Don’t Ditch the Niche: Kicking Up Your Networking Game

Truth: Marketing to the public, even when you’ve worked with a Direct Mail company to narrow down your target audience, can be pricey. And what’s more, it can also be unpredictable. Don’t get me wrong, public seminar marketing works great for some and I’m not implying that you should rule it out entirely. But the “ups and downs” nature of public marketing does mean that you should be spending time thinking about other ways to find qualified prospective clients while also spending less money – that’s a win-win, right?

There are a number of ways to find clients who don’t come at such a high cost, but today we’re focusing on one specific strategy: The Great American Niche (great book title, eh?).

Niches, like shoes, come in all shapes and sizes and are oftentimes right at your fingertips. Many of you probably already work with some of the more common niches such as CPAs and financial advisors, but I bet you aren’t taking advantage of all the RICHES of niches that surround you!

Networking and building long-term relationships with key niches not only gives you the opportunity to bring in more business with less overhead, it also creates a more integrated marketing approach. So if you have a month when public seminar advertising doesn’t yield the results you were hoping for – -or really needed — you still have other marketing efforts bringing in revenue.

Let’s play a quick game to start identifying some of the great niches you might already be connected with or perhaps have a passion about! Take the next sixty seconds to think about niches you already belong to or are closely connected with. Start writing them down. I’ll play along, too.

Ready? Go!

• Pet Owners
• Small Business Owners
• Government Employees
• Runners Groups
• Yoga Enthusiasts
• Rotarians
• Senior Centers/Groups
• Snowbirds
• Funeral Directors
• Care Givers (Hospice, Day Care, Sitters)
• Churches
• Dentists
• Community Centers
• Doctors
• Homeowners’ Associations
• Travel Groups

Ok, Time!

Look at all those niches I thought up just in that short time. If my fingers could carry me quicker, I may have had more! I bet you came up with more than you thought you would, too!

Next, play this same game with your staff, friends, spouse, kids, and siblings.  Who do they know? Add their lists to your list! And finally, think about your existing client base. Who are they? Who do they know? What groups are they a part of?

And hey, are there niches in your area that you know about but aren’t yet connected with? Write those down, too! Put a little star next to those so you can start looking for a way to connect.

Ok, final part of our #FridayFun game: Your plan of attack. Here are a few ideas to get you started. For each of those niches, identify:

• List all possible ways you could be introduced to this niche.
  
• The “key contacts” you will introduce yourself to and build relationships with to promote referrals or eventually set up endorsed seminars.
• What is your competitive advantage for this group? That is, what are the things that make YOU and YOUR FIRM unique above all other firms that will make the people in this niche love you so much they absolutely must work with you?
• What special offer could be made for each particular niche? How many different offers can you think of? Do the offers benefit the key contact or the consumer?
• Once you have gotten the introduction with your key contact, what does the agenda look like when you invite them to a Lunch and Learn meeting?

The most important part of all of your networking efforts is to never give up. If one niche doesn’t work, try another. And if it didn’t work this time around, figure out why and try back at a later date.

Here’s to turning those niches into raving fans!

Faithfully Your Girl Friday,

Kathryn Adams
Practice Building Consultant
American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, Inc.
9444 Balboa Avenue, Suite 300
San Diego, California 92123
Phone: (858) 453-2128
www.aaepa.com