Niche down, they say.
It’s the magic key to conversions, they say.
But before you pick a niche because some guru told you to, please consider this:
➡️ When you niche too narrowly for the sake of niching, your audience will shrink.
And not just that, your offer starts to fall into the category of “Hm, interesting..." instead of the “Shut up and take my money!” homerun we all want.
Let me explain.
I recently met someone who asked if I could make ramen from scratch.
For a second, I was perplexed.
Does she think all Japanese people make ramen from scratch?
And then I wondered (somewhat defensively), should I be able to?
But the easy answer is NO.
Because the reality is this.
Most Japanese people don’t make ramen from scratch.
Whether they live here in the US or in Japan, they just don’t.
Here’s why:
There are TONS of very good ramen places all over Japan.
But what if you want really good ramen at home?
You make instant ramen, of course!
Oh, but instant ramen is not that good, you say?
It actually is.
Japanese instant ramen has skyrocketed in terms of taste and quality. It's SO GOOD. And you can dress it up even further by adding some protein (egg or meat or both) and green onions.
So, how does this tie into niching?
When you niche down purely for the sake of niching without considering the various circumstances, you risk offering something like “ramen from scratch”.
It's interesting, maybe even admirable, but ultimately not what most people want or need.
So, here's what to do instead:
👉 Focus on solving a specific problem, and then become exceptional at fixing it.
Back to the ramen example since there are so many lessons packed in here:
✅ Problem: “I’m craving ramen but don’t want to go out.”
➡ Solution: Instant ramen at home.
✅ Next-level problem: “Instant ramen tastes meh.”
➡ Solution: Exceptional instant ramen.
Instant ramen is the first solution.
And for people who don't like that particular solution, there's already ANOTHER solution (which is exceptional instant ramen).
Notice how you're not complicating the problem (like insisting everyone make ramen from scratch). You’re making the solution better.
In the same way, don't solve a problem by coming up with a complicated solution that only appeals to a small group of enthusiasts (unless that's your particular strategy).
And if there is already a solution to the problem you want to solve, perhaps there is a way to make that solution even more exceptional.
And here is the most important point:
When you become obsessed with solving a problem exceptionally well, you start to spot clever ways to:
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Fix it 10x better than anyone else.
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Create related products or services nobody else has thought of because you understand the problem so deeply.
That’s how you end up with a meaningful niche. One that’s rooted in actually helping people, not in forcing yourself into a tiny box.
Does that make sense?
So when you're thinking of niching down, don't focus on "ramen-from-scratch" type problems.
Instead, find real pain points and solve them well.
Then layer in the creative extras only you can bring.
That’s how you carve out a niche that sticks.
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