Niche Marketing Is Easy - Impact Markets as Specific as Left-Handed Buyers of Blue Four-Door Cars


by Michael Crooks - Date: 2007-04-05 - Word Count: 557 Share This!

Niche Marketing isn't as hard, difficult or complicated as many marketing professionals would like you to believe. With a slight shift in mind-set, you can quickly target a market as specific as left-handed buyers of blue, four door cars. How? Pretty much the same way you target mothers-to-be, pink toilet owners and those who have a bobble-head on their dash.

First ask yourself, "Who has access to those I want to reach?" The answer is the opportunity I call, Reciprocal Partnership Marketing (RPM). RPM is a powerful marketing concept. It allows you to literally - and effectively - put your message into the hands of your prospects. Here's how:

Mr. & Mrs. Baker buy a $1000 necklace from Albert's Jewelry. After completing the transaction, the clerk hands a package to the Bakers and says, "Alberts Jewelry and Jim's Insurance want you to have this jewelry cleaning cloth as our gift." Inside the package is a jewelry cleaning cloth bearing the logos and phone numbers of the jewelry store AND the insurance agent. A card explains the importance of protecting your investment by keeping it clean. The card also points out under what circumstances a jewelry insurance rider might be beneficial to further protect your investment. The card carries the logos and contact information for both the jewelry store and the insurance agent.

The insurance agent reciprocates by referring people to the jewelry store for appraisals in advance of writing insurance jewelry riders. In addition, upon completing an insurance sale, the agent gives the client a nice document/policyholder, again bearing the logos and phone numbers of the agent AND Alberts Jewelry. Inside, a card reinforces the value of annual insurance check-ups. The card further points out that nothing "insures" (creative license, the correct usage is "ensures") fond memories of annual events such as anniversaries and birthdays … like fine jewelry.

Under this partnership, each company has access to prospects that have a high likelihood of needing or wanting what they have to offer. Each company's message is delivered to the prospect in a relevant manner at an appropriate time. The concept works across a broad spectrum.

A clothing store that wants to target women for a Friday sale partners with an appropriate nightclub (bar) that features a Thursday Ladies' Night. Specially imprinted cocktail napkins, a couple of drawings for dual-logoed prizes and a few posters promote the clothing store's Friday event. Of course, the clothing store hypes next Thursday's ladies night for the nightclub by handing out the nightclub's promotional item, other promotional information and displaying posters.

And the targets I mentioned earlier? To target mothers-to-be, partner with an OB-GYN, they know who's pregnant. Pink toilet owners? Partner with a plumber. Those who have a bobble-head on their dashboard? Partner with an instant oil-change firm. And if you really want to target left-handed buyers of blue 4-door cars(r)? It's as simple as partnering with someone who sells cars.

Harnessing the power of RPM begins by asking yourself a couple simple questions. "Who has access to those I want to target?" "Where do my prospects spend their time when they're not at work?" "Who sells a product or service that is related to my product or service?"

Reciprocal Partnership Marketing can be as simple as passing out each other's literature. However, through creative thought, the right promotional products and approach, you can really drive up the RPM's on the 'ole sales-o-meter.


Related Tags: market, marketing, promote, nichemarketing, promotional marketing, nche

Michael Merrick Crooks is a 23-year advertising veteran, copywriter and founder of Crooks Advertising Alliance. His firm, based near Lansing, Michigan (USA) is a creative strike-force that provides advertising, creative problem-solving and promotional marketing services to a diverse client base. His thinking is fresh and based on his diverse personal life experiences that provide unique insight into the realities of what people do and how they live their lives. From logo development and brochure writing, design and production to targeted, promotional concepts, Crooks has an uncanny ability to look at the same thing everyone else does and see something different.

For more thought-provoking marketing articles and insights visit

http://www.crooksadvertising.com or http://www.waterlesstattoos.com

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