In a recent six-week, online Marketing for Hippies 101 program I’ve been leading we started off, as we often need to, with a conversation about the niche upon which they would be focused for our time together.
Participants were invited to write down their niche in 140 characters or less. Not easy to do. Myself and the other participants gave them a gut-instinct rating from 1-10 on clarity (1 = totally unclear and 10 = couldn’t be more clear). They were also asked to leave any helpful comments and questions. What follows are my own rankings, comments and questions on what they wrote.
A major theme emerged of the niches being a bit too broad for what we were needing for the six-weeks. Much of what they’d articulated is what I would call the Big Circle and we needed more little circles. You can learn more about Big Circle vs. little circles here. It’s one of the most important distinctions that I think can be made when you’re starting out sorting out your niche.
*
Program managers and board members from government and community agencies who need analysis and recommendations for future action
Right now it’s a 4. “anaylsis and recomendations” for what?
I support younger generation (18 – 32) to align with their path of purpose and create a solid platform of self belief
Right now, I’d give this a solid 5. At this moment it’s focused on what you think they need rather than Island A and B. That’s still unclear for me. Your diagnosis/POV is that they need to “align with their path of purpose and create a solid platform of self belief” but what about them? What’s the problem they’re struggling with? What are THEY craving? How is this relevant to them? And what is a ‘path of purpose’. Keep working on it. There’s gold here.
People who want to know themselves deeply; make clear, empowered choices & live peacefully – with authenticity, integrity, clarity, and confidence.
Right now this is a 4 for me. The biggest stumbling block for me here is… it’s a bit broad and… are people really craving that? If so, which kinds of people? What stage of life are they in? What moment are they in? What happened right before you found them? Did they fuck up again and make ANOTHER choice that was so our of integrity and hurt someone AGAIN and they’re sick of it happening? Or is it some of thing? Again – this feels like a beautiful Big Circle and I’d love to hone in on a little circle for these six weeks.
Overwhelmed and under resourced parents who are desperate to find a way to parent with more ease and confidence.
Solid 7. Let’s refine. “Overwhelmed” clear “and under resourced” a bit jargonny. might be ebst to stick with how they feel or naming particular situations “parents who are desperate to find a way to parent with more ease and confidence.” well worded. Let’s hone in on ONE hot button issue these parents have. Where are the struggling THE MOST? what’s hardest for them? Let’s pick one thing and focus on that.
kind, wise, generous women who struggle with self-consciousness, dim themselves & are out-of-touch with their bodies & feelings
I’d give this a six. I’d say “kind, wise, generous women” beautiful big circle. love it. “who struggle with self-consciousness” this wording tripped me up a bit. then i realized you meant that they felt ‘self conscious’ as in ‘always wondering how others are seeing them’. I wonder if there’s another way to say this?, “dim themselves” that feels recognizable “& are out-of-touch with their bodies & feelings” – this is the diagnosis piece. I doubt they are aware they’re doing this and, in this statement we only want to say things they would instantly and easily recognize. So you could just say. “kind, wise, generous women who struggle constantly dim themselves and make themselves small out of fear of what others think of them” could be an articulation of the problem/symptoms but then… what is it they are most craving?
I help senior women who want to lose weight, stop pain, increase energy.
Solid 7. For this program – perhaps we could focus on one of those issues: weight, pain or energy. Which would you choose? and then tell us more about the nature of that issue for them?
I help seniors optimize & maintain their health with reflexology, a simple, non-invasive, affordable method.
Right now, this is a 4 for me. I’d love you to hone in on one particular issue – a little circle. What’s the most common health complaint they have that you feel the strongest at dealing with? Try rewriting this without naming reflexology. Don’t name the boat, just the journey from Island A to B.
Providing physical therapy to Yoga teachers and students who want to sustain and enable their practice.
Right now this is a 7 for me. To make it a ten try this: say it with naming physical therapy. Don’t say what you do – just name the group and the particular symptoms that draw them to your practice. Injury? Etc. The result of ‘sustaining and enabling their practice’ is nice but doesn’t land as totally compelling to me. this is clear but not ‘hot’ yet for me.
Offering mediation and counsel to groups, couples and singles navigating new forms of relationships
Right now it’s a 5 for me. “Offering mediation and counsel to groups, couples and singles navigating new forms of relationships”. here’s the challenge – try this again without naming WHAT you do. Don’t name mediation and counsel. Stick with who they are, what they’re struggling with and what they’re wanting. For example: Couples and singles interested in but also scared of new forms of relationship such as polyamory, open relationships and _______.
I help women, 40-60, who want to develop their ability to talk to “dead” people
I’d give that solid 9. It’s really clear to me. and wondering if this is about random dead people or family and friends in particular? their ancestors? ghosts in their house?
Equip world changers with language and vision toward building a regenerative future.
Right now this is a 3 for me. “world changers” is what i’d call a Big Circle. I invite you to divide this group into three subgroups and pick ONE of them to refine this.
This also speaks to what you think they NEED (i.e. language and vision) vs. their problems/symptoms or the results they are craving. This is what they need to hear to see if this is relevant. So the question is this: if they HAD the language and vision, what would that allow?
I think ‘regenerative future’ is good because i can imagine it’s something they might be craving.
Visionary thinkers sharing their message online, who need clarity and strategic guidance to do it with ease.
Right now it’s a 5 for me but i think it’s a ten disguised as a 5. ‘Visionary thinkers’ is a Big Circle -and I’d love to hear what your little circles are right now. Is this life coaches and authors? Industry leaders? What stage of business are they in? Also you speak about what they NEED but not what they’re craving or where they’re struggling. This is your diagnosis of their situation which won’t establish relevance.
I help creative entrepreneurs stay competitive and adapt to an ever-changing marketplace.
This is great. Right now it’s a 5. ‘Creative Entrepreneurs’ is a Big Circle. For this six week program I invite you to pick one of these three and rewrite it laser focused on that: artists, holistic practitioners, or tech start-ups (Note: he’d mentioned these three in another place).
for those that want to be able to fully express themselves, to engage powerful feelings without the need to control or tame them
Right now this is a 3 for me but i still love it. “for those that want to be able to fully express themselves” – why? in what way? verbally? artistically? within a relationship? at work? why is it so hard for them to do so? what particular roadblocks are you best at helping people overcome?, “to engage powerful feelings” (what are the top three powerful feelings you help people engage with best that they’re scared to engage?) “without the need to control or tame them” (why do they feel the need to control or tame them? what’s the benefit they get if they stop trying?
I work with adults who feel they are being emotionally hijacked by their younger wounded selves and can’t do anything about it
Solid 7. And, for this program, let’s hone in a bit more. If you had to divide this group into three subgroups – what would they be? Perhaps easiest to do this by situations this might appear. Pick ONE of those three and rewrite this: http://marketingforhippies.com/big-circle-little-circles/
I facilitate team building and leadership development in organizations that want to create more positive, cohesive cultures.
Right now this is a solid 8 for me. What are the top three kinds of organizations? If you had to divide this into three sub groups what would they be? Then let’s pick ONE of those for this program and rewrite your words in the title to focus just on that group.
Women who want connection and clarity
This is a 2 for me. Right now this sounds like potentially all women on the planet. But it’s a fine start. Check out the link below. Let’s see if we can identify a ‘little circle’ inside this Big Circle on which to focus for these six weeks. I find myself wondering, of all these kinds of women – who are YOUR women? What’s the perfect moment for you to appear?
Disheartened career women looking for more out of Life and wanting to reignite what Lights them up inside
A solid seven and, for this week, let’s see if we can hone in a bit more on a particular little circle of this group.
I help couples with young children that have grown apart since becoming parents to reconnect and strengthen their relationships.
Solid ten. very clear.
Intensive women struggling with anxiety and depression who are looking for a safe place to be heard, supported & championed.
This is a solid 7. not sure what ‘intensive’ means. And wondering if there might be a particular, smaller subset of this to focus on.
People seeking emotional awareness, emotional skills, and healthy and sustainable empathy.
Right now this is a 4. I think. Are they actually SEEKING those things or is this what YOU think they NEED? Different thing. And how hungry are people for this? If they are – why? What particular symptoms/problems has the lack of this created in their life? And if they had sustainable empathy what would that create?
*
Looking for more help with your niche? Check out my eBook The Niching Nest.
