The Riches are in the Niches

How creating a niche audience increases connections and conversions

Let me tell you a story about a potential client’s reaction to my advice that she niche her business. It was so intense it felt like we were on an episode of an imaginary show called “When Clients Attack”.  Despite her response I would still make the same suggestion today, tomorrow and for as long as I’m privileged to do this work. 

For context, how we define the term ‘niche’ in marketing is this - A niche is a focused, targeted area that you serve particularly well. It is small (and the smaller the better). It is specific. It is known to you.

This person felt that her business attracts everyone. We won’t argue that point now because I actually do, in part, believe that her service would benefit many people -- younger, older, male, female, etc. 

The road to rich

is all about your niche

However, a known marketing fact is this - If you’re talking to EVERYONE, you’re reaching NO ONE. Meaning, the more generic we are in our communication, the less effective it will be. 

I simply advised her to narrow down her target audience and shared that she does have various ideal clients, but each is going to need different messaging that connects with them. We would use very specific communications to attract a specific segment for a select period of time. This is a strategic approach that maximizes efforts, and financial investments. 

Oh boy! You’d think I was advising her to go swim with the sharks to help her business. (Which actually sounds like a great team-building or a mindset-shift exercise). 

Here’s an example of niching down your target audience: 

Say I had a jewelry business -- all of my pieces were hand-crafted and a portion of my profits went to support a village in Mexico where the artisans created one-of-a-kind illustrations. These illustrations were then used as decals in my jewelry design. The price is premium and the pieces have a rocking brand story. I would like to attract a buyer who:

1. Has a unique sense of style (the pieces are colorful and stand out!)

2. Appreciates the story of how the illustrations are made by our artisans

3. Is willing to pay the premium rate

4. And likes the idea of making a difference with their purchase

And I wouldn’t want to spend time trying to convince people to buy these if:

1. They don’t wear colorful jewelry

2. They don’t really care how it’s made

3. They’re just looking for the best bargain

4. They’re not motivated by altruism 

To attract the first group, I would spend time developing the story of our artisans, their process and how we began our partnership together. I would create content that supports all of the four points above and I would post it to platforms that a) work for our brand and b) are frequently visited by our ideal clients. If Instagram and Pinterest come to mind -- you’re absolutely right! These would be the perfect platforms to tell this brand’s story. 

Now, there are two types of people on Instagram -- spectators and shoppers. Most of us fall somewhere in the middle. The point here is that we would use creative language that attracts the shopper. And that language would best resonate with our target audience because we took the time to get to know them in our research. 

We uncovered things like where they live, where they shop, what problem they may have and answered clearly how our product can solve this problem. Yes -- it takes work. But isn’t your business worth it? 

This simple exercise helps you craft messages that resonate and connect with your clients on an emotional level. YES -- most buying decisions are rooted in emotions. 

Using unexciting, generic language that everyone uses is pointless. It doesn’t stand out, but most importantly it doesn’t create a connection. If someone doesn’t understand why your product is a good fit for them -- they won’t be interested!  End of (brand) story. 

Instead use language that makes your audience go,: “Yes, that’s it. That’s the piece of jewelry I need!”  Maybe they want to tell their friends the story behind the pieces. Or the colors make them feel confident! Perhaps they like that they’re making a difference with their purchase. Their ethos aligns with your product and they’ll become your ultimate brand advocate. They’ll be more willing to share the stories that captivated them in the first place when asked about your jewelry. 

This is the power of niching down. It allows you to create specific messages that resonate, with a specific group of people, making it impossible for your ideal customer not to take action. It could be a social media follow, a comment, a hit to your website to learn more and eventually, they will buy your product or invest in your service because they’ll feel like you know them. And that you’re solving their problem with a memorable solution. And in this case, it’s a unique piece of jewelry that makes the buyer feel more confident when they wear it. 

And that’s how you break through and connect in a way that builds momentum and turns followers into fans and your stories into sales.