Here's something I say to almost every IEC I work with, and I'm going to say it to you now: if you're trying to market to everyone, you're marketing to no one.

I know. You've probably heard some version of this before. And I know the resistance that comes up when you really sit with it — what if I niche down and miss out on clients? What if narrowing my focus means turning people away?

I want to address all of that, because it's a real concern, and it deserves a real answer. But first, let me explain why marketing too broadly is one of the biggest things keeping IECs stuck — even the experienced ones who are great at what they do.

The Market Has Changed. Your Marketing Has to Change With It.

In 2007, or even 2012, you could open an IEC practice, put the word out that you helped students with college applications, and build a solid business. The market was smaller. There weren't as many IECs. Families who knew what an IEC was often didn't have a lot of local options.

That's not the world we're living in anymore.

There are approximately 25,000 IECs practicing today, and that number is growing. People are leaving corporate careers and the public school system to become IECs. The industry is getting more competitive every single cycle. And families — even the ones who aren't sure exactly what an IEC does — have options. They can shop around. They can compare. They can find someone who feels like a perfect fit for their specific situation.

If your marketing sounds like it's for everyone, it's going to feel like it's for no one. And families are going to keep scrolling until they find someone who speaks directly to them.

The Carpool Line Test

Let me give you a concrete example of what this actually looks like in practice.

Imagine a mom sitting in the carpool line, waiting to pick up her kid from school. She's scrolling Instagram, the way most of us do in those in-between moments. She comes across a post you wrote about how to write a strong college essay. It's good content. She saves it, maybe follows you, makes a mental note.

Then she scrolls a little further and sees a post from another IEC — one who specializes in helping students apply to performing arts programs. The post is specifically about what students applying to performing arts conservatories need to know about auditions and supplemental materials.

Her kid wants to study musical theatre.

Her reaction to that second post is completely different. It's not "oh, that's interesting" — it's "oh my god, this is exactly what I've been looking for." She's going to follow that account, save every post, and very likely reach out.

That's the difference between generic marketing and specific marketing. One is mildly interesting to a lot of people. The other is magnetic to exactly the right people.

"But I Don't Want to Turn Anyone Away"

This is the objection I hear most often, and I want to take it seriously for a second.

Niching down does not mean you can only ever work with one type of student. It doesn't mean you have to turn away a perfectly great family because they don't fit a very narrow description. What it means is that your marketing is focused — that your content, your website copy, and the way you talk about what you do is written for a specific type of person.

In practice, what happens when IECs get specific in their marketing is the opposite of what they're afraid of. They start attracting more of the clients they actually love working with. The families who find them feel like they've found exactly the right person. The conversations are easier because there's already alignment. And because they're working with students who are a great fit for their skills, the results are better — which means more referrals, stronger testimonials, and a reputation that compounds over time.

Specificity doesn't shrink your business. It focuses it in a way that actually makes it grow faster.

How to Find Your Niche (Even If You're Not Sure You Have One)

A lot of IECs I work with struggle with this because they genuinely do like working with a wide range of students. If that's you, here's where I'd start.

• Think about who you don't work with. Sometimes it's easier to define your edges by elimination. Are there types of students you're not equipped to help? Families that tend to be a bad fit for the way you work? Students pursuing areas that aren't your strength — performing arts, Division I athletics, highly specialized STEM programs? Start there.
• Think about the clients you've loved most. If you could have a whole caseload full of one type of student, what would that look like? What do those students have in common? Are they first-generation college students? Students with learning differences? High-achieving kids who are also under tremendous pressure from their families? Students applying internationally? What's the thread?
• Think about what you know really well. Some of the best IEC niches come from genuine expertise — a counselor who spent years working in a high school in a specific region, a former admissions officer from a particular type of institution, someone who has deep knowledge of a specific pathway like gap years or transfer applications. What do you know better than most people in your field?
• Think about geography. I have a client in Texas who specializes in helping families get into Texas schools — and if you know anything about the Texas higher education system, you know that is its own very specific and specialized thing. Regional expertise is a real and valuable niche.

Once you start to see the pattern in who you're best suited to serve, your marketing gets so much easier. Because instead of trying to write content that appeals to every possible family, you're writing for a specific person. You know what keeps them up at night. You know what questions they're asking. You know what they're scared of and what they're hoping for. And that makes everything — your website, your Instagram, your email newsletter, your sales calls — more effective.

Specificity in Practice: What This Looks Like in Your Marketing

Once you've identified your niche, here's how to let it do its work.

• Your content should speak directly to your specific client. Not just "tips for college applicants" — tips for the specific type of student you work with. One of my clients works primarily with student athletes, and she creates content that is very specifically about the recruiting process, eligibility timelines, and how to balance applications with athletic commitments. It performs really well — because it's for exactly the right person, and that person knows it immediately when they see it.
• Your website should reflect your focus. If someone lands on your site and can't tell within ten seconds who you work with and what makes you different from every other IEC, you're losing them. Your niche should be clear, specific, and front and center.
• Your sales calls will get easier. When the right families are finding you because your marketing speaks directly to them, you're going to walk into sales calls with way more alignment already built in. The family already feels like you're the right fit. You're not starting from zero and trying to convince them you understand their situation — they already believe you do.

A Note on the Word "Niche"

I know "niche" can feel like a constraint. It can feel like you're putting yourself in a box. But here's how I'd encourage you to think about it: your niche is not a cage, it's a magnet.

The IECs I work with who have gotten specific and leaned into a clear niche are the ones who fill their caseloads fastest, who charge the most for their services, and who have the most satisfaction in their work. Because they're doing what they're best at, for the families who are the best fit, and everyone in the relationship knows it.

If you're currently trying to be everything to everyone and wondering why your marketing feels like it's not working — this is very likely a significant part of why.

You Don't Have to Build Your IEC Business Alone

You're an expert in college admissions. But building a profitable IEC practice requires marketing strategy, sales systems, and structure — and that's a completely different skill set.

If you're serious about growing your business and getting clients consistently, the fastest path forward is following a proven system instead of guessing your way through it. You don't need another certification. You need better systems. And you can build this faster than you think.

Growth Generator is my six-month group coaching program built specifically for IECs. Inside, you'll get:

• A self-paced course with 70+ lessons, resources, and templates
• Weekly group coaching calls with me, mastermind-style
• Daily access to me and my team so nothing slows your momentum between calls
• A guaranteed return on your investment — if you don't see ROI in our six months together, I'll keep working with you until you do

If any part of this resonated, the next step is simple: watch a free video overview of how Growth Generator works and see if it's the right fit for where you are right now.

Watch the free video overview here.