Q&A: Top 3 questions about coaching niches

Judging from the number of people who showed up for the last two monthly roundtables to discuss coaching niches, it's certainly a hot topic!

I asked each person to share their #1 question about niches; three questions came up more than any others:

1. What is a niche?

A niche is a position, activity or area of the market that particularly suits your talents and personality or that you can make your own. Ideally, your niche is where your passion and expertise intersect with the needs and wants of a viable target market.

To help my clients define their niche, I show them how to use a three-part niche formula: the Who, the What and the How.

    1. The Who describes the target market:

I help/coach/work with <insert 1 or 2 significant characteristics that distinguish your target market>...

    2. The What describes what the target market's most urgent agenda is:

...who are/or want to <insert the primary interest, problem or agenda shared by your target market>...

    3. The How describes the coach's special expertise* - the thing that differentiates them from other coaches:

...by/through/with <insert your particular area of passion/expertise>.

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Examples:

• I coach doctors who are seeking balance between work and life through effective communication strategies.
  
  
• I work with single women who want to find a life partner with the universal Law of Attraction.
  
  
• I help highly sensitive people who want to live a less stressful life by leveraging their sensitivity instead of fighting it.

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*Tip: DON'T use 'coaching' as your How. You'll need to be more specific than that if you want to differentiate yourself from other coaches.

2. Why is it so hard to choose a niche?

Many coaches don't yet have a niche because:

• They're afraid that focusing on a niche will be too limiting.
  Reality check: Focusing on anything generally concentrates your energy and attention so you can be more effective. This is definitely true of specializing in a niche (see below for 10 reasons why).
  
• They have doubts about whether they have enough knowledge or expertise to succeed in a specific niche area.
  Reality check: A quick inventory of your passions, interests, knowledge, skills and experience typically reveals more than one potential niche area. Once you choose a potential area, you can begin to gather more information and expand your expertise.
• They don't understand what a niche is or how it can benefit them.
  Reality check: The concept of specializing or working in a niche is a well-documented, effective marketing strategy. More information on what a niche is and how it can add value to your business. 

3. Do I HAVE to choose a niche?

In over 10 years of training, mentoring and working with coaches, I have yet to see a truly successful coach who doesn't have a niche. Consider the benefits:

• It helps you position your business so that your ideal clients can find you more easily.
• Your marketing is more targeted, which saves time and money.
• It's easier to develop solution-based products and services for a target market that share a common agenda.
• Positioning yourself as an expert gives you pricing leverage.
• A niche differentiates you from other service providers.
• Your business is more profitable when you focus on the products and services that your niche most wants and needs.
  
• Quality referrals are easier to get when you tap into the natural professional and social networks in your niche.
• Clients in a niche market are more likely to invest money to resolve their issue.
• It significantly reduces the competition when you focus on a niche, because you're not trying to compete in the larger market.
• Niching attracts pre-qualified clients so that you don't have to spend time cold prospecting or pitching your services to people who aren't interested or motivated.

Got a question about choosing a coaching niche? Leave a comment below and I'll answer it on the blog.

Comments

[Mark Silver]

Question, Kathy- you know my work, and so you know I'm all about the Who and the What. The How, however, leaves me wondering...

when I hear a 'how' statement attached to the Who and What, such as your example above:

"I coach doctors who are seeking balance between work and life through effective communication strategies."

the how: "through effective communication strategies" throws me off as a potential prospect (although I'm not a doctor- just imagining it).

It feels like I'm just starting to get that you see me and who I am, what I'm struggling with- and then you put the solution in my face, and I want to turn away- I don't get how 'effective communication strategies' applies to what I need, and it feels more like a roadblock than an interest-builder.

Or, are you seeing these three statements: who/what/how not as a marketing message, but simply as a way to identify yourself and your niche, and then plug into the marketing message?

[Kathy Mallary]

Mark -

The purpose of the niche formula is to define the niche for the coach.

The marketing message is a bit farther down the road. Although I have to say, in my experience, it is possible to weave the How into the marketing message and NOT turn the customer off.

But all I'm saying in this post is, start here and get clear for yourself about what your niche is. And the niche is more than just the who/what that describes your target market. What makes it a niche is that it's the intersection of your target market AND your own passion/expertise.

Thanks for asking -

[Lynne Lee]

This is easily the best article I have ever seen on defining your niche. I love your clear examples.

Now to work on narrowing my niche some more!

Thanks

Lynne

www.christianlifecoaching.co.uk

[Kathy Mallary]

Thanks, Lynne!

I'm doing research on coaching niches in general -- would love to hear what your niche is when you're ready.

In the meantime, feel free to post any questions you might have here on my blog, and I'll do my best to help you out.

All my best,
Kathy

[Lynne Lee]

Until I read your article I thought I had identified a niche!

Christian Life Coaching seemed to narrow things down somewhat. On my web site I do state that my expertise lies in:

"Working with people who are on a spiritual journey and determined to go deeper with God.

Helping people change their mindset and tell themselves the truth while enhancing their personal well being. This process begins with understanding how your thoughts affect your state of mind and how this affects every aspect of your life.

Helping people to develop a strong personal foundation

Working with people who are determined to improve their lives regardless of the difficulties they face or the obstacles they have to overcome

Coming alongside people who have a big dream that requires great faith"

Like most people I steered away from shutting people out and have had a wide open door.

So, my question is - Is that too broad? How can I narrow that and encapsulate it into a sentence or two? You did invite me to ask questions!

Thanks

Lynne

www.christianlifecoaching.co.uk

[Lynne Lee]

One more question:

Have you got an affiliate programme?

Details please.

[Kathy Mallary]

Lynne wrote: So, my question is - Is that too broad? How can I narrow that and encapsulate it into a sentence or two?

The 3-part niche formula really helps with this. Try plugging different phrases into the formula until you've got 2 or 3 versions that feel pretty good.

Then, just leave it alone for a day or two. When you come back to it with fresh eyes, you may find that something just 'clicks' into place.

Let me know how it turns out!

P.S. I don't have an affiliate program at the moment -- but stay tuned, because it IS on my list!

=^)

[Sherrie St. Cyr]

Kathy,

You make a great point with the "how". I think it serves to keep the coach focused on their expertise instead of trying to offer everything their client might need, thus diluting the impact of their work.

For example, I help solopreneurs and small business owners who want to get and keep more ideal clients through effective followup strategies.

[Greg]

Hi, Kathy.

Thanks for helping me gain clarity on a few things through reading your blog and your really useful jump start workbook and 21 points. I was a little shaky with the word expertise, because I was comparing it to training and/or advanced education and experience. However, I realized that I have a personal expertise that stems from walking my talk. Does that make sense?

With gratitude,

The Guy Guy's Love Coach

Greg

[KM]

Hi Kathy,

Thanks so much for this great article. My question is should I separate my two niches: career transition and work/life balance when explaining what I do? Right now I am kind of mixing them together. "I work with professionals who want to achieve more success in balancing work and personal life or make a successful career transition by partnering with them in achieving their goals."

I use the word succes a lot because I use the title "Personal Success Coach".