Is Your Niche Hot...Or Not?
© 2006 - 2009 Kendall SummerHawk
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 if 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?
When I’m asked to help my clients fix the problems in their businesses, the first thing I look at is their niche. I’m assessing to see if it’s looking like those ratty sweats, but perhaps covering up a diamond in disguise. Luckily, it often only takes a few tweaks and my clients quickly reposition their niche in such a way that they begin to fill their programs, courses and workshops, plus sell more of their products and services.
Let me share with you three simple tips to help you tell if your niche is hot…or not. Learning these tips can make the difference in your business success for years to come!
Tip #1 Don’t Take This Personally, But Do Your Programs And Courses Fill Slowly Or Sometimes, Not Even At All?
This is a downright embarrassing situation to be in. For starters, I recommend you DON’T take it personally. It’s not that people don’t like you, but what it MAY be signaling is that you haven’t yet figured out exactly what your audience needs to hear to get them to take action and hire you. This is the time to make an honest assessment of whether what you’re offering is “good” for your clients…or something they WANT.
Tip #2 Are You Giving Your Clients A Magic Wand?
These days, everyone is so busy, they want “done for you” solutions rather than the “do it yourself” approach. Good news is, every business has the opportunity to offer at least one “magic wand” type of service, such as providing templates, checklists or other done-for-you materials. I suggest digging through your archive of materials. I bet that with a little bit of creativity, you can put together an offer that your clients will snap up with gratitude.
Tip #3 Kevin Costner Had It All Wrong…
Remember in the movie, 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 Kevin’s theory to your niche, you’re likely to end up sitting in that same corn field…alone. Instead, I teach my clients a simple system for transforming “that thing you do” into an exciting offer that attracts plenty of new clients.
Here’s The “Niche Mantra” I Recently Created…I Think This Will Help
Plugging away at a dead-end niche is dispiriting. To help you get (or stay) focused on the right niche that’s a fit for you and your business goals, here’s a mantra I wrote (you’re welcome to print and post this on your wall):
“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 have this mastered, your business is going to take off, which I know you’re going to love!
Would you like the magic formula that quickly makes it possible for you to market less, fill your programs, courses and workshops faster and sell more of your products…all while staying powerfully authentic to who you are? Find out more here.
About the author:
Kendall SummerHawk, Million Dollar Marketing Coach, delivers smart, savvy ways entrepreneurs can turn their hectic business into a smooth-running, fun, 6-figure money-making dream. To learn more about her book, Brilliance Unbridled, and sign up for more FREE tips like these, visit her site at http://www.kendallsummerhawk.com
NOTE: You are welcome to “reprint” this article online as long as it remains complete and unaltered (including the “about the author” info at the end). I would also appreciate a copy of your reprint sent to kendall@kendallsummerhawk.com