Finding your niche in the ever-growing cosmetology industry can be crucial in separating yourself from the pack and standing out in the field. Narrowing your focus onto a specific portion of the industry can allow you to shine even brighter by highlighting your particular talent areas.
Whether you’re fighting for a chair at your favorite salon or you’re opening your own salon, having a niche is essential! Having too broad a spectrum of services can negatively impact your business. The saying “Jack of all trades, master of none” is a saying for a reason. Narrowing your focus can help direct the interested clients to your business.
While that all sounds great, how do you actually go about finding and committing to your niche?
Find Your Passion
Finding your passion within the industry is much bigger than just what you’re “good” at. Passion comes from where you find art, expression, creativity, and peace. Do you love the creativity you get to express while styling hair? Or maybe the ability to transform with makeup artistry? Maybe it’s the little details to focus on when it comes to nails. Which aspect of the industry sparks your flames and keeps them burning?
Outside Experiences
So you’ve done some soul-searching and narrowed your passions but still can’t quite put your finger on it. Now it’s time for some outside experiences. Attend seminars and conventions. Watch TED talks. Immerse yourself in that section of the industry and see if the spark is still there. If you attend a seminar on hair styling and find yourself bored and checked out, maybe that’s not the niche for you (even if it is the one you get the best grades in). If you find yourself deeply interested in a two-hour TED talk about skincare maybe that is the direction you should follow. It will feel right! Trust yourself a little – you got yourself this far!
Explore the Market
Now that you’ve narrowed your niche, it’s time to explore the market. Determining a location where you would like to grow your business is a good start. Searching for what other salons are offering in the area can help determine if that area is oversaturated and you’d be better off a city or two over. This can also help narrow niches down if the location is the deal breaker. Searching the market to see what is lacking in the area could assist in the process.
Market! Market! Market!
Now that you’ve narrowed your niche, it’s time to market yourself and your services. If you are an esthetician, then you need to be marketing to people seeking skincare services, not a haircut or a manicure, and vice versa. Use images and strategies geared toward your specialty to help guide potential clients to your business. Your previous scouting of the competition in the area can help you adapt your marketing strategies to assist you in standing out.