{postcard by Creative Freedom. What's in your head? Your unique niche!}
Whether you're just starting your own crafty business, have been doing it for years, or are in the throes of the wishing/hoping/planning stages, one of the most important things you'll need to think about is the niche that your business fills.
- What is the "something special" you can offer, that no one else can?
- What need does your product or service fulfill, that will make your customers want to hit the "add to cart" button?
- What will make your handmade item stand out from the crowd of other incredible talent?
Finding your niche is one of the strongest marketing tools you have, but it can also be one of the most difficult things to do. The difference between what you make, and everything else on the market, is simply you.
You are the something special. You are the unique point of view. You are what will make your goods stand out from the pack. The key to defining your niche then is to listen to and trust your own, unique point of view.
To break it down further, here are some ideas to help you find, define, and refine your niche:
1. Explore your own talents, and find what suits you best
If you're the multi-talented, good at everything you touch type, you
need to sit down and explore your different skills. In your vision, it
may be cool to have a shop that carries all the paper goods, knit
accessories, photographs and friendship bracelets you know how to make,
but in reality, it's best to narrow down your offerings, not only for
your own sanity, but for your customer's understanding as well.
Think about what you're best at, what fulfills you the most.
Customers will come back again and again to you if they know you make the most incredible vintage inspired dresses that fit them so well, not because you serve dresses with a side of art and hand-knit scarves. Finding your niche may equate to cutting some things out, but it'll serve you the best in the long run (as long as you stick to what you love!)
2. Address your own needs, and you'll serve the needs of others as well.
A niche is something that serves the specific needs of a specific group of people. If you find yourself in need of a product or service, there's an excellent chance that others need it too.
If you make paper goods and could never find those casually feminine, eco-friendly invitations that you dreamed of for your wedding, here's your opportunity to make them! If you're a seamstress who just had a baby, and you had to make your own fabulous fabric sling because you couldn't find one your style, there's surely other hip mamas out there who would want one too!
Let your own experiences guide you.
Listen to your friends. Be observant to what needs exist in the
world around you, that you can potentially fill.
3. Stay creative, stay unique, stay true to yourself.
So, you started out with the most awesome, vintage re-make necklaces you've ever seen, but now the market is saturated with similar goods.
How do you continue to stand-out? By staying true to yourself.
Trends come and go, inspirations shift and fade, copy-cat shops will eventually die-off (hopefully!) The only way you can continue to thrive and continue to fill the niche you worked hard to create, is to not worry about what other people are doing.
It's important to stay mindful of the market and what else is out there, but equally important to stay true to your own ideas and respect your incredible uniqueness. Research the market and use your competition to spur your own creativity, to learn new techniques, to get even better at what you do so well already.
It may sound like
an after-school special, but truly, the only way to succeed, is to be yourself.
4. Let your inspiration guide you, not your empty wallet.
It's important to set goals for yourself and have your eye on success, but monetary success should definitely not be the motivating factor as you decide what your niche is.
Maybe you love to make
cuddly, fuzzy scarves for all your friends, but you've been around etsy
and you see that photo prints sell really well, better than scarves, and hey, you kinda dabble in photography... Don't let money
change you, baby! You'll be more fulfilled and much more successful in
the long run if you stick with what you know and don't let thoughts of
dolla dolla bills sway you towards something else entirely.
5. You may have to experiment a little.
Finding your niche is rarely without trial and error. You may find you get bored making beaded earrings when you have to make them day in and day out. On the opposite end, you may find that your wine glass charms are just not selling, and you don't know why.
Don't be afraid to go back to the
drawing board, to ask friends, family and other crafters what they
think is working with your design, and what's not. Maybe you just need
a tweak here or there, maybe you need to refine your own creative
technique better or work on your skills.
Be open to the potential for change, and realize that not every single thing you try is going to work out.
Let the flops be lessons for the future and motivation to think of something that will work better- don't let yourself get discouraged.
Once you find a niche that is truly you, one that you know you'll have fun and success with, you'll have an automatic upper-hand when it comes to marketing your business. You can use your niche to start building your brand, and know what markets to advertise to. You'll be much more successful approaching blogs and magazines that you'd like to have write about you. And you'll more easily develop a following of loyal customers that come to trust you to deliver that niche you fill so well.
>> further reading: Good examples of artists who found their niche
