The Power of Getting Specific: Designing Services Around What Clients Actually Value

Jan 27

Getting clear on what your target market truly values changes everything for your RIA.

This exercise forces firms to move beyond assumptions and build service models that deliver real differentiation. When you understand what your niche clients genuinely want, need, and expect, you can design services that command premium fees and generate consistent referrals.

Why Specificity Matters

Generic service models appeal to everyone and differentiate from no one. When you try to serve every type of client, you end up with:

Marketing messages that sound like everyone else
Service offerings that lack distinctive value
Pricing pressure because clients see you as interchangeable
Referrals that are random rather than strategic

Specificity creates the opposite effect. When you know exactly what your target client values, you can build services that speak directly to their circumstances.

The Key Takeaway

Do not assume you know what your clients want. Ask them. Map it out. Then design your services around those answers.

This means:

Conducting formal or informal surveys with your best clients
Mapping out the specific challenges your niche faces
Identifying the moments that matter most in their financial lives
Designing touchpoints and services around those insights

This level of specificity is what separates growing niche-focused firms from generalist practices struggling to differentiate.

When clients see that you have built your entire practice around serving people exactly like them, premium pricing becomes justified and referrals flow naturally.

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