Find Your Niche

A successful marketing strategy requires focusing on prospects likely to be interested in your products or services. It's easy to get caught up in the excitement of reaching out to everyone you can think of, but that approach rarely works.

If you want your marketing to provide the best ROI (Return on Investment), you need to focus on marketing strategies that are likely to be successful.

Identify whom you want to reach and narrow your target audience. 

A story to explain my point

I attended a networking event in Derby several years ago and met many interesting people. Among them was a woman who was starting a cookie company. Those cookies go well with coffee or a tall glass of cold milk. (Sorry, an old favourite!)

These were not your typical double chocolate cookies but dairy-free ones for those who cannot digest dairy products. It sounded like a fantastic idea to me.

"Who will you market your cookies to?" I inquired.

"Everyone," she said.

"There are over 70 million people in the UK; could you supply everyone?" I asked.

She responded, "Err... no!"

"How many people in the UK have lactose intolerance?" I asked.

"Oh, about one in ten," she replied quickly.

"OK, could you supply 7 million customers?" I asked. The answer was no.

I was getting to the point now. "Derbyshire has a population of around 800,000 people, which means that there are approximately 80,000 people who are lactose intolerant. Rather than marketing to everyone, target the 80,000 lactose intolerant people in Derbyshire."

Niche Marketing Benefits

Niche marketing focuses on a specific group of prospects rather than trying to appeal to everyone.

By focusing on a specific group of people, you can create a product or service that meets their needs and has the potential for success in your target market.

There are many benefits of niche marketing, including:

- You'll spend less money on advertising

- You'll have an easier time reaching your target audience

- You'll be able to offer more value to your target audience

- Your business will be more sustainable

- Clients will seek you out; now that would be nice!

This strategy benefits businesses because you can reach a larger target audience than you would if you were marketing to everyone. In addition, niche marketing helps you build better relationships with your customers by understanding and fulfilling their needs.

There are many ways that you can use niche marketing for your business. You can create content that focuses on an aspect of your company that is unique or different from others in your industry. You could also create content that focuses on a specific group of people who may be interested in your products or services. 

For example, if your company sells dog food, you might create content about how dogs can benefit from eating healthy foods rather than junk food.

One thing to keep in mind when using niche marketing strategies is that it can be difficult at first, but once you have built up your audience, it should become easier over time because you will already have an established relationship with them, which makes them more likely to purchase things from you rather than someone else."

Brand Marketing within your Niche

Brand marketing is a great way to increase your visibility and reputation in your niche. It can create awareness of your company, build trust, and ultimately attract new clients.

Here are some tips:

1) Make sure your brand messaging is clear and consistent. You want to convey your message in a way that is easy for people to understand and remember. It will help them connect with your brand and make them feel like they can trust it.

2) Use the same colour scheme across your branding materials, including social media profiles and website design. It will help create a cohesive experience for customers from all channels.

3) Create an email newsletter or regular update where you share information about new products/services, upcoming events, or other relevant news about your business. This way, customers can stay abreast of what's happening without feeling like they have to constantly check social media or visit the website every day just in case something significant has happened recently (which usually isn't necessary).

4) Be active in the comment sections of other websites and blogs related to your industry. While it may seem easy to get more exposure, it's important to remember that you're not just there to promote yourself; instead, try contributing value to conversations by providing helpful information or even asking questions that will spark discussion.

5) Create a blog on your website where you can publish articles about topics relevant to your business (such as marketing strategies or product updates). The goal is to have a blog that adds value to your website visitors, so try writing posts that focus on topics that aren't necessarily sales-oriented or promotional. You can also share news about your industry and updates about your company; however, don't do this too often, or you'll lose readers' interest. If done correctly, this is one of the most powerful marketing tools.

6) A great way to get new customers is by offering a free product or service trial. It will allow prospects to try out what you offer without paying anything upfront. You can also provide discounts on your products or services in exchange for an email address from those who sign up for the trial.

7) Post links on social media sites such as Linked and Twitter that direct people back to your website so they can learn more about your business.

Become the expert in your niche

Think of your business niche as a collection of secrets; you are the only person who knows all of them.

The people who buy from you will be looking for information they can't find anywhere else, making you an expert in your field.

Your job is to make sure that you know what those questions are and then deliver the answers in a helpful and engaging way.

A summary of cookies

If my networking connection advertised her cookies to only lactose-intolerant people, compared with everyone, how would she benefit?

Making her company a specialist brand selling lactose-intolerance cookies sets her apart from day one. It focuses on the people who will buy her cookies and eliminates those who will not.

Apart from the obvious financial savings to her business, her customers identify her cookies as perfect for them, which is what we all want. With a solid brand and marketing, her clients will see her as their ideal solution.

Thanks for making it this far, and if you have any questions, please let us know.