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DanRMorris

Choosing a Niche

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DanRMorris
, 02-10-2011 at 01:04 AM (1284 Views)
Don't choose a niche.

How about that? That's contrary to what Lynn Terry will teach you - but it's not contrary to Lynn Terry's path. She's had many different experiences with websites and internet marketing. She's a wealth of info in that regard. In fact, what she teaches now is a direct result of all the different paths she's taken.

My mother just wrote a blog post about taking a site from 0 to profit - but that doesn't mean she started her website building / internet marketing interest with that. She's got experiences prior to her current niche as well.

David Perdew runs NAMS. His niche is internet marketing - but he'll be the first to tell you that one of his loves is Football and another photography. Both of those topics are amongst his internet interests, along with relationships and parenting. The NAMS thing isn't his first rodeo.

Mark Hendricks, Kevin Riley and Susanne Meyers are that way too. They've got great niches - and they do wonderful work in them - but that's not what they were doing on Day 1.

Choosing a niche comes with so much pressure and angst that it's just not worth getting frustrated about. I came to NAMS 1 with two niches - I'm not really doing either of those now. It was frustrating being at NAMS 1 not having decided because I didn't know how to use the examples - how to use the workshop to my benefit.

If I only knew then. . . .

Did you know I have a digital camera website? Yep. And I've got an antioxidant nutritional supplement website. Both of which I started because I liked the topics - BUT both of which I knew were not my retirement niche. I just needed something to experiment with.

So since NAMS 1 I've experimented and learned Wordpress, video marketing, article marketing, ebooks, product launches, autoresponders, affiliate tracking software, SEO, local search marketing, podcasting, BlogTalkRadio, guest blog posting, article spinning, backlinks, more SEO, niche websites, keywords, driving traffic and copywriting, repurposing, seminars, MeetUp groups, driving leads, making sales, and about 100 other things.

And guess what I'm very close to embarking on the niche to which I'm planning to dedicate all my time and energy. I've got to complete some projects I started on, and put some things to rest. But I'm ready.

My niche has been internet marketing for small businesses, because what better way to learn internet marketing than getting paid to produce? I bet most of us have considered the internet marketing niche. We want to promote NAMS - but hesitate because that's not really our niche. We do promote NAMS because it's something we love. We're conflicted - but talking about this stuff is so much fun we decide to do it.

But guess what? It doesn't matter if you haven't chosen a Niche. Bob the Teacher says "take action, revise later". I say follow Bob the Teacher. . . and then when you're ready. When that one niche finds you and excites you and really gets your juices flowing. When you're finally sure - and you realize you didn't have to choose it - it chose you - THAT IS THE MOMENT IN TIME. . . . THAT IS WHEN it all makes sense.

That's the day you start listening to the NAMS audio with a different ear. That's when you start making marketing calendars. That's the day it makes sense to join Denise Wakeman's, Lynn Terry's or Mark Hendricks membership sites. The people in those programs that really are dedicated to their niche get so much more out of them than those of us still deciding.

That day will come and when it does the money you spend on programs like that will be SOOOOOO worth it. Until then - follow Bob's advice. Buy a domain name and start something. It's only $7. If it sucks, start over. Who cares? Suppose you start 100 sites and learn 100,000 things and finally you figure out your niche. . . how excited will you be with all that experience?

Bill Cosby jokes that 13 year old girls walk around always looking down. He jokes they're "waiting for their breasts to come". . . And so he tells his daughter "don't worry, look around they're everywhere. They won't miss you."

I charge you with the same mission. Don't walk around looking down waiting for your niche to come. Don't let the niche choosing thing get you down. Let it excite you. That day will come. It won't pass you by.
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Updated 02-10-2011 at 01:20 AM by DanRMorris

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  1. 's Avatar
    Fabulous post Dan! I have been stewing about picking a niche for a very long time and going nowhere. Today I will just start a website and consider it a learning tool. Your message is exactly what I needed to hear. I too would love to promote NAMS, but don't know how since I'm not in the IM niche and just a beginner myself. Thanks for the permission to move forward without choosing the ultimate best niche. It makes a lot of sense. Great job!
    Linda Katz
  2. Sheri Dresser's Avatar
    Dan,

    Thanks for this thought provoking post. For a long, long time I have anguished over my inability to choose one solid niche to start out with. As a result, I actually let it stop me from taking action much sooner than I have.

    It has been often said that attending a NAMS workshop for the first time is like "drinking from a firehose". I also wish I had known that it is critical when first getting started, to allow yourself the time to experiment and "fail forward".

    What I have learned is that it is best to do "just in time" learning in NAMS. I have to look at where I am currently in the game (beginner, intermediate, etc), where I want to be (planning and strategy) and then determine who has the appropriate information and "pieces of the puzzle" I need *right now* in order to help me get to the next step along the pathway to my ultimate goals. This helps keep me from being overwhelmed and keeps me focused on moving forward one step at a time.

    The right niche will indeed come in time. Sometimes it is simply serendipitous. You just have to keep your eyes open for the right timing and opportunity and then move forward and act on it quickly before it is gone.

    If you are having a difficult time determining where to start, I highly recommend listening to Mark Hendrick's terrific NAMS session call on strategy and planning (2-9-11). As Mark says, first make your plan and determine what you want to do and what lifestyle you want. Plan backwards from there the what, who, how, why and when for your own business to move it forward.

    Once you have the big picture in mind, then you can start doing your research on suitable niches that could fulfill your long-term goals and dreams. But as Dan said, don't anguish over it. Just narrow it down to the top 2 or 3, then pick one and "Take Action, Revise Later". You can always change it if it isn't working. And that's the best way to learn - by doing.

    Thanks Dan, for a great post!

    Sheri
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  3. Ute Goldkuhle's Avatar
    Dan, a masterful post!! Thank you not only for myself but for each of us on this journey of niche development and system building. You articulate so well the essence of the struggle which really is growth. It is a humbling process we fear to express or admit to because simply: one feels often so stupid. And here you so eloquently share what most of us feel but cannot quite grasp what is going on within us. Dan, you gave to us more than you may realize: as Linda says: "you gave permission to move forward without choosing the ultimate best niche;" and Sheri who realized her "anguish" in the process; and I, a grandma newbie, entering an unfamiliar techno world that is 'greek' to me; and so we all know our 'silent' struggle!

    Dan, you brought us together and gave us a lift!! Thank You from the Heart!

    Ute
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  4. MasudaFloyd's Avatar
    Dan...Thank you soooo much for this post. I don't know why it took me so long to come across it; maybe I needed to hear this "now"! I so needed to hear/read this now.

    @Linda, @Sheri, @Ute - Thank you for sharing your thoughts. It helps to normalize all the angst that we are feeling choosing just one narrow niche...lol! And truly the only way to move forward is to take action.

    What is most ironic is I have had a blog forever and I actually coach people to find their niche. It's quite easy when I am helping others; it's just "traumatic" when the tables are turned around. I realize I start second guessing myself about my very broad niche and then just stop doing anything because I feel it maybe futile. I'm sharing this here, so that if there are others who feel that way at times, please know you are not alone and most importantly do not stop taking action.

    And yes I agree with Linda...thanks for the permission Dan, to encourage us to take action and move forward even without having the ultimate, best niche.
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  5. DanRMorris's Avatar
    Go to town! The lessons you'll gain from taking action will be well worth the sacrifice of not picking your perfect niche today.
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