The “riches are in the niches” might be Pat Flynn’s most famous quote, and for good reason.

When a business owner or content creator hyperfocuses on a specific area of expertise, they can offer distinct value to their customers in a way that sets them apart from competitors.

Translation: When you niche down, you’ll get even better at what you do and will become an industry leader.

What Trite Rhymes Ignore

That’s not wrong and yet there are nuances in today’s business world that get ignored by such absolutes.

For years, I struggled with my own niche as an online community strategist. Back in 2007, when I made my personal passion a professional one, online community wasn’t even known as a noun. We knew of online forums, message boards, and even comments sections of online publications. But people didn’t think of them as communities. If anything, they were compared to public bulletin boards as if two-way interaction wasn’t possible.

It’s taken years of experience, the development and evolution of social media, and a body of research into online user behavior and belonging to position internet relationships as having value equal to (even greater than) the ones forged in real life.

Community Management: Niche or Industry?

Kathi Lipp, best-selling author and creator of the Clutter Free Academy podcast, stands with Online Community Strategist Tonya Kubo, founder of the Clutter Free Academy Facebook group.

Today, not only are there several online experts specializing in community, it’s a decent-paying job in the corporate world. LinkedIn sends me about a dozen community management job listings each week, most of which pay more than $50,000/year.

The very nature of being an online community expert defies traditional niche boundaries but it doesn’t stop people from trying to box me in further. Someone is always “coaching” me to:

• Focus on a specific platform (Circle, Facebook, MightyNetworks, etc)
• Focus on paid memberships or only on membership churn
• Focus on turning free prospecting groups into sales machines
• Choose a specific industry (health and fitness, homeschooling, online courses, publishing, etc.)

The list goes on…

Though I resist, it’s not out of stubbornness. Anyone who doesn’t understand “online community” as a niche unto itself is missing the point. And while I could educate them, I’d much rather spend my time and energy helping business owners like you design and develop a community that gets the results you want.

I only have so many hours in a day. And you, the person who gets what I do and why I do it, is much more important than the one who doesn’t. #sorrynotsorry

Where Clutter Free Academy Fits In

Last week, Kathi Lipp and I quietly announced that I’m taking on official co-hosting duties on the Clutter Free Academy podcast.

Kathi was the first client to ask me to design a community for her and trust me to do it my way.

Though it will always carry her name, the Clutter Free Academy Facebook group has been my baby since I first sketched out its purpose, promise and structure in 2016.

I started appearing on the podcast in 2018, showing up as the public representative of our community. Our cluttery peeps are mired in fear, guilt, and shame. They need both an ambassador and advocate, roles I treasure fulfilling while Kathi serves as their leader.

While the announcement post has gotten over 100 positive comments, a few private messages from business contacts have cautioned me against getting known for “the wrong thing.”

But the way I see it, co-hosting Clutter Free Academy doesn’t carry the risk of being known as a “clutter expert” because anyone who listens or talks to me about it quickly discovers that I’m there as an expert on the vibrant community we’ve cultivated over the years.

How You Can Leverage Your Own Expertise

Consider your expertise — whatever it is — a niche in itself. While you may need to laser in on specific facets of your expertise for thought leadership articles or products you want to sell, don’t feel pressured to narrow your focus unnecessarily. Having a broad understanding of your subject matter is a strength, not a weakness.

Here are some practical ways to leverage it effectively:

1. Create a Knowledge Map — List all areas of your expertise, including overlaps and connections between them. Identify how these areas complement each other and provide unique insights. Use this map when planning out content and offers. Focus on the unifying principles more than the differences.
2. Cross-Pollinate Ideas — Actively look for ways to apply insights from one area of your expertise to another. Share these novel connections in your content to demonstrate the value of your broad perspective.
3. Craft Versatile Case Studies — When showcasing your work, highlight how your broad knowledge contributed to success. Demonstrate how understanding multiple facets of a problem led to more comprehensive solutions.
4. Collaborate Strategically — Partner with specialists in areas adjacent to your expertise. These collaborations can lead to unique offerings that combine depth and breadth.

Your broad expertise is a unique selling point. It allows you to see connections and solutions that others might miss. By strategically showcasing and applying this comprehensive knowledge, you can provide exceptional value to your clients or organization while standing out in your field.