Find your Niche
Find Your Niche - the first step in creating a profitable business on the Web. In these pages we'll guide you through the elements of success. Be sure to visit each of them, you won't want to miss a word! And as always, please feel free to contact us if you need more help.
You must create a niche to succeed online. But what is a niche in the first place? Your niche is a market segment that you "own." It is subset of a larger market segment but it is one where the demand is high and in which you have expertise. Of if you sell a product, it is the market space for whom your product is THE Solution. To uncover your online niche you'll have to do serious market resarch to develop a niche marketing plan that specifically targets those people who have a problem that your product solves.
In the online world information is everything - if you can tap into the needs of a group of people who share the same problem, and are looking for solutions, and if your business can deliver you have the beginings of your niche! The following diagram illustrates how the online world and your expertise "collaborate" to determine your online niche.
Niche marketing
In marketing a niche is the market segment, a "place" you occupy and command. The idea of niche marketing has been around for a long time. And unless you are a large multinational corporation, it’s the only feasible to succeed, and to promote your business online.
Here’s why: the opposite of niche marketing is mass marketing. Mass marketing is television, national magazines; even advertising in your local newspaper. Mass marketing requires deep pockets, lots of advertising, lots of time, a large staff and if all goes well – lots of inventory, which requires deep pockets, lots of advertising…! You’re marking to everyone in the hopes that you reach a few that want what you have.
Mass marketing also tries to “create the need.” Think about those air fresheners that plug into you wall for example. Before their arrival in the marketplace, did you ever thing…”Hmmm something smells funny in here… I need an air freshener that plugs into the wall….” But now that’s its here, you’re being sold through mass marketing and you may have even bought one not ever having thought before, that your home may smell a bit and need “freshening up”.
Niche marketing on the other hand promotes a refined specialty - your specialty – your area of expertise that helps a narrowly targeted band of eager and willing buyers solve a problem they are already looking to solve. “Hmmm my dog stinks!...I need air freshener that combats doggy B.O.!”
Your customers want to deal with an expert. By finding your niche, your business can begin to position itself as the expert on that subject. YOu can't be an expert if you "specialize in everything!"
So finding your niche lets you target your business offerings on-line so precisely to the particular group of people that are seeking your solutions. When they feel assured of your expertise, they will buy from you!
So, what’s YOUR niche?
The next three steps will help you identify your online market niche. Visit the pages on the lefthand menu to get the basics. "Give them what they want" is the next step.
Learn to Wag the Long Tail...
LEARN MORE