In a few days I will leave New York City.
At least until next weekend.
Then back in NYC for an exciting time.
But on Monday I will take the bus back to New Jersey. Or maybe I will take the train. Either way, I will travel via 1 means of dependable transport to get from Point A to Point B.
If I take the bus or train I will travel with New Jersey Transit. This company does 1 thing: transport folks via bus or rail. This company does not dabble in the food services business. Nor does NJ Transit attempt to own newspapers. Nor does the company own a chain of dry cleaners.
NJ Transit devotes all of their attention and energy to doing 1 thing: transit. Naturally, this company does transit well. Really well.
All because NJ Transit has mastered the concept of specialization.
I filmed a super short, 1 minute video explaining how you can build your blogging profits by getting clear on being a specialist:
Imagine if NJ Transit tried opening a chain of restaurants? What does traveling to and from New Jersey have to do with restaurants? Nothing. Fail. This would confuse customers who sought a transportation specialist, not a business generalist, and naturally, sales would drop the moment this company went from specialist to generalist.
I made the dingbatish mistake of attempting to cover multiple niches on my old blog. Since humans seek specialists – not generalists – I struggled to make ends meet. I had muted success. Because if someone wanted a blogging tips expert they would visit Pro Blogger versus seeking my advice.
How could I know blogging better than the folks at Pro Blogger? These folks devoted all of their time and energy to learning and teaching blogging. I devoted a little time and energy to learning and teaching blogging, a little time and energy to making money online, and a little time and energy to about 10 other niches during lean years.
You can’t be a jack of all trades in the blogging game. People will seek out specialist advice. Not generalist advice. Because where your attention and energy goes, grows. Meaning that if you devote all of your attention and energy to one niche, that niche will grow quickly for you, as will your blog, your readership and your profits.
Readers seek experts. Readers seek authorities. Readers seek specialists. Readers ignore generalists.
Do one thing online. Blog on one topic. Do it well.
Clarity
It takes establishing clarity to do 1 thing well and to do it persistently enough to make money with it. This is no joke, this specialist bit, because you need to let go all other niches you covered on your blog until one remains.
When I trashed my old blog I had to get clear on covering 1 niche: the blogging tips niche. I had to let go topics like making money online, self help, personal development, the law of attraction, home business tips and a few other select niches I attached to. I had to stop being a generalist. I had to be a specialist.
The Joy Of Increased Earnings
I just sold another audio book a few minutes ago. Feels good. I sold the audio book because one of my readers saw me as an expert in my niche. I bought into covering a single niche. My reader bought into me buying into that niche.
See how it works? You get clear on tackling one niche. Your readers can feel your clarity and see you as a specialist or go to blogger in that niche, as you practice writing and develop your name in the niche.
Your Turn
Have you let go the generalist approach to blogging? Are you a specialist? Have you noticed an increase in your earnings since becoming a specialist versus when you were a generalist?