Today, I again got asked the question “Should I niche down or stay a generalist.” It’s a classic for a reason – it seems to be a clear-cut question, but focusing on any actionable detail immediately makes the whole discussion extremely vague.
Because to answer this, I first need to know:
– Are you in a crowded market?
– Do you or don’t you want to scale?
– Are your skills best suited for a niche?
– Are you more comfortable taking the risk of drowning in a crowd or the risk of choosing a niche too small to support a sustainable business?
And it’s hard to be sure about any of that.
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Don’t get me wrong – I’m all for niches because a larger target market is not automatically better or safer.
But if you do decide to niche down, there are at least two ways to do it.
1. A “vertical niche” has you focused on a single region and or industry (and their many, specific problems). I’m a photographer who helps luxury furniture brands in Italy create stunning catalogs that attract buyers.
2. A “horizontal niche” has you focusing on a single specific problem (shared across many industries and or regions). I’m a photographer who helps businesses improve product sales with standout-quality product photos.
Either can work, and you could focus on both, but only up to a point. One will always be primary, and the other secondary.
As I said, to niche or not to niche stays a classic for a reason.