How to Find Your Business Niche

If you've recently started a business, you've likely heard the advice: start with a business niche. Marketing experts say niches make getting clients easier because then people can make referrals to you and you know what kinds of publications to advertise in.

Finding your business niche is easier than you might have thought. If you just follow these few steps you'll come up with several business niches to choose from.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. On one piece of paper, make a list of all the words that describe what you do. So, if you're a web designer, you'd write down web design, graphic design, web programming, blog design, etc. What you do is one aspect of your business niche.

2. On a new piece of paper, make a list of all the different industries you've worked in. If you don't have many clients yet, write down industries that you've held jobs in, or industries you've studied. If you're young, perhaps you have knowledge of the industries your parents work in. Only write down industries that you have actual knowledge of :-). Who you've worked for and industries you know well is another aspect of your business niche.

3. On a third piece of paper, make a list of industries you have no knowledge or experience in, but that interest you. If you don't know enough about the industry to know for sure whether or not you'd be interested, that's fine--if you think there's a chance you might be interested that's good enough reason to write it on this list. Industries you could learn about can be an aspect of your business niche.

4. On a fourth piece of paper, make a list of your hobbies and personal interests. Like to knit? It goes on the list. Enjoy bowling? On the list. Keep adding to this list until you can't think of anything else (this will usually be your longest list). Personal interests can be an especially compelling part of your business niche because they're unique to you.

5. On a fifth piece of paper, if you've had any other jobs, make a list of concepts, theories, and modalities that those fields make use of. So, for instance, if you worked in elementary education, you could add "reading groups" to the list. Keep adding to this list until you run out of ideas and then ask old colleagues (if possible), on forums, in search engines, until you have at least as many items on this list as on your list of industries (step two and three). Combining something you used a lot in a previous job with what you're doing now is a very powerful way to carve out your own unique business niche.

6. Match up your lists. Take all five pages of lists and go across line by line. So, let's say line #1 on list #1 was "Web designer" and line #1 on list #2 was "auto mechanic," line #1 on list #3 was "daycare," etc, etc... Pair up all five words and look for connections between at least two of them. For instance, maybe you find a link between "web design" and "pets" and decide to carve out your business niche as a web designer for the pet industry.

7. Make a list of all of the combinations that appeal to you. It should be at least four or five combinations long. Let these business niche possibilities simmer for a few days unless one of them jumps out at you immediately. If you're not getting a clear "yes" for any of your business niche options, ask family and clients for their thoughts. Sometimes it takes a second round of this list-making to find the right business niche, but nine times out of ten, your right business niche is right there in those notes you've made; it's just a matter of finding it.

8. Pick your business niche! Now, make sure to mention this everywhere and to everyone. Use it when you introduce yourself, and make it very clear just what your business niche is. You'll quickly find yourself becoming known and you'll get more referrals and more business. Congratulations on determining your business niche!

[thebeaddoodler]

on 4/30/2009 Great suggestions for finding your business niche.

[ilivetoteach]

on 4/30/2009 Great article. I'm going to try this.