To Niche Or Not to Niche, That Is The Question.
Know you niche, that's the advice given to start ups as an aid to success. Its often something people try to define in the preparation stage of the business. It can be extremely useful to the efficiency of your business. With your niche in place you will be able to create relevant marketing to target those clients that fit your niche. You have past experience and possibly specific skills you can use to make the most of your business and become your USP.
Niching helps keep you business focused and gives you a direction to aim in when trying to attract clients. These are all really sound points but here is where I am going to make this blog controversial, we have covered to niche so here it is or NOT to niche.
Photo by Marl Clevenger on Unsplash
If you don't have a specific industry to target for clients. For example my previous "life" was in the veterinary industry and that doesn't fall within my ideal client for my virtual assistant business. So I can't use my previous experience and contacts to niche. Maybe your in the same position?
The skills you need to . use in your new business aren't skills you used in your previous industry, that's OK. As long as you know what and where you need to be to achieve your goals, then the method you choose to use to get there is your choice. That is the perk of being a self employed business owner after all, you call the shots!
Maybe its the services you offer that matter most. If you like doing something and do it well, it can often benefit many different businesses that work over different industries so that doesn't fit with having a niche.
For some businesses that's skills are transferable to use in multiple scenario's, the importance is more about who you work. Rather than the specifics of what they do. We all know its easier to work together with people who we click with. This can be an especially attractive choice when providing services rather than producing goods.
All of these reasons came into play when I was setting out my plans to launch Busy keys. My past career didn't seem helpful. I also didn't want to limit myself to one type of client, when I had skills I could adapt to the needs of the clients. I love the variety it provides in my working life too.
Whilst talking to the lovely Angela Jones from Perception Coaching at a networking event, we discussed that in the early period of a business if you have kept your options open your niche will evolve and become clear to you when it needs too. For example maybe you will be inundated with one type of work, your niche has found you! This conversation really stayed with me and as my business is evolving I look forward to exploring the journey to see what niche may find me.
So to round up this useful rambling "To niche or not to niche." I am of the belief its not a necessity more of a personal choice so don't feel the pressure, go with your gut instinct.