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Have you ever heard the adage, "the customer is always right?" Yes? Well, it doesn't apply to home business owners and entrepreneurs.…
In the competitive marketplace of the new millennium, the demand for specialized products or services will increase. If your site sells everything or to everyone, chances are that your audience will not perceive a value in shopping from you any greater than from anyone else. Keep in mind that price is *never* an issue -- it is the value behind the price that is.
I was recently interviewed by a print magazine about niche marketing. In it, I offered several tips and ideas on how to carve a niche in the marketplace. Here are a few of them:
While publicity is the most powerful promotional tool there is (since it is more impacting, more far-reaching, and far more credible than advertising), it is the one that is the least effectively used. Too often, for example, business owners view a news release as a form of advertising.
Bulletin boards, message boards, and discussion groups are excellent and often overlooked marketing tools. They can be quite effective because they help develop relationships with prospects and customers. From building customer loyalty to providing customer assistance, participating in group discussions or even moderating your own can help you build an excellent reputation with, and significant business from, discussion group members.
When I hear marketers talk about new search engine strategies, optimization techniques, submission software and review fees, it befuddles me to see there are still some web marketers out there who rely heavily on them. Search engine strategies are important and an essential part of a marketer's portfolio, but they are not, and should never be, the ONLY source of traffic.
