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Over the past years we have had a lot of opportunities to work with clients in various industries. One trend that we have seen develop in recent years is niche marketing. Being all things to all people just doesn’t work anymore. With so many people able to streamline their information channels, it is very important to be in the places they are looking. I have written many blogs and have spoken numerous places about this topic. People no longer receive information they are not interested in. They like Facebook pages they are interested in, they follow Twitter accounts they are connected to in some way and they subscribe to newsfeeds through apps like Flipboard that only deliver information they want to view. Throw on top of that the behavioral targeting of the big search engines and the politically-focused news channels available, and people are only receiving what they want to receive.
So how does niche marketing speak to this? Well, if you have a product, a service or even a destination that has niche qualities, you should be creating communications that speak to those qualities and deliver them to people through a niche marketing effort. For instance, I personally would never follow, like or allow communications to come to me from a large company that produces thousands of products, but if they created separate communications tools for products that interest me then I may allow them entry into my world. Go ahead and send me information about your outdoor products, I will follow that, or maybe those unique golf products – you make sure send me some info.
Bottom line: People have limited time and that limited time is important to them. They will not spend it sifting through media trying to find a gem that speaks to their hobby or likes. Look at your business and see what you have. Create special places to communicate those things and get them out to those who are interested. Don’t be afraid to segment your marketing and be creative with it. Who knows? You may tap into a market you never knew existed – just ask Timberland. The Timberland brand was always a favorite among the blue-collar crowd. After some well-known hip hop artists began wearing them, they opened up a whole new urban market. Timberland embraced these new consumers and started developing marketing channels for that demographic specifically. So, examine your business carefully and determine who wants to hear from you and go out and do it.
Stay Creative
About The Author
Travis arrived at ABC back in 1995, when photography was his main creative outlet. That passion evolved over the next decade as Travis began thinking beyond imagery and pitching his broader ideas and strategies to clients. It was the birth of the idea-based marketing philosophy: Getting to know the client inside out, learning about the successes and failures, then spinning that into an idea that could build a better outcome. That’s the cornerstone he’s built his creative-first agency on since buying the place in 2005. ABC has grown exponentially since then both in terms of people and clients. Local, regional, national, banking, destinations, nonprofits: Travis has greatly expanded services over the years to accommodate them all. He’s also assembled a talented team. Just like them, he’s greeted each morning by a simple reminder etched on the wall: “Create Cool Sh!t Today!” He’s proud to run the kind of agency that does.