With almost 30 million small businesses in the US alone, competition for consumer dollars is now tighter than ever. Small businesses also often end up failing (one-third within two years and half within five years) due to common yet preventable mistakes — not implementing niche marketing strategies being one of them. Nevertheless, by working to win over your target customer base with tailored marketing ideas, you can effectively beat the competition and ensure business success for years to come.
Get to know your customers
In order to market to your target customers effectively, you need to first know who they are and what distinguishes them from the mass market. So, after a customer makes a purchase, email them a short customer feedback survey in order to gather key info on your target customer base. By asking clear and straightforward questions, you can start to understand what your customers value about your brand and what makes them choose you over the competition. With this feedback, you can then better tailor your marketing efforts to this niche base.
Showcase your industry expertise
By working to position yourself as an expert in your particular industry, you’ll improve your brand image and build trust with your customers over time. The easiest way to do this is by regularly updating your website with useful, interesting information. Your website is typically the first point-of-contact for most customers and it should therefore be the main place you share your expert insights. For example, by creating an “education” section on your site that provides in-depth guides on your products or services, you can increase demand and help your customers become better informed, so they make the right purchase decisions for them.
Invest in PPC ads
A fast and effective form of paid search advertising, PPC (pay-per-click) ads are targeted strategies that make sure potential customers see your business. They use select keywords to reach customers most in need of your offerings. Even better, PPC ads only cost you money when someone clicks through to your site, making them a cost-effective strategy. Competitive industries like law can particularly benefit from PPC ads to garner quality leads. Localized PPC for lawyers, in particular, is key for attracting local clients. With a geofencing strategy, PPC ads are displayed to potential clients within set GPS coordinates, increasing your chances of reaching local clients in their time of need.
Build a community
Good marketing should make your customers love being your customers. Building a sense of community by celebrating the unique characteristics that make your customers different from everyone else is a great way to do this. For example, Budweiser’s #NotBackingDown Super Bowl marketing campaign tells Budweiser fans that yes, they’re different to craft beer drinkers — embrace and be proud of it! (Budweiser is “not a hobby”, “not sipped”, and “not small”).
Try user-generated content
60% of shoppers say user-generated content is the most authentic form of content and upto three times more genuine than brand-created content. By implementing user-generated content into your marketing strategy, you can effectively build trust with your customer base and increase brand loyalty. User-generated content can be as simple as, for example, creating your own brand hashtag and using it on all your posts. Authenticity is also great for sales. 86% of customers take a brand’s authenticity into account before deciding to make a purchase.
Smart niche marketing strategies are a must for business success. Getting to know your customers, showcasing your industry expertise, investing in PPC ads, building a community, and trying user-generated content are key ways to stand out to customers and increase long-term sales.
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