Hey there, BossMom! If you’re just starting your business or struggling to get clarity, you’ve probably heard the phrase “The riches are in the niches.” And let’s be real: you might’ve rolled your eyes at it a little bit. Why? Because niching down can feel impossible, especially when you’re juggling your business with everything else—like raising your family, maintaining your sanity, and trying not to feel guilty about not doing enough. Sound familiar?
Well, don’t worry. In this post, we’re diving into why niching down is so hard and, more importantly, how to do it the right way over time. Let’s chat about why your brain fights the process and how you can start to find the right niche for your business. Spoiler alert: it’s not as simple as picking a niche and sticking to it right away. So, grab your coffee, get comfy, and let’s talk about how you can nurture your business and your niche simultaneously.
Why Niching Feels So Hard
Here’s the deal: niching down is tough for most of us. Why? Because we want to help everyone. That’s a natural instinct as moms and entrepreneurs. You might have a mindset like, “But I could help so many more people if I wasn’t specific.” Trust me, I get it. It’s tough to narrow it down when there’s a whole world of people you feel you could make an impact on.
But here’s the thing: The enemy of niching is “Yes, but I could.” Every time you catch yourself thinking “I could help this person too” or “I could expand my reach,” stop. That mindset is what’s holding you back from narrowing your focus. You can’t make the impact you want by trying to help everyone. You’ve got to focus on those who are ready for the help you offer. And yes, that might mean leaving some people out of your niche, but that’s not a bad thing.
The Guilt Factor
As moms, we tend to feel guilty about narrowing our focus. We think, “What if someone needs my help and I turn them away?” But you know what? Helping and impacting are not the same thing. Helping means you’re trying to fix everything for everyone, which leads to burnout and frustration. Impacting means making a deep, lasting change for a specific group of people who are ready to take that next step.
If you want to make a true impact, it’s essential to choose a niche that feels right for you—one where you can provide the most value, even if that means saying no to other potential clients.
Why Your Brain Doesn’t Want to Niche Down
I’m sure you’ve heard advice like, “Just pick a niche and go with it.” But here’s the truth: that’s not always the best advice for everyone. Your brain will push back, especially early on, and there are a few reasons for that:
- You want to help as many people as possible. The natural instinct is to expand your reach. But as we discussed earlier, focusing on helping everyone actually harms your business. It dilutes your message and weakens your marketing. In the long run, this can lead to slower growth and confusion around your brand.
- Fear of commitment. Niching down feels like making a lifetime commitment to a specific group of people. It’s scary, right? It’s like agreeing to marry someone after a couple of dates. But here’s the thing: committing to a niche doesn’t mean you’re stuck forever. It’s just a way to start your business and make a bigger impact.
- Lack of clarity. Sometimes, especially in the early days, we’re still figuring out what we do best and who we’re meant to serve. That’s okay! It’s a process. The more clients you work with and the more experience you gain, the clearer your niche will become.
How to Find Your Niche (Step by Step)
Now, let’s talk about how to actually niche down in a way that feels natural and works for your business. The truth is, niching is an ongoing process. It’s not something you have to figure out all at once. Here’s a simple roadmap to get started:
1. Start with what you know
If you’re unsure who to serve, start by thinking about who you’ve worked with in the past and who you’ve helped the most. What trends do you see? Who seems to benefit the most from your services? You can also get input from your audience or current clients to see who’s most engaged with your content or products.
2. Don’t be afraid to experiment
Early on in your business, it’s okay to try different things and see what resonates. You don’t have to have everything figured out right away. Allow yourself the freedom to learn from your clients and make adjustments as you go.
3. Refine your niche over time
Once you have some experience and have worked with a few clients, you’ll start to see trends and patterns. Maybe you’ll discover that you work best with a specific type of person or that certain needs are more common than others. From there, you can start refining your niche and getting more specific with your messaging and services.
4. Own your opinion
As you niche down, you’ll need to develop a unique opinion on what you do and who you serve. This is where things like your business model, results frameworks, and elevator pitch come into play. Your niche will feel clearer when you’re crystal clear about what you believe and how it aligns with the people you want to help.
5. Trust the process
Finding your niche isn’t something that happens overnight. It’s an iterative process that requires a little trial and error. But I promise, when you finally get it right, your business will become a whole lot clearer, your messaging will improve, and you’ll feel more confident in what you’re offering.
A Real-Life Example: Deb’s Niche Journey
Let me give you a real-world example of how niching down works. One of the members of our community, Deb, started as a life coach for women in the second phase of their lives. Pretty broad, right? Over time, she refined her niche by recognizing patterns in her work. She eventually decided to focus on helping daughters of parents with dementia who are not the primary caregivers. That’s a very specific niche, but it allows her to offer more value and make a much bigger impact.
By narrowing her focus, Deb was able to craft messaging that directly spoke to her ideal client’s needs. And that’s exactly what niching is all about: focusing on those who are ready for your help, and making sure you can provide the best results.
Let me break it down for you. Niching down is like dating someone you connect with on a deep level—someone who understands exactly where you’re coming from. When you niche down, you’re attracting those “soulmate clients” who get what you do, how you do it, and why you’re the perfect fit to help them solve their problems.
Now, imagine going on a date with someone you don’t connect with. You know the feeling: you’re both polite, but there’s no real spark. You’re just kind of… average. And when you try to talk about what you do, it feels like there’s no depth, no connection. That’s what happens when you don’t niche down. You become replaceable, and your business lacks that deep resonance with your ideal audience.
On the other hand, when you niche down, your messaging clicks. Your offers are spot-on. And guess what? Selling becomes easier. Referral business grows. And you can focus on doing what you do best, without spreading yourself too thin.
So, How Do You Start Niching Down? (Without Feeling Overwhelmed)
Alright, let’s talk about how you can actually start niching down without all the stress and overwhelm.
Step 1: Mind Map It Out
I’m going to say it again: Mind mapping is your friend. Seriously, I can’t stress enough how powerful this tool is when it comes to figuring out your niche. It’s not about having the perfect answer right away—it’s about exploring the possibilities.
Grab a piece of paper and start drawing circles and arrows. Yes, it’s messy, but that’s part of the magic! Start with something simple: What is it that you do?
For example, you might say, “I’m a life coach who helps women.” Great. But that’s still too broad. Now, let’s dive deeper.
Ask yourself:
- What type of women am I working with?
- What stage of life are they in?
- What unique struggles do they face that I can help with?
For example, if you’re a life coach for women, it’s important to ask:
- Are you helping moms, career women, or empty nesters?
- Are you focusing on women going through divorce, career transitions, or personal growth?
The goal is to get clearer and clearer on who you serve and how you can meet their unique needs. Think about gender, age, and specific situations they’re facing. Get as specific as possible.
Step 2: Break It Down Even Further
Let’s say you’re a coach for women in their 40s and 50s who are in the second phase of their life. Now, think about all the possible situations those women could be dealing with:
- Caring for aging parents
- Navigating a career shift
- Redefining themselves after kids have left the home
The more specific you get, the more you can tailor your messaging to speak directly to their struggles and desires.
This is the process of drilling down into your niche. And it’s totally okay if you don’t have it all figured out in one sitting. The goal is to start the process, get some ideas down, and let them simmer for a bit.
Step 3: Focus on What You’re Most Passionate About
Now, this is the fun part. Out of all the situations and struggles you’ve written down, which one excites you the most? Which one feels like your heart lights up when you think about helping people overcome it?
For example, maybe you’re drawn to women who are dealing with aging parents because you’ve gone through it yourself and have valuable insights to offer. Or maybe you’re really passionate about career reinvention and helping women rediscover their purpose.
Narrowing down your niche means committing to helping one group of people, but it should be a group that you genuinely care about. When you’re passionate about the problem you’re solving, your business will have heart—and that makes a huge difference.
Step 4: Consider Niching by Industry
Another way to niche down is by industry. If you provide a service like copywriting, virtual assistance, or graphic design, consider specializing in a specific industry. For instance, you could niche down into:
- Health and wellness businesses
- Real estate professionals
- Small business owners in the tech space
Choosing an industry helps you understand your clients’ language, needs, and pain points more deeply. You’ll become the go-to expert for that specific market—and clients will start flocking to you.
Step 5: Be Ready to Evolve
Here’s the thing: niching is an ongoing process. As your business grows, you’ll learn more about who you serve best and what they really need. Your niche may evolve over time, and that’s perfectly fine. You don’t have to have the “perfect” niche from the start—what matters is that you start.
The more you refine your niche, the clearer your messaging will become, and the easier it will be to attract the right people to your business.
Overcoming the Fear of Niching Down
It’s normal to feel some resistance to niching down. You might think, “What if I exclude someone who could really benefit from what I do?” But here’s the truth: there are always enough people in your niche. By focusing on one group, you’re able to go deeper and create stronger connections. Your clients will feel understood and seen, and that’s powerful.
So if you feel that twinge of resistance, don’t ignore it. Acknowledge it. Reflect on why you’re feeling it, and then keep moving forward. Niching down is a process that takes time, but once you get there, everything else falls into place.
Final Thoughts: The Magic of Niching Down
When you niche down, you create a magnetic pull for your ideal clients. They’ll feel like you’re speaking directly to their hearts. They’ll trust you more because they feel seen and understood. And that connection leads to better results, better sales, and ultimately, a business that’s aligned with your passions.
So, BossMom, if you’re ready to start niching down (or if you’re already on the journey), take a deep breath and start mapping it out. Give yourself permission to explore, experiment, and refine your niche over time. This process isn’t about getting it “right” immediately—it’s about getting started, embracing the journey, and trusting that your niche will evolve to match your unique strengths and values.
And as always, if you need support along the way, the Nurture to Convert Society is here for you. It’s a community of women who get it—who understand the ups and downs of being a mompreneur—and who can help you turn your niche into your superpower.
March 3, 2022