This week, I saw this sign in my neighborhood, and it's a perfect case for niching down.
Note that this person is teaching ONE thing: Backflips.
Not front flips.
Not gymnastics.
Not fitness.
Not weight loss.
Just. Backflips.
I've always wanted to learn how to backflip, so I messaged him instantly.
But, when we're self-employed, we're terrified to be so specific.
We tend to think that we need to do everything. We convince ourselves that we should be composers, sound designers, orchestrators, instrument makers, field recordists, coders, and necromancers. We think that doing everything will lead to us appealing to everyone. That couldn't be further from the truth.
That being said, at the beginning of our careers, saying "yes" to lots of different learning and work opportunities is super important, especially to learn the ins and outs of our field. But, as we get more advanced, it can be helpful to make a transition into focusing our careers a bit more.
That doesn't mean we suddenly have to stop doing the stuff we love to do, and it doesn't mean you can't be a generalist, but it does mean making it clearer and clearer to clients what, specifically, we can do for them.
Finding the equivalent of saying "I teach people how to do backflips" can be very helpful in clients understanding why you're the right person to hire for their projects.
Yes, niching down will turn a lot of clients away, but it will make the right ones incredibly excited to work with you. That's a really great place to be.
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