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You know those “before” photos that show a gal in her sweats, hair pulled back in a scrunchie and with no makeup? Then they show you the “after,” where she’s dressed in a pretty new outfit, great shoes, and wearing the right shade of lipstick?
She looks so different on the outside that you hardly recognize her. Yet, on the inside, she’s the same beautiful woman she always was. She just needed the right “do over” to bring out her brilliance.
In an instant, she went from “NOT” to “hot.”
The same can be true with your niche!
You know it’s hot because your business is growing quickly, you keep filling your programs and referrals steadily flow in.
But what if that’s NOT what you’re experiencing? What if you love how you can help people but they just don’t seem to “get” it, leaving you feeling frustrated and ignored?
The first thing I look at with all my clients (yes, at every stage of business, from beginning to more advanced) is their niche. I’m assessing to see if it’s looking like those worn out sweats, but perhaps covering up a diamond in disguise. With just a few of the right tweaks my clients quickly reposition their niche and just as quickly begin attracting new — and usually higher end — clients.
Let me share with you simple tips to help you transform your niche from “not” to hot. These tips can save you years of frustration in trying to grow your business, so enjoy!
Tip #1 Is Your Niche Easy To Relate To?
Plugging away at a dead-end niche is dispiriting. Which is why it’s critical to listen to what the problem is your ideal clients struggle with the most…rather than you deciding for them what you think they should want or care about.
So while it’s great you may want to help people “step into their power” or “find themselves” or “create inner alignment”, unless you tie these types of soft topics to a tangible result, no one will be able to relate to what you’re offering.
And by all means, be willing to specialize! Too often, when clients first join our coaching programs, they’re trying to appeal to business owners AND moms AND couples AND…well, you get my point, right?
Consider this: You help no one if you try to help everyone.
Tip #2 Are You Giving Your Clients A “Done for You” Solution?
It may not be your niche that’s the problem but the way your solutions are being packaged. What works best in today’s economy is “done for you” solutions rather than the “do it yourself” approach.
Good news is, every business has the opportunity to provide templates, checklists or other done-for-you materials. I suggest looking at all of the great content and materials you have as a ready-made resource to pull from. With a little bit of creativity you can put together an offer that includes done-for-you content your clients will snap up.
Tip #3 Kevin Costner Had It All Wrong…
Remember how in A Field of Dreams, Kevin Costner magically had his favorite baseball team appear just because he cleared his corn field? While I’m all for getting yourself prepared for success, if you apply that theory to your niche, you’re likely to end up sitting in that same corn field…alone.
Instead, I coach my clients to use a simple system I created for transforming “that thing you do” into an exciting Signature System and a compelling offer that attracts plenty of new clients.
Here’s how it works: Your Signature System outlines the 3-10 steps you’ll take your clients through to create the results they want.
And here’s a bonus tip: Each step is focused on your client achieving something specific (or solving a specific problem) that helps them see, hear and feel a result. This way, your clients appreciate the value of how you’re helping them early in your work together, leading to you getting awesome referrals and compelling testimonials.
Here’s A “Niche Mantra” I Created To Help You Get Clarity…
It’s so easy to get caught up in trying to market what you’re awesome at doing (instead of what it is people are hungry for).
To help you get (or stay) focused on the right niche here’s a mantra you want to take to heart and memorize:
“You must *BE* the solution to the problem people most want solved”
Creating the right niche for you and your business isn’t difficult, but it must be at the top of your to-do list. Once you’re clear and can communicate your message and the solution you offer easily, your business is going to take off.
And your best resource for getting clear on your niche, your Signature System and your offers? Hire a mentor who is creative and has a depth of experience in helping entrepreneurs like you create the ideal niche!
