NARROW IT DOWN

Find Your Niche

When I first started my baking business, I was a typical people pleaser. I did not want to lose a potential sale, so I would say yes to any job, regardless of whether it was something I wanted to do or felt comfortable doing. This resulted in longer hours, doing multiple things, and never feeling like I was mastering what I was doing.

When I decided to get specific about what I was offering, I found four major things that changed how I felt about my business and how I was able to run my business.

Be Confident in Your Pitch

When you get specific about what you are offering or what your products are, it becomes easier to describe your business to your potential clients. When you sound sure about what you are an expert on, people are more likely to hire you over someone else.

In the past, when asked what I did, I often responded with, “I am a baker.” This always led to more questions from the client and often resulted in people being unsure about my capabilities. Now I respond with, “I am a cookie enthusiast that hand bakes and delivers cookie box subscriptions.”

Being able to fit my pitch and my job description into a single sentence has changed my interactions with my potential clients because they immediately know what I do, and I sound confident in my delivery. When you offer multiple products or services, getting your pitch into a short and straightforward, clear description is difficult.

Master Your Offer/Product

When you get specific about what you are offering or what your products are, you can also focus and grow your skills on that particular thing. Instead of being average at many different things, you can excel and become a master in your element. No more Jack of all trades, but a master at none! Getting specific allows you to hone in on your skills, become the best and reach for the stars.

When you get specific about what you are offering or what your products are, it becomes easier to describe your business to your

potential clients.

Delete Your Scheduling Stress

When I first started, I would bake anything for anyone, and I wound up with a scheduling nightmare each week. If I tried to focus on one task at a time, I ran the risk of falling behind, and if I tried to multitask, I ran the risk of making mistakes. In getting specific on my offer, I was able to simplify my scheduling and do things in bulk, rather than trying to balance multiple things at once. I have also become faster at completing my tasks because I can practice my specific skills consistently. Whether you run a product or a service-based business, scheduling is a part of what you do. And when you can focus on one task, you can simplify your schedule.

Do What Truly Makes You Happy

Picking your one (or two) offers or products can be a challenge because you would not have chosen your general field unless you loved it! But I challenge you to ask yourself, what is your favourite thing to do in your specific field?

Yes, I love baking, but I recognized that certain aspects caused me more stress than others, and certain parts I could not get enough of. Since I have shrunk my offerings significantly, I have genuinely enjoyed every aspect of my business.

Making the Transition

When I decided to cut out many of my products, I was concerned that I would lose past clients and have uncomfortable conversations about how I am no longer providing certain services. What I found was the opposite.

When approached by previous clients about products I was no longer making, I was typically met with understanding and excitement, as they were happy that my business was growing and changing in the direction I wanted it to be in. Though some questioned my decision, those were not my ideal clients, and in losing them, I was able to open the doors to new clients.

Though there is no right or wrong way to make this transition, the key is to stick to your decision about your offerings. You will find that, in being specific, you will have a new set of potential clients who are looking for an expert in your exact field.

You may lose some of your previous clients, but in narrowing down your offers, you are also narrowing in on your ideal clients, and those clients you may lose will no longer fit the profile.

Narrowing down my products was one of the smartest decisions I have made for my business, and I have seen a remarkable profit increase because of this. It is a scary step, but a step in the right direction.

By: MICHELLE SUNDBORG

The Little Red Bake Shop

Website: https:// www. thelittleredbakeshop. com/