“It’s a domino effect when you specialize. Most weeks I work 25 hours, and I pay myself six figures and have five employees.”
^ Daniela Furtado is the embodiment of a “niching down” success story as service-based business founder.
Three years ago (when we first met), she founded Findable Digital Marketing, an SEO consultancy for the design and build industry. Recently, she’s ventured into a second niche focusing on cannabis retailers.
What’s fueled her rapid ascension? Her laser-sharp focus on specialization.
That’s why I wanted to interview her about THIS hot topic in the service-based business world: 🔥 Niching down. Particularly, by industry.
Here are her hot takes:
1. Diving deep cultivates passion.
You don’t get bored serving the same industry over and over again, even if it’s one of those “boring” industries (e.g. the house painters and builders Daniela works with).
Daniela thinks that as you go DEEPER into an industry, people trust you more, look to your to solve bigger problems, and your passion actually expands.
>> “Your passion for it grows as you being understand these types of clients so much more deeply. They open up to you so much more, and they show you more what’s going on in their business or emotionally.”
2. Niches evolve: you’re never stuck.
Choosing an industry niche isn’t a one-off decision that you check off your to-do list; just like everything else, it’s always evolving.
I think this is psychologically helpful for those who are dabbling with the idea of niching by industry but feel overwhelmed by how HUGE a decision it feels, thinking, “Can I really just ‘niche down’ right now… and then … boom? I’m stuck with it forever?”
Daniela’s niche has evolved, shifted, and gotten narrower over time. And it probably will change further still.
>> “Choosing a niche is not a project that you do for six months and then it’s done; it is an approach to business that you constantly live and breathe in and work on.”
3. Niche audiences with simple needs could lead to big rewards.
Don’t discount niche target audiences that aren’t glamorous or complex.
Daniela initially overlooked cannabis retailers, assuming they weren’t sophisticated enough to require extensive SEO. She was wrong.
>> “Then I thought, wow, I had been completely neglecting this target customer because I thought they were so simple and unsophisticated, and I was above them. Meanwhile, they have this deep need and I can very simply solve their problem.”
4. Niching down streamlines scaling.
➡️ You can standardize, cutting down on customized client work that takes longer…
- Offers/packages
- Pricing
- Processes
>> “I think cookie cutter is fantastic. It puts people at ease. Of course we adapt for each client, but there’s a very clear process so it becomes easier to sell a very clear pitch.”
➡️ You can hire efficiently and eliminate learning curves…
- Contractors who understand the industry already
- Employees with a passion for the industry
>> “It also becomes easier to hire the right talent and to onboard them. It’s much easier and faster.”
➡️ You can market effortlessly by tapping into the industry ecosystem your clients are swimming in…
- Speaking at industry-focused events and conferences
- Targeted SEO and ad strategies
- Smart thought-leadership in industry publications
>> “It all becomes easier to market. I know what kind of content to create. I know when I’m pitching to podcasts, conferences, magazines — I know who to pitch too and what to say in my pitch. I know what keywords and hashtags to go after….”
Connect with Daniela on LinkedIn, here. Or check out her new venture, Cannabis Marketing School.
