The other day, I said you don’t have to choose a niche, but you’ll make more money if you do.
And while niching is, in my view, the better longterm strategy, it’s probably better to stay broad in terms of who you’re targeting if you’re still getting traction in your business
It’s usually faster and easier to get “survival income” as a generalist than it is as a specialist. A little networking and self-promotion can usually drum up some basic revenue.
You also don’t know exactly who you’ll end up serving best or who you’ll enjoy working with the most. It takes time to figure that out.
But if you don’t pick a niche eventually, you’ll likely find you’re always staying just above survival income.
As marketers, we know the dangers of being undifferentiated. It’s a race to the bottom and we have to take what we can get. That’s the problem.
Niching (or even specializing horizontally) has many benefits, but getting traction in a new niche takes time.
People need to recognize you as credible long before they decide to buy from you. And it’s not easy to fast-track that.
For many, starting more broadly positioned can help you pay the bills until you branch off and niche down on your best clients.
That’s why I recommend starting broadly, then either tightening as you go, or being a generalist while specializing at the same time.
Pay the bills, then build the niche business.