I’m going to say something that’s a little controversial —
We’re all niche writers. We’re also all generalists.
No matter what you start out writing, you eventually end up with two things happening:
- You start to write a lot of the same topic or writing form (blog posts, ghosted articles, case studies, etc.)
- You write on tons of different topics even if it seems to land somewhere familiar
Yep, often at the same time.
Take, for example, a switch in my own career just six years ago. Back then, the hot topic in insurance (my specialty area) was the cannabis market. For nearly two years, I wrote quite a lot about cannabis, the risks involved in nearly every facet of the business — agricultural loss, weather loss, manufacturing loss, transport loss, theft, mold, facility risks, you name it. It seemed there was an endless need for information on what could go wrong and how these businesses could reduce those risks.
Today, nothing. I cannot remember the last cannabis article I wrote. It’s still out there, but it’s not the hot topic. No, that would be AI and machine learning. And that eclipsed the pandemic-related business interruption, workers comp, and employment practices articles that dominated from 2020 through 2021. Or the “how to” manage a remote workforce topic. Or the severe weather losses topic.
The point is that even within a niche, you’re going to find plenty of variety. Imagine an agriculture trade magazine wanting to educate their readers on the impact of invasive pests, such as spotted lanternfly and pine borer, and how to eradicate them. A writer specializing in agriculture may have just come off the heels of the impact of wildfire or drought. Like I said, niches provide a lot of variety.
But look what else is going on there. As you’re writing in what seems to be familiar territory, you’re also expanding your niche-ness. Now you can write confidently and with some authority on these same topics anywhere there’s a need for the coverage. I myself have transitioned some of my work into consumer-facing articles on risk management for small businesses or for consumers.
So can you.
[bctt tweet=”Niche or generalist, you can expand your #freelancewriting opportunities.” username=”LoriWidmer”]
Let’s explore how.
Capitalize on that generalization.
This year, your main clients seem to be in the food service industry. Last year, you had more clients from theater and entertainment. Maybe four years ago, you were writing mostly articles on healthcare for a consumer audience. Or you have been writing a ton of blog posts and case studies.
Hey, those two things are marketable no matter what topic you use.
Here’s a hypothetical email from a client:
Hi Writer,
I saw your LinkedIn profile and visited your online portfolio on your website. I’m looking for someone with experience in writing case studies for my technology firm. Your background suggests you would be a good fit for our needs.
The project needs include 12 case studies showing how our clients’ businesses have benefitted from using our proprietary technology. We need someone to interview each client to find out what their need was and how our product answered that need. We’ll also be looking for measurable results, such as an increase in productivity among staff or an increase in business ….
You, generalist, can handle that without breaking a sweat. I know this because anyone can handle this. It’s one interview (and you’ve interviewed people before) and one case study (which you’ve done before).
Those are the types of projects you are well-equipped to handle. Welcome to your micro-niche.
A quick note: When trying to transition from consumer to business writing, know that the big concerns are: the risks of doing business; the opportunities in the market, and; what the impact is on employees and customers. That’s the golden formula for selling ideas to trades and winning over business clients.
And guess what? You already have the skills and background to rock this.
Now let’s see how our niche friends are going to expand into a more generalized approach to their same topics.
Leverage that niche.
Sure, you may write solely on the footwear industry (see what I did there?), but that doesn’t mean you can’t expand your reach to new markets and clients. Let’s use a hypothetical list of topics a footwear writer has covered:
- Fashionable comfort shoes
- Disruptions in delivery/supply chain problems
- Politics of where shoes are made and by whom
- Carbon neutrality in the manufacture of footwear
- Resurgence of shoe repair services
- Shoes hit social media: marketing changes and challenges
Let’s just pick one from the list: Carbon neutrality. Let’s assume the writer has written about six articles in the last two years on the green efforts of footwear companies. Here’s how that writer can take that topic and present it to a general audience:
- The impact of footwear on the environment
- Eco-friendly style: how footwear companies are greening up their operations
- Using shoes to reduce your carbon footprint
- Are your shoes sustainable? How to choose more eco-friendly options
- The best sustainable shoe brands on the market
- ….
There is no limit to how many ideas you can generate — and sell — based on your knowledge of the footwear industry.
In fact, niche writer, every single one of the topics you’ve written on can be sold to new markets and used to gain new clients in different industries. You’re still sticking within your niche but you’re expanding beyond the borders you’re usually working in. Using risk management, I have written for:
- Insurance (my main bread-and-butter area)
- Healthcare management
- Consumer-facing supplement provider
- Staffing firms
- Associations
- Consumer blogs
- Consumer magazines
Just talking about risk management topics. If I can, you can.
Writers, how have you expanded your freelance writing business by using what you’ve done already?
What advice do you have for others on how to sell your services to a new market or client base?