Alex Bridgeman recently asked what niche publications his followers find most interesting.
I replied with one of my favorites that we receive at the office. And a snarky comment. It is Twitter, after all.
We talk about books we’ve read quite a bit. We’ve even talked about old academic papers. Niche trade publications are also part of our reading repertoire.
Why?
A few reasons.
We operate in niches. So we have to explore them and understand them. So, for example, I find portable toilet rental companies fascinating. Yet, we never made an acquisition. I did get a better understanding of an adjacent niche that we are in, roll-off dumpster rentals.
Diving deep into a niche grows the skill of seeing what matters in that business or industry.
Then when you start reading across many niches, you start to see trends. For years, I’ve heard people in every industry claim they are behind the technology curve. If everyone is behind the curve, then where’s the curve actually at?
Like everything, studying a new industry is a skill that gets better with practice. Learn their words for snow. Learn what the “snow” is for that industry. Find the BS-sellers and avoid them. Find the understated domain experts and follow them. Find those that are doing something unique in their niche, not those that claim to be maverick.
If you’re growing your business, what niches are you reading? Chime in on Alex’s thread.