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THE FUTURE OF INTERNET MARKETING IS IN THE
NICHE
by Rufina James
The dotbombs failed. But not entirely in vain. They left valuable lessons in
their wake. Mainly, that you can't be all things to all people. And that you
can't survive if you're not making money.
Today, more and more established big businesses are coming online. But
they're doing so carefully. Practically. They're keeping the lessons of the
dotbombs in mind.
Is There Still Room For Small Business On The Web?
But is the presence of big business squeezing out small businesses and home
businesses online?
How do the rest of us compete with the large, established sites of big
companies?
How do we make it online when we don't have their reserves of capital and
staff?
The good news is that there IS room for everyone -- as long as it's done
right. However, you can't try to copy what they are doing. It simply won't
work for small businesses. A different strategy is required.
Specialization is the Key
The key for small businesses and home businesses is to master the art of
niche marketing and specialization. Sites that provide general information
are already dominating their markets. They already have a loyal customer
base and strong marketing strategies in place to bring new customers to
their door. And they can usually spend quite a bit more money on reaching
their market than the small or home business can.
However...it's important to keep in mind that many big businesses don't want
to bother with smaller segments of their markets. They can afford to be
general and market to the masses. That's how they are accustomed to doing
business.
As a result, many smaller market segments (often called niches) remain
unserved.
And that's where YOU come in...
There are literally countless wide-open niches that are yet to be explored.
There are unlimited topics and new markets that have yet to stake their
claim on the Internet. All with virtually no competition from big
businesses.
These untapped markets mean potential profits for you. They are just waiting
for a specialized product or service to provide exactly what they need.
As Dr. Michael Fortin of SuccessDoctor.com says, "Narrow your focus to
broaden your sales." The better you are at serving your niche market, the
more successful you can be.
Make Sure You Choose the Right Niche
Finding your niche is critical to online success. So is using productive
niche marketing strategies. Without a carefully-chosen, tightly targeted
niche and a well-structured marketing plan that places your product or
service squarely in front of your niche market, the only thing you can count
on is failure.
That's because not every niche is profitable. The right niche has to be
carefully selected. It can't be too small to support a market. It can't be
too big, or you won't be able to compete. And it must be reachable and
viable.
Research Your Niche BEFORE Your Start
Determining the size and viability of the market should not be a matter of
guesswork. Many a website has gone to waste due to the guesses, good
intentions, or attachments of the owner.
Being overly attached to the idea of your product, whether it's a book,
software, service, or any other creation, can lead to blind spots about it's
viability. Worse yet, proceeding before you know there is a market
inevitably leads to disappointment. Isn't it much more efficient to research
your market before investing time and money into a project?
How to Research Online
If you're marketing online, it's best to research this information online,
using search engine tools provided for this purpose. Search the number of
queries that the keywords or keyword phrases related to your topic are
getting. Search the amount of money that is being paid per click for each
keyword or keyword phrases.
Try different variations of keywords or keyword phrases. If you can't find
any keywords in your topic that bring in at least a few thousand queries,
it's a strong indication there is not enough of a market there... and that
it's time for a reassessment.
These factors are critical to niche marketing success. There's more to it,
of course, but choosing a niche intelligently insures a good start.
Rufina James
rufina@nichemarketingsecrets.com
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"7 Secrets to Niche Marketing Success" FREE 7-day e-course reveals the
secrets and strategies you MUST know BEFORE you start. Send a blank email
to:
mailto:nichesecrets1@proreply.com
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