Free tool · Niche Scorecard · about 20 minutes Score it before you commit.

Name your niche options and score each on six criteria. The page totals each option out of 30 as you type and tells you how to read it.

Six criteria

Totals out of 30

Three options

No sign-up

1 · Name up to three niche options

Option 1 (Option 1 name)Option 2 (Option 2 name)Option 3 (Option 3 name)

2 · Score option 1 from 1 (weak) to 5 (strong)

Pain: How urgent and costly is the problem? (Option 1 pain)Ability to pay: Can they pay your price, and do they have the authority? (Option 1 ability to pay)Reach: Can you reach them without a big ad budget? (Option 1 reach)Proof: Could you show two relevant results today? (Option 1 proof)Desire: Would you be glad if every enquiry came from here? (Option 1 desire)Clear space: Is the position open, or do others own the message? (Option 1 clear space)

3 · Score option 2 from 1 (weak) to 5 (strong)

Pain: How urgent and costly is the problem? (Option 2 pain)Ability to pay: Can they pay your price, and do they have the authority? (Option 2 ability to pay)Reach: Can you reach them without a big ad budget? (Option 2 reach)Proof: Could you show two relevant results today? (Option 2 proof)Desire: Would you be glad if every enquiry came from here? (Option 2 desire)Clear space: Is the position open, or do others own the message? (Option 2 clear space)

4 · Score option 3 from 1 (weak) to 5 (strong)

Pain: How urgent and costly is the problem? (Option 3 pain)Ability to pay: Can they pay your price, and do they have the authority? (Option 3 ability to pay)Reach: Can you reach them without a big ad budget? (Option 3 reach)Proof: Could you show two relevant results today? (Option 3 proof)Desire: Would you be glad if every enquiry came from here? (Option 3 desire)Clear space: Is the position open, or do others own the message? (Option 3 clear space)

A score is a hypothesis, not a verdict. Use only evidence you could defend, and test the winner for ninety days. Nothing you type leaves this page.

Your niche scorecard

Then test it

Test the weakest score. For your top option, take the lowest criterion and spend one week finding evidence: name the buyer who signs off, find fifty real companies, or write down two results you could show today. Rescore it.

The method is in The Brand Code: Niche Down or Stay Broad? The Question Is Wrong, How to Niche Down Your Business and The Niche Scorecard. Once you choose, write the sentence with the Positioning Statement Builder.

Questions

What is a niche scorecard?

A one-page comparison that scores each niche option from 1 to 5 on six criteria: pain, ability to pay, reach, proof, desire and clear space. The total out of 30 helps you choose which to test first.

What is a good score?

Between 25 and 30 is strong enough for a 90-day test. Between 19 and 24 is promising once the weakest criterion is fixed. Below 13, drop it.

How many options should I score?

Two or three. More than that tends to become a way of delaying the decision.

Can I weight the criteria?

Yes. If cash is tight, count ability to pay and reach double. Do the sums yourself and keep the weighting consistent across options.

Is my scorecard saved?

Only in your browser, on this device. Nothing is sent to us.

More free tools

All free tools

The Brand Code

One idea a day, free.

Mike Bruce writes on positioning, pricing and brand visibility three times a day. The Brief lands in your inbox at 07:30 Abuja time. No sales emails.

Subscribe to The Brand Code

Next step

A score tells you where to look.

A niche needs a position behind it. Find out which phase of your brand is weakest, or book thirty minutes with us.

Book a Brand Clarity Call All free tools