The Major Shift I made In My Business That Helped Me Become An Industry Expert
Photography by Charuk Studios
As I get closer to celebrating the one year mark since I decided to quit my job and take this business full time, I can’t help but get nostalgic. So much has changed and my business has evolved into something more beautiful than I could have ever imagined a year ago.
The one major shift I made that changed my biz for the best? I got really, really specific about the people I wanted to work with.
Niching as a Brand Stylist for beauty & wellness pros felt like a no brainer. People in that industry already naturally gravitated towards me from the start, and I loved working with clients that empowered others to feel confident & beautiful in the skin they’re in.
It was also scary AF. What about all the people I was going to alienate? What if I lose business because of this? All the self doubt you could imagine swirled through my brain. Fortunately, I was able to push my fears aside and go with my gut.
I made my niche official by crafting my messaging in a way that speaks directly to my target client, focused my portfolio on the beauty + wellness brands I’ve worked with, and started getting really, really intentional about the content I created to attract my dream client (see this blog post for more specifics on how I curated my Instagram to do this).
Fast forward to today, I’ve had the honor of helping 20+ beauty & wellness pros elevate their brand presence in ways that feel fresh, modern, and authentic to their business model. I’ve also been able to get to know the beauty + wellness industry in such an intimate way that enabled me to curate my signature Brand Experience that’s focused on the support + guidance my clients truly need to create a thriving brand presence.
perks of niching
When you decide to get really specific about the people you want to work with, your target audience becomes that much smaller and easier to reach. You know what they say—when you try to speak to everyone, you end up actually speaking to no one at all. So the more precise you can get about who you want to market towards, the more intentional you can become with the content you’re producing to reach them.
Another perk to niching? You suddenly go from a small fish in a big pond to a bright, bold, and noticeable fish in an even smaller pond. While I loved the work I did with businesses outside of my current niche, it was often a struggle to stand out amongst a sea of other graphic/web designers that do exactly what I do with a wide range of clientele as well.
Now that I niche in very specific industries, it almost makes it a no brainer for the business owners that resonate with my expertise + their passions to choose me as their dream designer. Think about it, when you have a problem with your skin, you go to a dermatologist or esthetician vs. a general practitioner, right? Or when you’re choosing a photographer, it makes sense to work with one that has passion & expertise for your event or industry rather than one that appears to do it all, correct? There’s a significant amount of ease + value that comes from working with a specialist who you can trust knows their sh*t when it pertains to your specific needs, vs. a generalist who knows a little about a lot of things.
Considering niching in the near future? Be sure to ask yourself these 3 questions first:
What do I love to do most within my line of work? This will help you refine your offerings in a way that enables you to only do what you love to do, not what you feel like you’re supposed to do.
How would I describe my favorite people to work with? Whether they’re in a certain industry (if you’re business-to-business) or lead a certain lifestyle (if you’re business-to-consumer) — find the similarities among them and make that your ultra-specific target audience.
What unique value can I bring to my dream clients with my level of expertise? Once you can define this, you can use it to set yourself apart from others in your industry even further.
If you struggle to answer those 3 questions, don’t feel bad about it. While it can have some major perks, I’m fully aware that niching really isn’t the cure-all for any business owner, but getting as specific as you can about your target audience will always be beneficial. Honestly, sometimes it takes a lot of trial & error, research, and experience to feel like you’re fully ready to commit to a certain niche—so give yourself time to figure it out and don’t feel bad or behind if it doesn’t seem to click for you right away.
