Niche: finding or creating one?

Many people talk about it as if it was an essential thing. The definition of a niche is, in reality, a gap in the market that no one else is able to fill. It can exist on either side of the coin, on the product being sold or on the service being provided. It can be a niche for the unique product, for which there is no pair, or for the service which specialises in one very particular part of a certain industry.

Regular exercises pointing to particular niches feel like good practice. It is expected that every time we do that, we'll come up with new perspectives of the industry and fresh ideas to improve it (therefore a "niche"). The services we provide can be so varied that it can serve the world. I love that. It never gets boring and you actually expand your knowledge.

People think finding a niche is such a big deal. Sometimes there might even not be one at the start. We can possibly start narrowing it down by what’s literally closer to our hearts. I suppose we can just start by looking around and breaking it down into smaller things that we use and like. Describing a product/service we are really happy about will make it easier for us to find arguments to defend/promote it.

In the same way as when we are happy with the company we work for we “dress their shirt”, as we would say in Portuguese. We’ll promote its culture, its atmosphere, and its ethics. When a product/service pleases us, fulfils a use or a need we even see past minor faults or “glitches” because of that major benefit.

Now, creating a niche, that’s a whole other story. Although it may sound dodgy and forceful, many times it really isn’t. It’s much about the psychology of the customers. The thing we all have needs we dismiss or don’t know about until that point when we come across that one product that someone has thought of that we think: “Hum, that’s pretty clever! I could use that…” That is a pretty neat skill.

I wouldn't mind betting that most times, the individual(s) that come up with these good ideas are not marketing or sales professionals, they are people, users, customers, and CLIENTS. Who else could be more certified to tell us which niche to serve or create?