Three Simple Steps to Finding Your Niche

Finding your niche or your “main thing” for your teacher business can be difficult when there are so many ideas that you want to share with the online teacher community. Teachers are multi-passionate and I love that. But when you get laser-focused on one thing, you become known as the thought leader in your niche. And that is when your business grows exponentially. If you have typed into Google “how to find your niche in business”, know that you are not alone and that I have what you need to find your niche in three easy steps.

Niche vs Nitch…

It doesn't matter how you say it, what matters is you have narrowed it down. Yes, I know. This is me having a Mama Kayse moment. Hear me now and believe me later…

When you dive into “micro” niches, you won’t have to worry about how to find your niche in blogging or how to find your niche on Instagram, because your niche will flow through your entire business and marketing system.

As Stephen Covey says, “The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.” So what is your main thing going to be?

Finding Your Niche Step 1: Determine three things that you’re passionate about

If you can find something that you’re passionate about AND something that people want, that is where the magic happens! The first step in finding your niche market is writing down your top three: three things that you’re passionate about. You know, those things you can’t stop talking about and that come easy to you in the classroom.

Don’t overthink it.

Finding your niche as an entrepreneur should be easy because it’s what you know and love!! If you’re still in the classroom, what do people compliment you on or ask you about?

• Maybe you’re the queen of classroom management with calm transitions and positive rewards in the primary grades.
• Maybe you are the go-to gal when middle school teachers are struggling to come up with something engaging for their science lessons.
• Maybe your coworkers always ooh and ahh at your orderly desk and organized papers.

There are riches in the niches, as they say. So it’s better to hone in on one small topic that you can become known for than choose something too broad and get lost in the sea of noise. If I were still in the classroom, my top three would be historical figures, classroom management, and interactive notebooks.

Finding your Niche Step 2: Brain Dump and Research

The next step in our “finding your niche” project is to write a list of ten (or more) content ideas you have for each of your top three. For example, if I was writing my list for classroom management, I would write:

• Posters
• Notes Home
• Door Hangers
• Reward Coupons
• Chants
• Etc.

This is an important part of finding a niche for your business because it shows you which areas you have the most content for. If you are writing down your ideas and you can list them off really fast, and even run out of room on your paper, that’s a good thing!! You’re headed in the right direction.

Finding One's Niche…

Before moving on to step three, it is also a good idea to do some research on your top three. You need to know that teachers need what you are selling and sharing so that you can help them solve their problems with your resources and content! Here are a couple of tips:

• Use an SEO search tool like Ubersuggest to see what people are searching for. Look for terms that have a high search volume and low SEO difficulty!
• Join a couple of Facebook groups that your Ideal Customer Avatar (ICA) is hanging out in, and do some searching for your top three. Use the search bar in the FB group and see if you can find posts where people are asking questions about your topics! If they are, you know there is a pain point that YOU can relieve!
• Search hashtags on Instagram that reflect your ICA, and read captions and comments. What are teachers talking about? What are they struggling with? Which of your top three would help and serve them the most?

Finding Your Niche Step Three: Reflect and Make a Decision

Now that you have brainstormed some content and researched to see what your customers are looking for, it’s time to reflect on your top three. Asking yourself questions will guide you in finding your niche market. Look back at your top three, and ask yourself:

• Which topic do I have the most experience with?
• Which topic do I have the most content for?
• Which topic do teachers struggle with the most?
• Which topic am I most excited about?

Which of your top three did you write down the most in response to those questions? Well, my friend, that is your niche! Finding your niche isn’t rocket science. Use your research and reflection to guide your decision! I know it seems like it is a weighty decision, and you might not be completely sold because you have SO many passions!

Let me tell you – when you free yourself from all the noise and focus on your main thing, you will move the needle in your business WAY more than if you tried to do a little bit of everything.

Let's grow your business together!

I want to help you on this journey to becoming a CEO Teacher®, and finding your niche is one of the first steps! I have a FREE finding your niche worksheet (inside the workbook) that you can use to walk through the process of finding your niche. Click here or click the picture below to download it!

When you have worked through the worksheet on finding your niche, snap a picture of it and tag me on Instagram @kaysemorris or @theceoteacher! I would love to see it and cheer you on!

CEO Teachers® Finding Micro Niches

Listen to the Finding Your Niche podcast episode on The CEO Teacher® Podcast and learn how I would fill out my Niche Finder as a classroom teacher. When you find your niche, you’re able to focus on your main thing. And when you do that, you are on your way to becoming a thought leader in that area.

Becoming a thought leader can really be honing in on one specific thing that sets you apart from others. No niche is too small when thinking about micro-niches being successful. I think about CEO Teacher® Trailblazer Beth Hall from Coach Hall Writes. Her entire niche is based on Rhetorical Analysis of the Langauge Arts AP exam.

Super specific right? And she is growing this business by leaps and bounds every day!

Or my girl Tara from Autism Little Learners who created an entire membership that helps parents and teachers of children in the 3-5 year range with Autism.

Or Jocelynn who helps teachers create a culturally responsive classroom through in-person PD and educational consulting. Each of these micro-niches seems ultra-specific but that's what makes them so successful.

Next Steps: How to Find Your Niche Audience Online

What’s the next step, you ask?! Well, now that you have found your niche, I recommend that you mind map your heart out!! Mind Mapping is a way to break everything down into bite-sized pieces so you can take action on the small things that turn into big things. I have created a Teachers Map of Online Business Secrets, where I walk you through mind mapping your teacher business from start to finish, and I give you more in-depth information on finding your niche while becoming a CEO Teacher® Trailblazer.

You can grab your FREE workbook here: Teacher's Map of Online Business Secrets.