lot of people talk about narrowing the focus or picking a specific niche, but I think you did a good job of lighting it up with examples and explaining the why. Specific over general wins.
.-= J.D. Meier´s last blog ..10 Ways to Go from Good to Great =-.
Thanks J.D.! Hope you are great!
Great post and a real challenge for most! Ironically, what made me click to read this was the fact that I tell clients that ALL the time, and it is SO hard for them (scary actually!). I completely understand having had that challenge myself, but it is SO very true. That one single clarification often makes an enormous difference in results. Thanks for your perspective on this.
Thanks Heather! Yes, I have the same experience with clients as well—people kinda get freaked out, right!? I try to make it a little easier by maybe telling them to take baby steps with it–for example, “ok—you serve biz owners, but how about at least picking out a few niches of biz owners? Maybe not just coaches, but how about coaches/consultants/speakers?” That kind of thing. Every little bit helps!
Thanks for stopping by the blog!
Great points. People have a hard time grasping this, thinking that they will eliminate so many people, but instead you become the go-to person when someone who exactly fits your niche needs something. I see this quite a bit with dietitians who say they treat everything. Plus specializing makes it easier to keep up with what is going on in your field. I just refer out all the calls for clients that don’t need help with either weight loss or diabetes, so it’s easier on me to not keep up with all the other diseases.
Sylvia, bingo—you hit the nail right on the head. Thanks for giving those examples too!
What if you have 4 or 5 totally different product lines, each with their own niche’s? Do we just pick one product line and concentrate on that one or is it ok to have one niche per target group?
Ronnie, great question, and a common one. Hard to answer without knowing exactly what you are selling—but when I see that, I think wow—that’s a lot. Is there an over-arching or “umbrella” niche that those 4 or 5 niches fit into? For example, let’s say the product lines are all health supplements. Can the people you are targeting all fit into a broader category, such as athletes? Just curious as to how different your niches really are—they may not be as different than you think. And if they are, it might be wise to think about possibly simplifying.
Thanks for your reply. To clarify a little further, our product umbrella you might say is “green” technology good for personal and environmental health–air purification products; product that produces antioxidant, alkaline water at the touch of a button; laundry appliance used with your washer that requires no hot water or laundry products to get clean, sanitized laundry; power management product that protects electronics and conserves energy; plus a line of nutritional products. Question again is should I focus on one of the above product lines and one target group OR one target group for each product line?
Ok, that’s A LOT of stuff. Why not just focus on people who are interested in green technology in general?
Christine thanks for this! After almost 2 years in business, believe it or not, I just last week realized I’m not even clear on my niche! I think this has been a big obstacle in my business and attracting those I work best with. I now who it is, I just have to find them.
Angela M’s latest blog http://www.wellnesswithangela.com/stopsugarcravings/2011/eat-fat-for-weight-loss-not-low-fat
Hey, it’s ok!
The first step is realizing you have a problem, right? 
Good for you that you had that realization—I think it will be a breakthrough for you and your marketing. Keep us posted!
Excellent as usual Christine, thank you
Appreciate the comment Anne!