Do I only photograph women in business? No, I don't, BUT marketing like I do makes targeting my dream clients easy. 

It took me 4 years to find a niche that truly resonated and sat right with me. I started as an "everything" photographer, mostly families, because that's the easiest way to get bookings as a new photographer. But I'd do a bit of everything, and I'd say yes to anything!

When you do a bit of everything, it means you have to speak to everyone.

I don't mean literally — but in your business messaging.

You'd think speaking to everyone would be easy.. covering your bases, broadening your audience, increasing your chances of getting booked, right?

It wasn't like that for me. And, I mean, I've never been good at marketing anyway, so maybe it's a reflection of that. However, since I narrowed down my niche and dreamed up my ideal client, I've had more success. I know that I am becoming known as a personal brand photographer for women; and that's exactly what I aim to be.

Let's debunk some thoughts you might have about having such a narrow audience.

1. "I'll miss out on bookings if I niche down too much."

This is the biggest fear, right? Limiting your options feels risky when you're building a business. But here's what actually happens: the quality of your clients increases. The people that reach out, engage and book with you are the right fit. They understand and relate to your brand messaging, they have realistic expectations of what you offer, and they are more appreciative of getting to work with you. And, you still get people from outside your niche booking too — because at the end of the day, they know you know how to use a camera! (Or insert whatever tool it is that you use!)

2. "People will assume I don't work outside of my niche".

Sure, some might — but that's kind of the point. You're filtering out the enquiries that don't align with your brand goals; thus, the bookings you have and the content that comes from that, feeds into your messaging and helps to attract even more of your dream clients. It allows you to keep providing social proof and building credibility within your niche; helping you become known for what you do.

3. "It's limiting to focus on one type of client".

It's actually not. You become much more clear on who you're speaking to. You come to know them, their needs, their challenges, their hobbies and interests. You know how to communicate with them, and can communicate consistently across your marketing, without having to wonder who it is you're speaking too today. This makes planning your content so much easier, because you already know exactly who you're making it for!

Here's a few things I've noticed since niching down.

• Showing up online has become 10x easier — generating ideas, planning, and creating content has become so much more simple for me. Take a look at my Instagram since July last year, as your example (that's when I niched down). I'm finally feeling satisfied with the way I present my brand online, my work and messaging is consistent and as a result, even coming up with ideas has been much more natural and intuitive.
• Less bookings — hmm.. seems weird to tell you this, doesn't it? But really, because the type of work I offer is much more specific, I lost a lot of those family and maternity bookings that I used to get. However, the work I now offer, costs more, so while I get less bookings, it balances out. This allows me to nurture the client relationships I have more actively, and the work I do requires a lot more planning than I've ever needed to do before. AND, the clients I work with, fill my cup! #qualityoverquantity
• Feeling aligned and less nervous — I used to feel SO anxious before a shoot, I mean, I still do, but it has reduced significantly. I feel excited, organised, and head into my shoot with a clear mind and eagerness to get to know the person in front of me. I walk away from each shoot and know this is exactly what I want to do.
• Becoming an expert — tooting my own horn a bit here, but why not!? Niching down has made me learn A LOT, but also, made me realise I already actually knew a lot. It's given me confidence to share my knowledge with other women, and because I'm keeping my focus on one thing, I've got so much more opportunity to build my expertise within one particular area. This is amazing for building my personal brand, because I can become known as an expert in my field and open myself up to opportunities that might not have happened otherwise.

So, is niching down scary? Yep. Is it worth it? Absolutely.

I know how tempting it is to keep your options open, especially when you’re just starting out. But honestly? Getting clear on who I want to serve and what kind of work lights me up has been the best move I’ve made in my business.

Even if you don't feel a particular need to "niche down" in your work, getting clear on who you're speaking to when you're posting or showing up online will be so beneficial for your biz, and for you too.

And a closing tip: you can still say yes to things that don't align with your niche — let's be real, none of us are saying no to money right now — but if it doesn't align with your brand, you can just choose to not share it online. Or, if you do, keep it in a temporary post like an Instagram Story rather than in your feed.

Chat soon!

Shan / Personal Branding Photographer

Specialising in empowering personal branding photography for women in business

Giving you the confidence to show up online