Hey, Paul here…
… and it feels like my brain has blown a gasket and geysers of hot steam should be exploding from my ears.
Why?
‘Cos I’ve just about brutalized my brain trying to settle on a writing niche for our 90 Day Writing Challenge.
If you’re still working on choosing a writing niche, this over-the-shoulder look at my struggles the last few days might help.
Allow me to elaborate...
Right now, I’m choosing between two potential niches:
- Coaches and Consultants
- B2B Software and Hardware (i.e. SaaS, telecommunications, etc.)
And there are pros and cons to both potential niches.
I know this because I spent a fevered hour the other night scribbling said pros and cons onto a piece of paper while slurping down a grande cold brew coffee at Barnes & Noble.
(Because when you’re brain is running at a million miles a minute a big ol’ cup of caffeine at 7pm is a GREAT idea...sigh)
Anyway, there are pros and cons to both potential niches.
For example, the pros of working with coaches and consultants include:
- I love the industry and would, eventually, like to work as a coach myself.
- I’m the target market for this industry, so I know how to write to these people.
- Most coaches and consultants understand the value of strong copywriting, so I wouldn’t have to spend time “training them up”.
- I know coaches / have connections to the industry, and could use that network to get writing jobs.
That’s a pretty solid list of pros, yeah?
But, like all things in life (except my wife who is an angel walking the earth) there are cons, too.
To wit, some of the cons of working with coaches and consultants include:
- The pay would probably be lower than, say, a B2B industry.
- Most of the projects would (probably) be one-off deals; i.e. promoting a launch, speaking event, etc.
- If most of work are one-off projects I’ll need to spend more time marketing / building a referral network to keep my pipeline full.
- Working with solopreneurs / small teams can sometimes be pain in the butt, i.e. lack of communication, wanting to communicate ALL the time, neediness, hand-holding, etc.
And those are all valid concerns.
But what about B2B? Is it any better? Well, here are some potential pros of working with B2B software and hardware companies:
- LOTS of clients and they’re pretty easy to find.
- Most of these companies understand the value of good copywriting and pay well for it.
- Plus, ongoing demand means the potential for lots of work i.e. retainer gigs
- It would be a fun and interesting challenge to learn about the different B2B softwares and hardwares available.
And here are some possible cons:
- I would need to learn the industry, so there would be a bigger time investment required for each project.
- Sometimes working with a big company can be a pain in the butt, i.e. slow communication, decision by committee, etc.
- I’m not as confident in my ability to write for this market (which is a poverty mindset and something I can overcome -- just being real with my fears here, ya’ll)
- I may or may not be the target market, so it will be more of a challenge writing to them.
So those are the pros and cons I’m looking at as I choose between these two potential niches.
And it’s important for you to think through possible pros and cons of your own writing niches choices.
But the thing is…
DON’T let it stop you from taking action.
I’m right on the verge of over-thinking this whole thing.
And I’ve found that DOING something, way before you think your 100% ready, is better than hemming and hawing and putting it off till everything is “perfect”.
As I like to say:
“Imperfect action always beats perfect planning”.
Maybe I should take my own advice, huh? :)
And I will.
I’m going to settle on a writing niche this weekend. I mean, heck, worst comes to worst I can always just change it down the road.
Because choosing a writing niche now doesn’t mean it’s the only market you’ll ever write for.
So I’m pulling the trigger and making a choice.
And I’m also creating some cool resources that will help you finalize your own writing niche choice.
(Which, btw, I’d love to hear about -- just shoot me an email!)
Alright. PHEW.
I actually feel a lot better getting those pros and cons out there and sharing this with you all. So thank you for that.
We’ll be back next week with final thoughts on choosing a niche…
… and we’ll jump into one of my favorite things: getting clients!
Have a great weekend and I’ll talk with you soon!
Paul “my brain feels like guacamole” Buzan
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