The choice over being a generalist or a specialist is a tough one.

For many businesses that don’t actively pursue a field, the default position is to be a jack of all trades because they don’t make a choice. You get pulled in all sorts of directions by clients and you follow. Normally you follow the money, wherever it is at the time. It is a short term solution.  In some ways you end up getting good at a variety of things, but you are seen as great at none (even if you ARE great…).

I remember meeting a guy at a business breakfast a few years ago and he had a business card with a business description on each side. One was for his role as a small business tax specialist. One was for his role as a MLM in acai berry juice. I wondered if you went to him for tax advice if you would have to sit through “the plan” at the end. (And would you get billed for that time?) . Perhaps he was an excellent accountant and perhaps he was an excellent multilevel marketer. If I needed either, I would probably search elsewhere and find someone that knew what they were.

Here’s part 1 and part 2 of an article I wrote on this for Other Side Up.

Nicheing part 1 OSU

Nicheing part 2

Filed under: Marketing

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