The United States is full of health and wellness businesses and professionals. If you want people to remember you and your business, you can’t be just another interchangeable health club, dietitian, chiropractor, or personal trainer. Customers must perceive you as special, not as someone who can be easily replaced based on availability and price.
So the question becomes: How can our business stand out? How can you carve out a niche where you’ll be valued for our special expertise, knowledge and approach?
Consider the difference between these statements:
| General Descriptions “I’m a personal trainer. I work with everyone.” “Our health club serves the entire community.” “I’m a dietitian.” “Our wellness center focuses on women.” |
Niche Descriptions “I’m an expert in helping people with back problems regain fitness.” “Our health club specializes in family-oriented healthy living programs.” “I’m a specialist in helping women manage their post-pregnancy weight.” “Our wellness center serves working women with young families.” |
| Typical Reactions “Too general, everyone does that.” “They sound desperate for any business they can get.” “Are they new?” |
Typical Reactions “They really sound like experts.” “I’ll keep this business card.” “I could use this service.” “I know folks who need this.” |
Can you see a pattern?
Your wellness business needs to define its business niche.
Defining Your Niche
There’s an old saying, “jack of all trades, master of none.” The problem with saying your business serves all needs is that your prospective customers will see you as a commodity: a generalist, not a specialist, the same as everyone else, and not particularly good at any one thing.
Here are some ideas for defining a niche your wellness business can exploit to establish itself as a go-to resource.
Where you work
In other words, your geographic location. Country, state, county, city, district or neighborhood, etc.
Who you serve
The clients you focus on. Older adults, obese children, golfers, women with eating disorders, professional athletes, office workers, brides, construction workers, business travelers, etc.
The industry you work in
High-tech, travel, tourism, manufacturing, restaurants, financial services, real estate, etc.
Your professional specialty
Physical fitness, nutrition, nursing, psychology, chiropractic, pain management, rehab, stress management, weight management, etc.
When you work
24×7, for certain life events (pregnancy or after surgery, for example), normal business hours, weekends only, etc.
The problems you solve
How to raise healthy kids, obesity, back and knee pain, chronic disease management (diabetes, for example), sports performance, general stamina, staying healthy as people age, etc.
The way you solve problems
Products, workshops, one-on-one counseling, books, audio, class instruction, etc.
The language you work in
English, Spanish, American Sign Language, etc.
How you work
Face-to-face, by telephone, via e-mail, one-on-one, in small groups, in large groups., etc.
Examples
- Daoud is a personal trainer in Des Moines who specializes in working with adults with back pain.
- SunWorksWellness Center specializes in programs for women with chronic health conditions like fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome.
- FamilyHealth is an integrative medicine provider that specializes in whole-family whole-body healthy living through an Internet-based community message board and newsletter.
- Sarah is an acupuncturist who specializes in complementing acupuncture with nutritional therapies.
- WellHealth is a lifestyle change center in the Midwest based on an innovative team-based approach to client care.
- Meredith’s business manufactures employee health management software designed specifically to comply with HIPAA privacy requirements while providing aggregated reporting for employers.
Developing each lead takes effort. If you don’t focus your effort on your best qualified leads — the ones with a specific need that isn’t being met by someone else, you’ll be spending valuable time chasing prospects who see you as no different from the next guy, unable to solve a specific problem, and not worth the extra time, money, or effort.
