066 - Choosing a Niche for Your Book

Hey Guys! Nicole Gabriel here!

So, niche marketing…I’ve never really touched on this topic, but I really find it quite a fun one to talk about!

First, let’s talk about what it is. It’s basically a targeted marketing plan that zeros in on strategically selected and targeted consumers that may have an interest in buying your product or service….or even your book.

Since there is a lot of competition in the book world—considering writing a book is your business—and book categories (and subcategories) are packed with options… you’ll want to stand out against the rest. The best way to do this is with a niche topic. You also want to get very clear on who your audience is.

You have to identify your audience then attract them by appealing to their needs. And, you want to use your book title to capture your niche audience.

Did you ever notice the word AUTHOR is similar to AUTHORITY? What does your book position you to be the authority of? What is the thing you help people do?

Defining your niche and attracting your audience allows authors to rise to the top in a crowded book marketplace. A clearly defined and communicated niche helps readers better relate and that not just sells books, but has them asking “what else do you offer?”

Where is there a little less competition and a need present? And, how can you fill that need with what you offer? Where can you niche down on your topic? And what statistics support the topic and its refined niche? Ideally you should work to define this niche before you begin writing so you know who you are taking to as you move forward through your manuscript…because, really… this is more a strategy and research project than it is a book. You are setting up your sales and marketing plan from the get go. And, when you use the book to identify the niche, you can build a community of engaged participants.

A few questions to help you niche down your topic:

Who can relate to the story or information I have to share?
How can I inspire or help others?
Who do I want to inspire, entertain, or help?
Now, I want you to look at your personal background and determine what audience would be a fit for you to speak to.
Is there a particular type of client that you attract? Is there a niche there? Are there preferences of who you don’t want to work with?
What causes do you care about? Where do you want to create awareness?
Where do you want to sell your books? Is there a particular industry? A business event? A metaphysical practice? In bookstores or in the back of the room at an event?
Now, think about your reader…who would you like to work with?
Do you want to speak? What does the event look like? Big or small?
Where do you excel and make a difference in the world? What are people coming to you for advice on?
Do you know your competition? If not, you’ll want to research this.
Can you identify what’s missing in your niche environment that no one has talked about yet? Where can you look and find the answer to “why has no one done that yet?”
Where can you narrow down your focus?
How can you bring something new to your audience? What are people talking about but not doing anything about?

Let me give you a high level overview of something that played out in my career back in the days I worked for Ford Motor Company. I became aware of these surveys or complaints that were coming into the call center over at Ford Credit. In the call center they were all logged and printed out in these huge 3-ring binders. They were all collected but no one was doing anything with them. I worked in the e-commerce area bringing the financial tools to the consumer on the website. I knew about these complaints and went over and asked a few of the experts working on the online credit applications team…”what are they key things people are looking for when they go to the website?” The first thing they told me was easy access to the credit application. I asked them to show me the website and where I go to apply for credit. A few pages scrolls and clicks in they found it for me. I said well…is there a reason it’s not on the main page? Hmmm…”not really” they said. I simply suggested that it be moved to the main page. Apparently this was brilliant and a majority of the calls in the call center went down because one of the main questions is where do I find the application. Pretty simple solution. Credit apps went up and calls down. A simple solution by just taking the time to learn what was actually happening and bridge the gaps.

The reason I share this story is that sometimes our niche is just being present to see a need then acting on creating a solution. If you can’t think of a focus…your niche is probably so present in front of you that you can’t even see it. Look around, we are surrounded by people with all sorts of pain points. When you find common things people are suffering through and you have found a way to engage them and solve their problems…and it matches your passion, purpose, and aligns with your business…boom—you’ve found your niche!

When you can really niche down on the topic of your book, and what you offer outside the book, competition is reduced…because you are an expert in that thing.

You see, small markets are competitive and it’s essential that you make a commitment to excellence and put your reader or target market first in your niche marketing strategy. You also need to know what your competitors are up to and pay attention to what people are saying about you and act quickly to make changes if needed.

You have to find the marketing channel that relates to your business to spread the word about what you do.


And just so we are clear…my niche? I like to help nonfiction business authors by helping them identify their strengths and not just write a book, but write a book with purpose that can be used as a tool to pivot into or strengthen the nature of their business…moving into online teaching and training for example. It’s about creating a tool for life, not a best-seller.

So, is this something you’re up for trying as you write? It can be tricky to come up with the right content and piece it all together for a book but a little bit tricker when you’re writing a book that serves as a business plan…not impossible, but it does require some strategic thinking. Have you got a niche in mind?

OK guys, some fun food for thought as you begin to define how and what you write going forward. I don’t know about you, but I’m always up for this kind of challenge.

If you need some help publishing your book…we have significantly lowered the price of the online book publishing program from $2495 to $495 because it’s our goal to keep you inspired during these challenging times. Swing on over to the store on our website for additional information and to sign up as this deal is only offered for a limited time!

Hope you’re off to a great start to your day and as always…wishing you peace, love, and light!