Note to the Nicheless

Hello there Nicheless,

I have been thinking about you.

I know how scary it is to refine yourself down to what seems like a super small niche, but every day I am more and more convinced that this is exactly what you will have to do if you are going to create a full and thriving business for yourself as a mental health entrepreneur.

A business where you love the clients you are working with and can clearly and consistently show up with confidence no matter where you are or who asks you about your business.

Listen, I know this is not easy.

Niching can feel contrary to what we have learned in some of our graduate programs. I know for me in social work, we were taught to keep our skills diverse and sharp so we are able to serve any client that comes our way. Now that you are in business, the game is changing.

Here’s what I need you to know.

Your clients (and even your colleagues) will trust you MORE if you establish and own a niche for your work.

In order for potential clients (and referral sources) to feel compelled to connect with you, they need to feel like you understand EXACTLY what they are going through. Especially when people are struggling with something specific. It's the difference between saying “I help women” and “I help women with weight challenges get to the heart of what’s eating them so they can move beyond the habits that keep them stuck”.

Can you feel the difference in that?

OK…I can already hear the other concern you have…

The worry that by niching, you are going to be turning clients away, leaving people out or making it harder to get clients coming through the door. Yup! I have heard that one a few times!

First off, let’s look at this “losing clients” concept by the numbers. How many clients can you actually see?

Even if you are full time in practice and seeing 25 clients a week, it would be impossible for you to work with everyone in town. So why not narrow it down to the tribe of folks you are uniquely suited to work with?

The funny thing about the “turning clients away” theory is…the more I have supported therapists in owning their niches and creating meaningful brands, I have found the opposite to be true.

People respect expertise. They instinctively understand that skills are transferrable. If your message is compelling enough it will resonate with potential clients and they will make the intellectual jump to seeing how to you can help them. Those clients that are on the fringes of your niche will still be drawn in and reach out to you if your messaging is solid.

Speaking of messaging, for you to really nail your marketing message, you need to establish who you are trying to connect with. Niching allows you to develop messaging that is consistent and compelling to the people it is designed to attract.

Instead of trying to develop messaging for everyone and struggling with being seen, give yourself the advantage of talking to one type of person when you are putting yourself out there to market your business.

Even if it feels like a lot of pressure to choose a niche and own being an expert...It gets easier when you don’t have to feel like an expert in everything. You can focus on just one area that you are really interested in and really rock it out there.

You might be like some of the other clients I have worked with over the last few months. You know you need a niche, but have no idea how to start with selecting one. That is a fair and genuine concern.

That’s why you aren’t alone on this one.

If you are ready to get crystal clear on your unique niche and have the confidence to build a brand that helps folks really get to know who you are and what you do…schedule a quick chat with me at www.perfectedpractice.com/chat

Let’s get clear on your values, your vision and how all of these filters into your unique niche. From there, you can learn how to build a brand (and business) around that niche...