Niching Case Study: Shellie White Light

I teach & perform Sacred Hoop Dance for the masses, while inspiring those already hooping how to reach Hooplightenment!

hooplightenment.com

#sytycn2014

Tad’s Rating:

8/10

Contest Rating:

8/10

Average Rating:

8/10

Tad’s Comments:

This is an interesting one because there are two very different target markets here.

The first are the festivals and events who hire you (which is important – the people hiring you aren’t the massesm they’re the event organizers). The second are the people (most likely women) who want to learn how to be better hoopers. It’s two different groups and two different offerings (which are obviously connected).

This means that you’re offering two different results and solving two different sets of problems.

In the performance side – you’re offering them spectacle, fun and entertainment for their event to help make it more special.

In the teaching side – you’re offering them guidance and instruction on how to improve their technique and style. And maybe more? Maybe you’re using hooping as a spiritual path? Maybe it’s a form of personal growth? Maybe it’s helping women love their bodies more? Maybe it’s all about fitness? Those could be results too. You can offer the same modality (hooping) as many others but if you focus on a different result (tone those abs!) then you’ll attract a different crowd.

I’d give this an 8 because I totally get it. It’s really clear. For it to pop I’d need to know more about each of the niches individually.

Keep it up! This is great work.

Niching Contest Participant Comments:

8/10: I love it all except “for the masses” just not even needed in there cut it out or make it more specific.

9/10: Fascinating. In Dutch, HOOP means hope.

9/10: Clear, clean.

7/10: Cute, engaging. If I were a performer “hooplightenment” sounds like I wouldn’t call you for technical refinement or to advance my skills, but I would call you for an attitude adjustment. As an audience member, “the masses” sounds barely one step up from “the vulgars.” I’m reminded of the disdain expressed by Attia of the Junii in the series Rome: “The plebs make such a dreadful noise when they get excited.” LOL!

9/10: I love this. I think you communicated your message very clearly. Your audience will know what you are talking about and that is what matters. The best tip I had was to imagine my perfect customer and tell them and only them what I do.

To me it’s pretty clear what you’re doing. To make it more attractive for those who don’t know or do “hooping” (like me) I wonder what you could say what the effect/result would be. Juicy hips?

6/10: I really love it! Great constructive feedback for YOURSELF TOO LOVE IT. It’s hard to tell who would want to do this other than people I know who already do a hoop class. . . tell more about who you have already worked with and how they felt after you did work with them. . . in effort to see if i could find a perfect fit.

6/10: I give it a 6. It’s very clear what you do, unique and awesome! I think most people would enjoy the entertainment. I know there’s a bit of a “hooping” culture that I think you might target more specifically. Wonder if you want to focus more on performing or teaching or both – just wondering if there would be value on honing in on one over the other to be more clear and specific. I wonder how you’d get hooping performance gigs and who you would want to perform for (given that if you’re targeting everybody it may be challenging to perform at the frequency that you would want)? “Those who are already hooping” is likely a pretty narrow niche, which is good. I think the term “hooplightenment” is cute and clever, but then I sit here wondering what that even means! I would define hooplightenment in dumb dumb terms so that people understand and aren’t left looking at you’re cool marketing material with a big question mark.

Shellie White Light‘s Reflections:

I have feedback for myself: instead of saying the masses, I could be more specific, like women, as they are my main demographic. Also, I could be specific on how I do these things. I got this in just under the wire, so I understand if it doesn’t get that much feedback. But any and all feedback is welcome past the contest! Mahalo!

The Revised Niche:

n/a