In Your Online Service Business
One of the things many people get tripped up on when first trying to start their online service business is discerning their niche. Today I would like to address this issue and help you if this is an issue you are having at this time. So, let’s discuss how to find your niche as you become an online service provider.
Defining Niche
2a: a place, employment, status, or activity for which a person or thing is best fitted
-Merriam-Webster
How to Find Your Niche
Finding your niche or your special giftedness and place online is one of the most important things you need to do before starting your business. I want to talk about some things to consider as try to find this out for yourself.
First, Take A Look At Your Passion
I often discuss how to know your niche with my clients. “What is your passion?” is one of the first questions I ask them. This is important because I believe that creating a business you will love and where it will not feel as much like ‘work’.
Creating a business around one of your passions is a business that you will love working in and want to show up for every day.
-TD
Practical Tip 1: Open up a notebook or digital notebook and make it into four quadrants. On the upper left side begin to list your passions in order of your most liked on top.
Second, What Are Your Skills Sets
The second thing I look at with my clients is their skill sets. The skills you have learned, earned, and been educated in as well as the skill level of each play an important role in the service niche you will provide.
Practical Tip 2: In the upper right column of your notes list the skill sets you have along with the experience level beside them. For instance, if you are skilled and trained in Microsoft Excel and you are an expert in this you should document “Microsoft Excel, Expert” in the right column.
Third, What Do You Enjoy
Next, what do you enjoy doing? What are other things you enjoy doing that may not fall into the passions or skills lists? Perhaps you like organizing or writing. It is a part of who you are, so be sure to consider this as well.
Practical Tip #3: In the lower left side add the things you enjoy doing to your worksheet lists.
Fourth, Solving Problems
We have to also consider the main reason we want to become an online service business is to help others and solve problems for them. So, what problems can you solve for others or other businesses?
Not only define the problem to solve but also who you want to solve it for, meaning what industry would you like to help. Defining the industry and the problem they have is key to finalizing your niche.
“The main goal of any business or service is to solve a customer base’s problem… Find what you’re interested in, and then seek out market gaps.”
-Betterup
Practical Tip: Look over your list and consider, how you can utilize your skills, passions, and things you enjoy to solve someone’s (or business) problem. Then, on the bottom right side of your chart write down problems you can help solve (and want to). Next to each write down who it applies to or in other words who would you help.
Note: If you have never completed a ‘Buyer Persona’ or a ‘Storyboard’ I suggest you grab this one. [This will help you with your marketing messaging as well.]
Download Your FREE Storyboard Here:
Fifth, Review, And Circle
The fifth step is to review what we’ve discussed thus far. What are your passions, what are your skills, what do you enjoy doing, and what problems do you solve? Go to your lists and circle the top item on one.
A niche is a specific portion of a market that is united by a common interest or demographic.”
-Ownr
Once you circle these is it evident what service niche you can provide to help others?
For example:
Passion: one of my passions is teaching; Skill: being able to communicate well with others and create PPT slides (a Microsoft software); Enjoy: bringing information to others; Solve: What free offer others can make. I know this may not sound like your list but for me it means that online coaching, teaching, and speaking is a perfect fit.
How about you?
Do you have a passion for scrapbooking or taking photos, and skills in Photoshop (Adobe software) and Canva (software), enjoy creating things out of nothing, and can solve graphic design or create logos? This is perfect for providing freelance graphic design services. It could also be a niche for creating social media graphics and many other services.
Once you do this – you have your niche!!!
Two More Steps
Why do you need two more steps? To really make sure you can make money and have an audience to market your services, which is why you should complete the final two steps.
Sixth, Do Your Market Research
Once you’ve established the factors we have discussed so far you will need to do market research (the article linked will help you if you need to learn more about how to – this is ‘Practical Tip’ for number 4). Do market research, especially for the industry you want to serve.
Market research tells you whether the niche you are honing in on is viable in the marketplace. This is crucial in order to finalize your niche. The factors you find out should confirm your niche.
If it does not for some reason please go back to your lists. You may need to choose your second item on the list one of the lists and go through the process again.
Seventh, Competitive Research
The last step should be competitive research. This is necessary to begin to plan your marketing. The key item in this is to see where a gap may be in competitors’ marketing of the same niche. Competitive research will help you find a gap in your niche with competitors. This can be an area that you could easily fill and begin to market.
Until Next Time
Until next time my friends I hope you find your niche and feel confident in providing these online services. If you need help in this area please reach out to me. You can also set up a Mini-Session with me (make sure to say you want help with your niche in the note). I love to help female online service providers build, grow, and scale their business. I have been there myself and know how it feels. Do not worry it is a journey, my friend.
To your continued success!
