Why Can Trying to Reach Everyone Keep a YouTuber Small?

TL;DR

Trying to appeal to everyone can keep you small because it makes your work relevant to no specific audience. Brian Elliott recommends building around a deep, narrow niche and answering two questions: “Who’s it for?” and “What’s it for?” He argues that successful brands focus on particular people who will value, seek out, and recommend what they make. Read on for the Honda and Acura NSX examples behind this strategy.

Transcript

everyone in this video i'm going to tell you why having a deep narrow niche is the best way to make money and succeed in business i'm brian elliott welcome to another edition of behind the brand let's go in my production company business i meet with a lot of clients and we usually start with a creative brief one of the biggest problems i see is tha... Read More

Key Insights

• 👨‍💼 Knowing the specific niche and target audience is crucial for business success.
• 👻 Niching down allows businesses to stand out and create a strong connection with their customers.
• ❓ Successful brands like Honda and Tesla have embraced niching down to attract dedicated followers.
• 👨‍💼 Niching down enables businesses to tailor their products and services to meet the specific needs of their target market.
• 🍗 Being relevant to a specific audience is more effective than trying to appeal to everyone.
• 👨‍💼 Understanding which business you're truly in is essential for success.
• ❓ Niching down requires focusing on a minimum viable audience.

Questions & Answers

Q: What YouTuber mistake can keep you small?

Trying to make broadly appealing content for everyone can leave it meaningful to no particular audience. Brian Elliott recommends choosing a deep, narrow niche and getting specific about the people you want to reach.

Q: Why is a deep, narrow niche valuable?

A narrow niche lets you focus on some people and make something they find especially valuable. Those people may open your emails, call you, wait to see you at a booth, and tell their friends.

Q: What two questions help define a niche?

Seth Godin’s two questions are “Who’s it for?” and “What’s it for?” They clarify whom you seek to change and what purpose your work serves.

Q: Why must creators and businesses know what business they are really in?

Knowing the underlying business shapes what you prioritize and how you grow. The example from The Founder says the company was not really in the burger business but in the real estate business.

Q: What happens when you create average work for average people?

The message becomes less specific, and the work can slide toward pleasing everyone. Elliott argues that this approach does not work for building or growing an important new brand.

Q: How can focusing on some people create word-of-mouth growth?

The goal is to make particular people so happy to hear from you that they actively engage. When the offer strongly fits them, they may tell their friends, who then tell more friends.

Q: How does Honda illustrate the challenge of brand identity?

Elliott says Honda is known for selling many reliable Honda Accords while also having a race-inspired side. He describes Acura as a brand that still struggles somewhat with its identity and uses the Acura NSX to explore that tension.

Q: What makes the Acura NSX distinctive in Brian Elliott’s example?

Elliott says the first Acura NSX came out in 1990. He describes a later NSX as a $160,000, twin-turbo 3.5-liter V6 with all-wheel drive, combining smoothness and sophistication with supercar performance and technology.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Clients often struggle to identify their niche and target audience, which hinders their success in business.

• Being specific and focused on a particular niche allows businesses to create products and services that truly resonate with their target market.

• Examples of successful niching down include Honda's innovative approach to automotive branding and Tesla's ability to attract a dedicated group of early adopters.