The nitty gritty of specialization
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I know that my last article has opened many questions about specialization, questions like: what if my ideal audience is a large public, is niching down applicable then? I do services for different kind of industries, how can I specialize in this case? etc…
Let me introduce you 4 new ways of specialization:
1. Industry / Niche specialization
We can look at this in 3 ways:
The classical way of picking one stack and working with it all along,
for example if you are a musician you would pick 1 music style like POP or RAP and go with it or maybe if you’re coming from a tech industry you would pick a specific stack to integrate in your development etc…
The modern way (vertical)
To pick one service for one specific industry,
for example: to do web design for e-commerce brands or to manufacture sustainable clothes for busy entrepreneurs
The more convenient way (horizontal)
To solve a specific problem for different industries, this usually works for B-corps & none-profit NGOs who are trying to solve global causes at scale (SDG) like recycling, global warm, poverty, health etc…
2. Service specialization
To differentiate in the way you do client servicing,
by having a unique process or framework to solve your client’s problem
For example, in 2021, a trend has showed up for flat minimal design for companies like Peugeot, KIA, Burger King etc…
This can be an interesting opportunity for those who have a unique way of designing minimalistic brands
3. Product specialization
You can specialize in a product inventory like phone & car brands are doing, Apple for example they launched a new smart ship for processing their MacBook products
You can also have a unique way of designing & delivering your products to your customers (customer service) through motion and awareness as we are seeing beverage brands like MacDonald getting clever in their messaging and packaging of their products
Positioning the right product to the right people
at the right time in the right market is very crucial
to the brand success
4. Personality specialization
This is probably the most undervalued way of specialization, yet, the most powerful one
People will come to do business with you, because of who you are, because of what you champion and what you stand for
People do business with people, who they know, like & trust
Knowing phase
- What are you doing to get known?
- What’s your ranking on google?
- What’s your “about” section saying about you in “social media”?
- How easy is it to find you (multichannel)?
- Are you making content for your clients pain-points?
- What’s the one thing that only you can do best?
Liking phase
Tell me about your personality:
- What’s the one thing that only you can do best?
- What’s unique about you?
- Is it that you are a good facilitator?
- A good public speaker?
- An empathetic caring introvert? (myself :P)
- A strong energetic & charismatic extrovert?
Whatever it is, use it as your strong suit ball next time you present anything to your clients
Trust phase
- How good is your work?
- How honest are you?
- Do you share your failures?
- How can we know that you know what you’re talking about? (expertise)
- What’s your story? Why did you start?
- Tell me about your previous clients, I will tell you who you are (social proof)
- Shared values & beliefs
Takeaways
- You’re not selling the thing that you do, you’re selling what people get from working with you (I sell clarity & confidence)
- People care about how you solve their problem more than solving the problem itself
- It’s not about attracting everybody, it’s about attracting the right somebody!
“It’s about finding people like that who want things like this” — Seth Godin
- “What you make is a byproduct of your thinking, you should sell your thinking & your process and ultimately the results that you achieve for your clients” — Chris Do
- -They don’t know what they don’t know-
your mission is to mind the gap and find the right problem to be solved, to educate your clients and help them discover what they really need for their business to grow
“You are not the sage on the stage, You are the guide on the side”- Dian
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