When Marla started her coaching practice, she figured she’d work mostly with women aged 47-64. To her surprise, she began attracting men in their mid-30s.
“Should I change my niche?” she wondered. “Maybe my copy should be directed to thirty-something males.”
The truth is… “Not necessarily!”
Some prospects will identify with your niche, even though they don’t fit. For instance, when you target successful achievers, you’ll get people who want to be coached by someone who works with achievers. You’ll get people who wish they were achievers. It’s all about wanting to identify with aspirational reference groups.
Other prospects will respond to your story and your promotion. These days, men often hire coaches who target women; they like the non-hype-y, friendly copy they see on those sites. Some men just prefer to talk to women about life coaching issues.
Red Herring Alert: Marla almost got distracted by a red herring. She had been a successful fitness trainer. Most of her clients were in their early thirties. Therefore, she reasoned, maybe she would attract coaching clients in that age rage.
Marla may be right. However, she needs to realize that her online personality will be perceived in a new way when she presents herself as a coach, a fitness trainer, a licensed therapist, or a healer. Each of these roles might draw from a different pool of prospects.
When your audience sees you in a new role, the context changes. You may have been credible in one context, but you experience a shift when you’re seen through a different lens. You can learn more about credibility in my course, Content for Credibiilty.
For instance, it is possible that most people who hire trainers in Marla’s city are in their early thirties. Therefore, Marla’s clients come from that pool of prospects and they’ll be in their early thirties too.
On the other hand, if Marla is a licensed psychotherapist, she might have attracted young clients who prefer to work with an older therapist.
Of course, these demographics are examples. You may get different results when you survey your own market. The key is to realize that, once you move into a new business role, you will get different clients. Your former clients will begin to see you differently and you may need to redefine your niche to recognize this new reality.
Free report – 3 Storytelling Mistakes Most Business Owners Make
