Find your Niche by not Finding it

Aug 18

Written By Andrew Woodbury

Why listening, asking, and then listening some more is a better way.

Read time: 3 minutes

Here’s our TTT for this week on how to grow your online teaching business.

What is TTT? A Tip, Takeaway, and Task. On Thursday.

Today’s read will take you about 3 minutes.

Enjoy!

Tip: Find your niche by not finding it

It seems the most common word in having a teaching business is “niche.”

How do I find one?

How do I choose one?

What criteria should I look at for defining a niche?

And the reality is that those are the wrong questions. More often than not, if you’re actively choosing a niche, you’re putting the cart before the horse. You haven’t thought about what you have to offer.

It is almost always that our niche finds or chooses us, not the other way around.

When we started Learn YOUR English (and even before), we talked a lot online about research in language learning. We were just interested in it. Soon, hundreds and then thousands of teachers gravitated towards us. We realized there were other teachers just like us with similar interests. Our niche was born.

Takeaway: Use your funds of knowledge

Do some reflection here:

What are you good at?
What have you already helped people to accomplish?
Why do people like working with you?

Once you have your own answers, start asking others as well. We like to say that instead of “choosing” a niche, we discover it. This comes from asking people.

In your email marketing system, there is likely a survey function. Ask your subscribers those questions (or others). Analyze their responses. This will give you a great head start.

Justin Welsh also recommends creating your “niche of one.” Combine your interests and knowledge to create a brand new category.

Love Disney movies and you have a passion for teaching listening? Help students improve their listening skills via Disney Movies.

Love reading about philosophy? Help students develop critical thinking skills and express themselves using philosophical books.

Justin gives this example of a niche of one:

You’re a financial analyst and have an interest in wine.

Unique idea: Use your financial knowledge to project the value of one high-end bottle of wine each morning.

This is a niche of one, and can be very profitable. Don’t try to blend in.

Task: Start the Process

Remember, a niche isn’t something static that never changes. It simply refers to the people you help and what you help them accomplish. This is fluid. And if you’ve helped people accomplish a goal, you’ve likely done it in a way that’s repeatable, which then becomes your business.

Don’t overthink it and just observe a little more. It’s probably right in front of you - you might already be doing it.