The Time I Almost Industry Niched and Why I’m So Glad I Didn’t
When I was first starting Natty Writes, I didn’t know much, but I knew one thing: I wanted to write blogs.
I didn’t know who for or what it was going to look like, but I knew that’s what I wanted to do.
Personally, I have a huge passion for traveling and seeking out super cool spots that make the perfect Instagram pic (no shame in my ‘gram game) and I have a semi weird obsession with finding cute and unique AirBnbs to stay in.
Because of this passion and obsession of mine, I had the idea of marketing myself as a blog writer for Airbnb and vacation rental owners.
After all, you hear it all the time in the business world…
“Niche down if you want to grow!”
“Make sure you pick a niche so you can market correctly!”
In my head I thought well… a blog writer for Airbnb owners is super freaking niche. MY GOLDEN TICKET TO BIZ OWNER SUCCESS!!!
She thought.
From my research, I only found one other person who had a similar niche. So, I started pitching myself cold email style (I have no shame) to what I thought would be DREAM clients.
They had amazing rental properties and I was essentially pitching them on starting a blog that would act as an ultimate guide to their area.
A few people liked the idea and seemed interested and one (LOL) actually took me up on it!
What I didn’t really think through in the moment, however, was that half of these people didn’t even have a WEBSITE for their property – they were using a third party rental site for their bookings.
So even if they were interested, they weren’t a good fit… at all. Because they didn’t have one or more of the 5 things you need before starting a blog for your business.
And then, if they were one of the few who did actually have a website for their property, I was going after people who had properties that were already constantly booked up, so honestly marketing for the sake of sales really wasn’t on their mind.
To them, their property was already killing it and the blogs were just a “cute” addition to their website, but nothing they were really super invested in. Sure, they liked my work and liked the concept, but they weren’t fully bought in – it felt like a “we could take it or leave it” type of thing.
And that’s just not my jam. I want to work with people who are ALL IN with blog content and view it as something their business can’t live without. I want to work with people who use their blogs strategically to guide their other marketing efforts.
So finally after months of pitching to this very niche group of people, I decided you know what?! I wasn’t going to market myself as *just* a blog writer for Airbnb and vacation rental owners.
Instead, I would market myself as a blog writer for business owners and IF a potential client happens to be someone that has a rental property, great! But that wouldn’t be the only people I served.
Looking back, I can clearly identify that making that decision is what really allowed me to start seeing traction in my business. The moment I stopped limiting myself to who I wanted to work with is when so many more opportunities presented themselves to me.
Now, almost two years into my business, I continue to work with various clients in various industries.
Real estate agents. Copywriters. Lawyers. Wedding planners. Photographers. Graphic designers.
Oftentimes when talking with potential clients, one of the first things they will typically ask me is if I've ever written for their industry before or if I have any samples I can share with them that relate to their industry.
Sometimes I do, so I’m happy to share those, but before I share any industry specific examples, I always explain this: hiring a writer that has experience in your industry isn’t always the answer to YOUR specific problem.
You don’t necessarily need a writer that has experience in your industry.
You need a writer that can adapt to the uniqueness of YOU and YOUR business.
You need a writer that is willing to do the research to get the facts they need for your project specifically.
You need a writer that can match YOUR voice and help you reach YOUR goals.
If I were to only write for one specific industry, there wouldn’t be much room left for creativity and uniqueness. I mean after all, my brain can only say the same things differently so many times.
And THAT is why I don’t industry niche as a blog writer.
By writing for various industries, I keep the line of creativity open and I’m able to write words that are specific and unique for you!
I’m not saying that niching is wrong or doesn’t work for some people - it definitely does! But sometimes choosing to work with someone who doesn't have a niche is one of the best things you can do for yourself.
So, the next time you’re looking to hire or outsource in your business, I encourage you to focus less on niche and more on who is a good FIT for you specifically.
New to my world? Nice to virtually meet ya. 👋 I’m Natalie, but everyone calls me Natty (you can too) – blog and email writer for creative business owners and service providers.
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