One of the biggest mistakes I see on LinkedIn (and in business generally) is businesses refusing to niche down because “I can help everyone” (= you get no one).
Refusing to niche down is a safe play, but it will be quietly killing your pipeline.
On LinkedIn, generalists may get likes and impressions, but specialists get clients, especially when they use Sales Navigator to identify the niche most likely to buy. 😊
What is niching
Niching is a strategy of targeting and serving a specific group.
It is not just about demographics like “salespeople” or “founders”; it is about identifying a lived reality.
You niche by identity, language, and culture, not just job titles and other search metrics.
Finding the right people is important, don’t get me wrong, but it is so much more than this.
💡The ideal niche to choose is the one you have personal experience of, or better still, where you have come from. If this is not possible, do your research.
Why is it important
When you’re engaging with potential buyers on LinkedIn, your buyers are constantly running a subliminal equation in their heads.
They are weighing up the likelihood of the outcome you offer, the value of the outcome, and the risk of working with you.
Broad positioning increases risk because they cannot see themselves in your message.
Niching down and becoming more specific removes uncertainty for people already looking, especially when you can back this up with social proof of your delivery.
When you’re vague, six things happen.
You dilute your message, so people aren’t clear what you do.
You look like a jack‑of‑all‑trades, and not a trusted specialist.
Increases sales cycles because prospects stay uncertain longer
Lowers conversion rates because nobody feels truly seen.
You invite shopping around because you haven’t defined your unique edge.
Keeps pricing lower because you are not the obvious, risk‑free choice.
On LinkedIn, niching makes every activity more effective and, with LinkedIn’s 360brew algorithm, makes everything more specific and relevant for the group you want to reach.
Your profile, your content, and your messaging should speak to your unique audience so they resonate and hit harder and faster.
Your Sales Navigator searches and strategies identify and engage with higher-intent buyers.
Your messaging and calls feel warmer because prospects already believe “you get me.”
The end result is reduced competition, increased relevance, and potentially higher prices because of the specialised nature of the service.
💡If your conversion rate is low, chances are you aren’t bad at sales; you haven’t niched down enough.
How to niche
1. Skills, Pain and Credibility
What skills do you have?
What is the one skill in particular you excel at?
Does this skill solve a problem that people are willing to pay for?
Who has enough pain (money, time, energy, stress) that they want to pay solve it? Be specific.
Do you have enough evidence (wins and case studies) of having helped this specific audience solve this problem?
💡Make sure you can reliably reach this audience on LinkedIn and actually enjoy serving them? If not, start again.
2. Mirror their language
Collect the actual phrases they use, like “book more qualified calls” or “shorten sales cycles.”
Note their technical terms, KPIs, and tools, then include them in your profile, content and conversation.
Avoid vague and overused words that are ‘relevant to all’, and actually relevant for no one.
💡When you can identify and explain your niche’s problem better than they can, you will win their trust.
3. Understand their culture and rules
What feels normal, risky, or disrespectful in their world?
What platforms do they hang out on, and which formats do they trust most?
Align with their norms on your profile, your content, offers, and outreach.
💡Blend in, or stick out like a sore thumb!
4. Validate by talking to people, not just theorising
Assume your first niche hypothesis is wrong or incomplete.
Book calls, ask questions, and listen for repeated phrases and emotional spikes.
Update your niche based on real conversations, not private brainstorming, or AI.
💡 A simple test to use: do they instantly think “this is exactly for me?”
Conclusion
Niching is not shrinking your opportunities; it is sharpening your focus on those you are best suited to serve.
You are not closing doors. You are optimising your strategy to focus on the prospects that will be most profitable, rewarding and easier to convert.
Niching isn’t easy; I’ve learned this the hard way. But when you get niching right, everything accelerates.
Your content lands, DMs convert, calls feel natural, and LinkedIn finally becomes a predictable pipeline.
Refusing to niche feels safer in the moment, but it is the most expensive risk you are taking.
Which part of niching feels scariest for you right now: choosing the people, choosing the problem, or committing publicly on LinkedIn?
How to Niche and Why Not Doing So Costs You
How to Niche and Why Not Doing So Costs You
One of the biggest mistakes I see on LinkedIn (and in business generally) is businesses refusing to niche down because “I can help everyone” (= you get no one).
Refusing to niche down is a safe play, but it will be quietly killing your pipeline.
On LinkedIn, generalists may get likes and impressions, but specialists get clients, especially when they use Sales Navigator to identify the niche most likely to buy. 😊
What is niching
Niching is a strategy of targeting and serving a specific group.
It is not just about demographics like “salespeople” or “founders”; it is about identifying a lived reality.
You niche by identity, language, and culture, not just job titles and other search metrics.
Finding the right people is important, don’t get me wrong, but it is so much more than this.
💡The ideal niche to choose is the one you have personal experience of, or better still, where you have come from. If this is not possible, do your research.
Why is it important
When you’re engaging with potential buyers on LinkedIn, your buyers are constantly running a subliminal equation in their heads.
They are weighing up the likelihood of the outcome you offer, the value of the outcome, and the risk of working with you.
Broad positioning increases risk because they cannot see themselves in your message.
Niching down and becoming more specific removes uncertainty for people already looking, especially when you can back this up with social proof of your delivery.
When you’re vague, six things happen.
On LinkedIn, niching makes every activity more effective and, with LinkedIn’s 360brew algorithm, makes everything more specific and relevant for the group you want to reach.
Your profile, your content, and your messaging should speak to your unique audience so they resonate and hit harder and faster.
Your Sales Navigator searches and strategies identify and engage with higher-intent buyers.
Your messaging and calls feel warmer because prospects already believe “you get me.”
The end result is reduced competition, increased relevance, and potentially higher prices because of the specialised nature of the service.
💡If your conversion rate is low, chances are you aren’t bad at sales; you haven’t niched down enough.
How to niche
1. Skills, Pain and Credibility
💡Make sure you can reliably reach this audience on LinkedIn and actually enjoy serving them? If not, start again.
2. Mirror their language
💡When you can identify and explain your niche’s problem better than they can, you will win their trust.
3. Understand their culture and rules
💡Blend in, or stick out like a sore thumb!
4. Validate by talking to people, not just theorising
💡 A simple test to use: do they instantly think “this is exactly for me?”
Conclusion
Niching is not shrinking your opportunities; it is sharpening your focus on those you are best suited to serve.
You are not closing doors. You are optimising your strategy to focus on the prospects that will be most profitable, rewarding and easier to convert.
Niching isn’t easy; I’ve learned this the hard way. But when you get niching right, everything accelerates.
Your content lands, DMs convert, calls feel natural, and LinkedIn finally becomes a predictable pipeline.
Refusing to niche feels safer in the moment, but it is the most expensive risk you are taking.
Which part of niching feels scariest for you right now: choosing the people, choosing the problem, or committing publicly on LinkedIn?
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