Freelancers: Find Your Niche— Or Diversify?
Bear with me as I think out loud.
I recently made my 2008 Goals for my business, which can be viewed here.
I have every intention of following through on every last one of these goals. I am a very ambitious and goal-oriented person, and have no doubt that the majority of these will be crossed off by September (when I am tentatively scheduled to begin my Master’s in Professional Writing at MSU).
Upon looking at my goals, or if you don’t, either way, please note that I’ve diversified, instead of ‘niched.’ (Is that a word?) I include goals for all kinds of writing that I’m good at (and no goals for writing that I’m NOT good at!) This brings me into three or four different fields and types of freelancing.
I hear a lot about “diversifying” when it comes to retirement portfolios/stocks/etc, the theory being that if the bottom falls out of one market, you’re covered with another. Sort of like the “don’t put all your eggs in one basket” theory.
Honestly, I’m not sure I want to niche. This goes along with my thinking on getting out of freelancing- it would take a lot for one employer to have me all the time. A lot of this has to do with the fact that I am easily bored, I believe. I need a lot of challenges and a lot of stimulation to be happy. Working for one employer, unless it was absolutely my perfect dream job, would probably take a toll on me. Working in one lone field or niche would probably get to me eventually, too.
I am continuing to think on this subject, as I know the benefits of working a niche, too.
January 30th, 2008 at 7:30 am
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