How finding my niche changed my career
From generalist with an interest in fashion to future of mobility specialist
I had a call last week from a social enterprise asking me to chair a webinar discussion about transport. The nice gentleman on the phone said he’d found my website and thought my expertise on the future of mobility and electric cars would help steer the conversation to the key points.
It was a nice reminder that the work I’d done to make my niche clear was paying off.
Becoming a specialist in this area was never a conscious decision. When I became an automotive writer, I knew a niche was important but I originally went down the route of road trips. I became known for this but when I did a 2500-mile road trip in an electric car, the electric angle took off and suddenly that was who I was.
From there, I was suddenly sought out by the BBC, The Guardian and so many of my dream outlets. Knowledge of electric cars and how we’ll be travelling in the future are hugely in-demand subjects that pop up in news cycles on a regular basis. I love road trips but there isn’t often a timely need for stories about driving through beautiful places.
I tried being a generalist at the beginning of my career but the pitching was endless. I’ve found a niche to be much more lucrative because people approach me because they know I write about certain topics. It means I’m spending less time on admin and hustling for work. I can do what I love: writing.
You don’t have to do just one thing
I discussed this on LinkedIn recently and lots of people came back saying that a niche was a bad thing because it pigeon-holes you. I get that but a niche doesn’t have to mean you only do one thing.
I have a niche that I’m known for but, of course, I do other stuff (and it’s often pretty varied depending on what I’m interested in at any one time: writing erotica, collating ghost stories, creating reports on digital experience, writing guides on social media best practices for racing drivers… the list goes on).
Your niche might change
Music. Fashion. A bit of everything. Road trips. Electric cars. Future of mobility.
My niche has changed so many times over the years and that’s OK. These small pivots come with me learning more about myself and the work I’m interested in and in demand for.
How to establish your niche
Once you’ve found a niche that straddles the line between passion and profit, establishing yourself is more than just doing work on relevant topics. To position yourself as someone who is knowledgeable in an area, you need to show it on your website and on social media. Here are some tips for establishing your niche:
Talk about relevant trending topics on social media
Show yourself getting involved in your chosen topic with video and photo content
Create thought leadership pieces where you give your expert opinion
Make it clear on your website what you specialise in
Get involved in conversations in real life and on social media about topics relevant to your niche
Create content for your own blog around your niche and trending issues in that area
You might start out as a generalist or go through periods where you’re working on more general projects but directing your efforts and your messaging towards a lucrative niche will do wonders for your business in the long run.
💻 Join our freelancing masterclasses
I’m running a series of masterclasses alongside Lauren Razavi — an award-winning writer, speaker and strategist who writes the weekly newsletter Counterflows — and Tiffany Philippou — a brand and communications strategist with over ten years of experience building businesses. She also has a weekly newsletter, called The Tiff Weekly.
The first online masterclass will guide you through identifying the most lucrative and interesting intersections between your skills and interests so you can find a niche that works for you.
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Social experiment
This week, I’ve been focusing on building relationships across social media. I’m running a webinar for Racing Mentor on how to send messages that get replies.
I’ll report back next week with the results.
Jess recommends
🖥️ Read: The Full-Stack Freelancer - I feel this links in nicely with the discussion around niche. I think when you specialise in something, it’s good to have a broad skillset to serve clients within your niche. This article looks at the concept of being a freelancer that is a generalist in terms of skill.
🎧 Listen: Scared to Death Podcast - When I’m exercising or doing admin work, I like to listen to something stimulating. I’m obsessed with spooky stories and I love this podcast. Every week, true horror fan Dan Cummins attempts to scare his wife Lynze to death with tales of terror. It’s really atmospheric but also a lot of fun.
💌 Subscribe: Counterflows - Lauren Razavi creates this fantastic newsletter that goes out each week. In it, she talks about the future of work, creativity, and global living. I definitely recommend it as it’s chock-full of interesting stories, inspiration and thinks to think about.
Read more from Jess of All Trades:
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