Three Reasons You Need A Niche Brand

Hey there, Bosslady! In honor of the new year, dreaming big dreams and living your passion, I’m introducing a new series here on the blog: ‘Finding Your Brand Voice.’ This is the third post in this series.

When I started my photography business I jumped at any opportunity to use my new camera. I was eager to build my portfolio and took on assignments, both paid and unpaid. One day I was a wedding photographer, the next I photographing babies. I did it all. Weddings, families, high school seniors, pets. Some of it I LOVED. Some of it I really did not love.

By my second year in business I knew that weddings were where my heart was. They were my passion and all I really wanted to photograph. But I kept doing the other “stuff” because I thought I had to.

It took about another year, but I finally decided that I was tired of being everything to everyone. I was tired of taking on projects that didn’t fuel my passion and I was getting burned out.

I decided to focus solely on weddings. I finally decided to have a niche brand.

The truth is, you will never thrive if you are trying to be everything to everyone. It may seem counter-intuitive but by specializing – by saying I only do this thing – your brand will actually be more successful.

Here are three reasons you need to niche right now…

1. Having a Niche Provides Brand Clarity

Have you ever gone to a website and stared at the homepage, dazed, for several seconds, before thinking ‘Wait, what do you do?’

I know I have. Actually it happened just a few days ago.

As a potential client, it is so frustrating.

Guess what. I didn’t stick around long enough to figure it out. I moved on to their competitor.

And that’s just what your potential client will do.

We all know how important first impressions are. They are even more important for your brand – if you want to be successful. (Which is a given. That’s why you’re here.)

A potential client needs to be able to read your brand in a matter of seconds. They need to decipher who you are and what you do immediately. And this interaction needs to be flawless. If they can’t – they will move on.

This applies across your brand – whether they are visiting your website, your Instagram feed or a business card their friend gave them.

By having a niche brand your message will be clear.

2. Having a Niche Establishes You as an Expert

Let’s say you have an earache. Are you going to schedule a consultation with an open heart surgeon? No. Because that would be crazy.

You want a doctor who specializes in Ear, Nose and Throat medicine.

Just like if you were getting married, you should look for a wedding photographer instead of someone who specializes in maternity and newborns.

By specializing (a.k.a “niching”) you are telling the world – I do this one thing. And I do it really well.

Focus all of your energy on your brand niche you become a “the” instead of an “a.” Here’s what I mean:

When I started out with my photography biz and I shot anything that came my way, I was just a photographer. When I decided to specialize in weddings, I became the wedding photographer.

Your power lies in the “the.”

3. Having a Niche Helps You Find Your Ideal Client

As I found out through my own experience, you can’t be everything to everybody. Trying to is a surefire path to burnout.

Instead, be the very best option to a select group. Find your tribe. Are you the wedding photographer? Awesome. All of your brand communications should be speaking to brides.

Are you the senior portrait photographer? Great. The tone of your brand is going to be very different than that of the wedding photographer. And that is what will help attract your ideal client – a high school senior.

Stop wasting your time trying to please all audiences. By having a niche your audience will become much smaller – which is actually a good thing. Refining your brand voice through your niche means you can have meaningful and authentic communication with people who are interested in what you provide – and willing to pay for it.

Establish your niche and you’ll find your tribe.

If you’re struggling trying to be a jill-of-all-trades, stop. Find your true passion and pursue it with your whole heart. That is where real success lies.

I’d love to know what your niche is!  Tweet me or leave me a comment below.

Was this post helpful for you? If so, consider sharing on Pinterest. I hope to see you back here next week for the last installment of Finding Your Brand Voice. (You can read the other posts in this series here and here.)

Until then, Keep Hustling!

xoxo.

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Moriah Riona is a Colorado Springs based graphic designer and photographer specializing in sophisticated branding and glamorous weddings.

All content © Moriah Riona LLC, 2016.