Go Broad Or Go Niche?

Guest Contributor: Michelle Rumney
Michelle's Posts - Michelle's Blog

This summer I've given a lot of thought to what type of Mastermind Groups I'd like to start or become involved in over the coming months. The question is, is it better to be in a general business group to reach the widest possible range of people, or is it better to narrow down the focus entirely and have specialised groups in particular niches?

Well, that depends mainly on what the purpose of the group is. It's so important when you join or start a group to know why you're joining or starting it. If you don't have a purpose or vision statement for your group, you may find that after 3 or 4 meetings, everyone's just turning up for the coffee - it better be good! Eventually, those who have better things to do will go off and do them and you'll lose the heart of your powerful mastermind.

So between you as a group, make sure you write a short paragraph about what your group's purpose is and read it out loud at the start of every session.

Keep on purpose!

Meanwhile, back to the question of to niche or not to niche. Well, this week, with all that new moon and new season energy around, I'm starting two new mastermind groups - one for photographers and one for writers. The writers want to improve their writing skills and the professional photographers want help with marketing and business development. These are pretty specific groups, niches even. As a coach, it's fairly straightforward for me to prepare some specific exercises and workshop-type activities to get the energy flowing at the beginning.

But will these groups be wide enough to really engage with the spirit of the mastermind, where diversity and difference all adds to the name of the game?

I'm trusting of course that it will - among the writers, there are those that have their work already published and those that are starting from scratch, there are playwrights, novelists, historians and new bloggers... everyone has a unique story and, going back to the group purpose, of course everyone can improve their writing skills, whatever their current level.

The photographers are more of a concern - with their aim of getting help with marketing and business development, even though, like the writers they all have a unique personal story, there's the danger that they will all be at a similar level in their businesses. How many already-successful-in-business photographers are likely to join a group that offers help in making a photography business successful? By defining the group purpose as it is, the ceiling of possibility is already invisibly capped.

What's needed here is a redefined purpose for the group so that it will attract the widest range of experience and diversity among its members as possible. Move the goalposts so that they are a far enough stretch for the people you want to attract and hopefully everyone will benefit.

What are your own experiences of the range within your mastermind groups?
Do you find the broader ones more engaging, or the specialist ones, where common problems are faced?

What have been your negative experiences, if any, within the groups you've been part of?

What have been your most valuable experiences, and what do you think was the most important dynamic within that group?

Please post your comments below...

Thanks, Michelle