How to Create and Corner a Niche

"Blending in is for Cusinarts, not for companies or careers." Sam Horn, author of POP!

A coach pulled me aside at a recent conference and said, "Sam, can you help me differentiate myself? It seems like everyone is a coach/speaker/author these days."

He's right. There are thousands of coaches, speakers, authors and entrepreneurs sharing insights on leadership, customer service, sales, teamwork, stress, wellness and productivity.

How can you position yourself so you're one-of-a-kind instead of one-of-many?

Well, here's one way to pop out of your pack.

I've developed a step-by-step system that helps you identify what you're bringing to the table that is relevant, original and first-of-its-kind so people are willing to pay for it.

This is a condensed version of the 4A Process I use to help people identify a strategic “secret sauce" that gives them a unique positioning for their company or career.

This is particularly helpful for experts and professionals who are looking for a speciality they can own in the marketplace. Hope you find it valuable.

Sam Horn’s 4 A Approach to Creating and Cornering a Unique Niche

Instructions: Get your favorite notebook and ask yourself the following questions. You might want to work through these questions with a colleague so you can bounce your answers off each other and brainstorm/strategize next steps.

ACHIEVEMENT: What have you achieved – that other people would like to achieve?

* Did you put yourself through college, build a house from scratch, get your pilot’s license, teach yourself to design websites, retire at 40, launch a successful Kickstarter campaign?

* What have you accomplished that took discipline and perseverance – and other people could benefit from your lessons-learned on how to “stay the course?"

* What skill have you acquired you could reverse-engineer into a step-by-step methodology that will expedite people's ability to do this for themselves? (More about that here.)

ADVERSITY: What challenges have you overcome that others would like to avoid?

· Did you deal with breast cancer, get down-sized, rebound from a difficult divorce, lose your house in a fire or all your money in a financial scandal?

· What obstacles have you overcome that you can show other people how to overcome?

· What did you learn “the hard way” and you want to share your hard-won wisdom to prevent that pain for others and give them support so they don’t have to go it alone?

AVOCATION: What is a hobby you’re good at that others would like to be good at?

· Do you love to play piano, garden and grow your own vegetables, ride horses, play with smart phone photography, paddleboard, paint, compete in triathlons?

* How could you turn that into a metaphor that provides a fresh approach to a familiar topic?

· What do you do for fun – adventure travel, museum docent, astronomy clubs, sing in a choir – that you could share with others who want more fun in their life?

· What do you do that lights you up – and you can integrate that joy into your job and blend your passion and profession instead of seeing them as separate?

ATTITUDE: What is a philosophy you have that others would find inspiring, surprising, beneficial, evolutionary?

· What is an epiphany you’ve had – that could save others trial-and-terror learning?

· What is a favorite motto that keeps you motivated – that others might find helpful?

· What is a contrarian, provocative insight you have– that could open people’s eyes to an outdated/dangerous belief and lead to a life-improving shift or a transformational aha?

These questions have helped many of my clients identify a "secret sauce" they were able to leverage into a unique positioning that helped them stand out from their crowd.

Want a few examples of how I've helped clients leverage their 4 A's into a successful business that earns them a good living doing work they love that matters?

Achievement:

Client David Glover is a Naval Academy grad, cancer survivor and world-class Ironman triathlete. However, he’s so much more than that. Check out his website to discover how he’s been able to leverage his 4 A's into a soul-satisfying business where he’s getting paid to speak, write, coach and direct running races around the country.

Adversity: Christina Grimm grew up in sunny California, playing competitive travel softball from age ten. She was thrilled to receive an athletic/academic scholarship to a Division I school. Unfortunately, their hypercritical coach only focused on what Christina did wrong, never on what she did right. The coach ruined her self-esteem and enjoyment of the game. She ended up leaving after one year, vowing never to play softball again.

Christina is pro-active though and decided that, instead of letting that toxic experience defeat her; she would turn it into a mission to help others who were being disrespected. She went back to college, got her PsyD and wrote her thesis on “The Effect of Coaching on the Self-Esteem of Teen-Aged Girls.” She is now a certified Tongue Fu! - Never Be Bullied Again instructor and offers programs on how to confidently speak up so you're treated with the respect you want, need and deserve.

Avocation: A financial adviser had impressive credentials as she was frequently featured in the media as a result of her high-profile role for a nationally-known company, but she still needed a competitive edge for her work to stand out in the glut of "instant experts."

I asked, “What do you do when you’re not working?”

Jan told me, “I play golf.”

I said with a smile, “We’re in business. Why not use how to play smart golf as a metaphor for how to be a smart investor? You could call your book ‘Go for the Green.’ Your chapters could plumb the terminology of golf that also applies to money, (e.g., "teeing off," "the short game," "Who's Your Caddy?") Your tips on how to make/save par can be used as a parallel for how to make/save money.”

This was strategic, congruent positioning as Jan’s target clients were executives, many of whom play golf. This was something they valued and wanted to get better at, which increased the likelihood of her being asked to speak at corporate events and association conventions which often host golf tournaments before their meetings.

Furthermore, she's turning her day dream into her day job. She's leveraging something she loves into a career that puts and keeps the lights on in here eyes.

Attitude: Julie Jansen, a career coach, wanted a breakout book in her genre but told me, “Sam, all the great titles – like ‘Take This Job and Love It’ – are taken.”

I asked her a series of questions including, “What is something you hear, again and again, when you clients come into your office?”

She thought about it for a moment, laughed and said, “You know what they all say? ‘I Don’t Know What I Want; But I Know It’s Not This.’”

I told Julie, "THAT's the title of your book! People will instantly relate to it. They'll think, 'That’s exactly how I feel!" People buy books that resonate with them that articulate a problem they want solved." Julie's book has become an evergreen classic because it expresses an attitude and frustration many people in her target market feel.

So, how about you?

Are you not getting the clients, accounts, traffic, or income you deserve?

Remember, the best way to corner a niche is to create your own niche.

These 4A's can help you identify what you're bringing to the table that is both uncommon and needed so you get noticecd - for all the right reasons.

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Want more ways to create a unique niche? You'll find them in POP!  (which Ken Blanchard calls “an inspiring guide to getting heard, getting remembered, getting results.”) and Washington Post bestseller Got Your Attention? As CEO of the Intrigue Agency, Sam Horn has presented at SXSW, INC 500/5000, NASA, Cisco, YPO, Intel and has helped thousands of people create the life and work of their dreams. Want to consult with Sam or have her share her inspiring keynote with your group? Contact [email protected]