The Narrow Specialist · also called category niching
how do I stand out when everyone offers the same service
The narrow specialist gets known, trusted, and paid not for being broadly skilled but for being narrower and stranger than everyone else in the category — the one who only restores one bike model, only handles one kind of case, only does one thing obsessively well. Breadth makes you replaceable; a specific obsession makes you the only call.
Nobody seeks out the guy who does a little bit of everything. They seek out the one who does one strange thing better than anyone.
What to do about it
Pick the one sliver of what you do that you could plausibly become the known name for, and spend this month making that sliver public and specific instead of advertising everything you can do.
Books that work on this
Each is a 90-day programme. Start with the first — later books assume the work in the earlier ones.
The Mind Reset Blueprint$6.99
Stop Overthinking Now$6.99
The Voice Is LyingComing soon
Clear The StaticComing soon
The Two AM SpiralComing soon
Kill The LoopComing soon
Rewire The StoryComing soon
The Phone HostageComing soonPart of the Mind Reset series.
How people say it
Nobody looks this up by its clinical name. These are the ways it actually gets said.
- should I specialize in one thing or stay a generalist
- how do I stand out when everyone offers the same service
- why does the guy who only does one weird thing get more business than me
- becoming known for one specific niche instead of general skills
- how narrow should my specialty be to get noticed
- generalist vs specialist for building a reputation
- how do I become the only person people call for something
Written by Brian Spiker, who has run Spiker Carpet and Tile Care since 2013 — the receipts. More terms in the encyclopedia.