You're not trying to serve everyone, just the right people.
This concept took me a long time to comprehend when it came to building a business. Like most business rookies, I wanted to believe that what I had to offer would appeal to the masses.
Of course, all the business experts I was learning from repeated over and over and over again that this is not the case. The smaller the audience, the bigger your chances of seeing your business take off.
The whole "riches are in the niches" thing.
And in line with what I wrote in the previous post, having a strong point of view in business is essential for long-term success.
Let's look at Ramit Sethi as an example. His whole point of view is I Will Teach You To Be Rich. That statement is a point of view.
He wrote a best selling book with that title.
He built an entire online empire around that point of view.
Under the umbrella of that point of view are subcategories. He has courses about negotiating a raise, negotiating a bigger salary, and finding your dream job.
Each is connected to his strong point of view.
Another excellent example of a successful creator who isn't trying to serve everyone is Matthew Inman. Matthew Inman created a comic called The Oatmeal. The Oatmeal is a strong point of view and appeals to a specific audience. Not everyone likes The Oatmeal. And that's okay. Matthew Inman is doing just fine without everyone on the planet enjoying his work.
Every comic from Snoopy to Dilbert to Fat Albert to The Simpsons to Family Guy is an example of a strong point of view.
Sustainable podcasts have a strong point of view. My podcast Play Your Position stands for why it’s imperative that we accept who we are and show up accordingly so that we can get the most out of the game of life.
A subcategory of this point of view is found in a question I ask each guest:
What happens when we answer the call to leadership?
Every conversation I have with the guests on my podcast supports this point of view and in turn, becomes its own point of view.
This is where serving an audience comes in. When you can refine your point of view, your audience is going to appear. When you’re serving the right people, you know it. You’re not trying to serve everybody, just the right people. Having a strong point of view is a huge driver of the right people showing up who want what you have to offer.
That's why having a strong point of view pays dividends over and over and over again. The right people will be attracted to it. Of the people attracted to it, some will want to engage with you on a deeper level. This looks like sales of your products and services if you are a creator. Likes and comments if you are creating content. Reviews if you write books.
If you are an employee, it can look like innovation, promotions, and other perks.
You're not trying to serve everyone, just the right people. When you clarify and build a strong point of view in business and in life, the right people, the right opportunities, and the right experiences will show up.
Every piece of content you create -- a full length book, guide, podcast, blog, television show, or suite of products -- all these things have to have a strong point of view. The right audience will be served. And the rest doesn't matter.
When you show up knowing what you stand for, who you are, what you believe, what your values are, the rest is so much easier.
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I work with people to develop a strong point of view so that their personal and professional lives improve. A sexier term for this is strategic branding. If this sounds like something you'd like to do, book a session with me. You can also bring me in to work with your team on developing a strong point of view.
