A case against the freelance niche

Niching doesn't work for everyone. Nor should it. Here's why

Niches are great. But I keep coming across freelancers who have been advised to niche down, and niche down hard, to do well in business.

And it’s making them freak out because niching limits what they can offer and what they are working on regularly.

For some of us, that’s simply not feasible. Nor is it smart in a variety of different business circumstances.

As a card carrying Multipotentialite, I believe there are some great reasons not to niche. Especially in this economic climate.

This is what I often explain to freelancers who don’t want to niche but feel pressure to, despite their best instincts

1. Why hire six different freelancers when one will do?

   The ability to solve a few problems for your clients means a better chance of all the work (and the budget) for yourself. It may also mean that a client will consider doing the project precisely because they don’t have to pay for a team to do it

2. Why project manage many freelancers when one will do?

   Using the same freelancer for many things drastically reduces the volume of emails, the project management time, and the chance of forgetting who does what. And I say this as someone who used to work in a very busy agency - that matters!

3. Why risk the project on an unknown freelancer when you already trust someone?

   Having one reliable port of call makes it so much easier, logistically. It also makes it easier for clients to trust you. The more you can call on someone who says yes, the more you find clients will continue to come back. Saying yes to a variety of tasks may very well increase your trust factor

4. Why would you reduce your company profit margin?

   Again, this is coloured by agency life but… if you can find a proactive freelancer who is reliable that does 90% of your tasks at medium to high competency, it creates a lot less project management and costly internal communication. It means you can ship work quicker and more efficiently with less project management on your part, which means you can earn a better margin as an agency and better individual billings for the account manager. That counts against a freelance niche for purely economic reasons

5. Why limit your livelihood by putting all your eggs in one freelance basket?

   Sticking to one thing service-wise, is risky. Inflation aside, we’re currently facing some massive technological changes via generative Ai and the changes that is bringing to search, social media, and software. It is difficult to predict how far the shake up will take us - and who it might take down in the process

6. Are you courting professional complacency?

   Some niche freelancers study their butt off continuously, so if that is you, you can bypass this point. But in some freelancers, niching promotes a certain creative comfortability that may not be in keeping with modern times. If you believe you have an arena sewn up, it might lead you away from studying, acquiring more knowledge, and updating your skillset. Or fighting on hills nobody cares about dying on anymore in the race to get sh*t done. What then?

7. Are you working against your natural working rhythm?

   If you crave variety, working on the same thing day in and day out isn’t always going to bring out the best work. In fact, it’s often incompatible with people who are self-taught, NNT, and in creative disciplines. The life of a freelancer is tough enough without forcing yourself to work in a way you’re simply not compatible with

8. Are you risking a total knockout by a niche competitor?

   If someone dominates your niche, it can be difficult to get cut-through. This might be more a marketing and visibility problem, but I have met plenty of freelancers who are upset that people who aren’t as good at them get more work in their niche. It speaks more to the vulnerability of having a head-to-head competitor with little to no differentiation than another person’s abilities

9. Can you maintain the standard of excellence required to stay competitive?

   It places a very big burden on your abilities to be the best of the best. There are no half measures. What if other things in life become more important?

10. Will you ever want to pivot?

    If you’re only known for one service, shifting to a new one can be a lot more difficult than for the generalists that are comfortable and known for mobility and variation in their craft

11. Do you play well with others?

    Niching makes freelance networks extremely important, especially if you skills rely on others to do work within the project to support it. Finding top flight collaborators that are equally as good at what you do as you are is great. But it tends to fall down if you don’t have control over the other hires and/or if you (or your available collaborators) are perfectionist or curmudgeonly

12. Have you noticed that the audience is already asking for it?

    Sure, those jobs where you have to do all the things from make the video to write the copy and run the events are bothersome, and even unrealistic. But it is proof you definitely need a variety of options on your employment bow via how widespread it is. You either have to get smashingly brilliant at making a case for your niche skillset, or start widening the scope a little

13. How will you challenge yourself later?

    Unlike other working professionals, freelancers have to invent their next career level up. And it can be difficult to find the next challenge if you’re only offering one thing. Beware - that inability to find what is next can make a lot of freelancers stuck and stagnate, inviting frustration and procrastination to the fore

14. Some of us don’t have one true calling. And that’s OK

Niching in freelancing is not a bad thing. But it isn’t for everyone. Nor should it be.

Need a hand figuring out where you fit in the scheme things? Get in touch for some coaching today.