Just the mention of it makes many online marketers squirm. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Picking a niche can be both a fun and productive way to learn about yourself. I’ve run into this problem myself, so allow me to share some tips and techniques that helped me Overcome.

First and foremost take action. Any action is better than sitting still. What do I mean by this? Let’s say you think you might want to market to the home gym niche. You know a lot about home gyms. You have one yourself. What’s holding you back is a fear of the unknown. Your not 100% sure that the home gym niche is right for you. You are afraid that you might invest a lot of time and resources into the home gym niche and discover that you don’t like it.

There is only one way to find out. Try. Every single time take action you gain experience. You build skills that will only make you more effective. So keep that in mind, even something as simple as starting a small adwords campaign targeted at people interested in home gyms counts as taking action That is something you can do today!

Now about picking the niche itself. Keep in mind that a niche is nothing more than a group of people who are all interested in the same thing. Fly fishing is a niche. So are video games. Start by doing a brainstorming session. Write or type a list of things you are good at. Include your hobbies. Also list obstacles you have overcome in your life. Have you learned a foreign language? Restored a vintage motorcycle? Great. Write that all down. Consult family and friends and ask them what they consider you to be good at.

Now you have a list in front of you; it’s time to narrow it down. For example lets say you wrote down “motorcycles” as an interest. Motorcycles are a very broad niche. There are dirt bikes, crusiers, sport bikes, racers and many more. You don’t want to market to the “motorcycles” group. It’s too big. Target a section or slice that you personally know a lot about. If you are into restoring vintage bikes that could become your targeted niche. Target your marketing at those people. You could narrow the group down even more by selecting a certain model of motorcycle and people who are interested in restoring them.

Remember it’s not enough to know a lot about a subject. You have to be excited about it. It doesn’t matter if you are experienced buying used cars. If you detest doing it then it is a poor choice for you as a marketing niche. You need enthusiasm and energy to drive your efforts and without them you will not go far.

Always focus on helping the group of people you are focused on. Bond with them. Provide useful information. Market relevant products that you’ve used yourself. If you choose the vintage motorcycle niche think about what helped you get better at it. Was there a certain book you bought? Rally you attended? If so make sure your list knows about it. Focus on helping your subscribers realize their dreams and goals your own success will follow.

Victor Grosser