Every year, large companies invest millions of dollars in promoting their brands. But what should small businesses with a narrow audience and limited budget do?
You need a different approach – niche marketing. I will outline five main differences between niche marketing and the promotion of large brands.
Understanding the Audience
Studying the audience is important in any case, but it is essential to consider the specifics of your particular customer.
For large businesses, it is enough to have a general understanding of the target audience and then segment based on product lines, type of product, and objectives.
However, even in such cases, creating a detailed profile can be quite challenging.
The requests of a niche audience are usually more specific and can often be more easily understood by small businesses.
The narrower the potential client base, the more realistically you can identify their value and points of contact, making it even more crucial to study them in detail.
It is important to analyze what the audience cares about and what characteristics and attributes brands hold significance for them.
Focus of Strategy
Customers of small brands buy a product simply because the company offers what they need. They buy the idea, the advantages of your brand, and the sense of belonging to it.
To prove this, your strategy should not only focus on creating a community but also on immersing yourself in it. Tell customers that you share the same values as they do, give them the opportunity to express themselves and be heard.
Large brands must use a different approach to demonstrate value. Due to their size and reach, they have many more competitors.
It is necessary to focus the strategy on a specific advantage – what distinguishes the brand from the rest.
Speak the Same Language
When planning targeting and setting up SEO, use all your insights. You already know everything about your customer; you probably have "inside" jokes and terms known only to members of your community.
This way, you will precisely hit the client's specific request. For example, only a seller who truly knows the internal language of their circle can offer the correct product for the request "buy marathon shoes."
Earned Media
In niche areas, you can place even greater emphasis on earned media – acquired channels that are formed by the customers themselves. What we mean:
Make employees the main ambassadors: these are people who already know the brand, are inspired by it, and can genuinely promote its values on their pages and among their social circles.
UGC Content: Think about the mechanics that will encourage customers to share your brand. Then you will get unique content that a new audience will learn about. UGC can also be used to promote your own networks or fill your website.
Communication Channels
Don’t forget about the service, which can also become your competitive advantage and another newsworthy element.
Large brands play on a grand scale: their budgets allow them to advertise in major media and on television. At a smaller scale, it’s important to provide the customer with an ideal service: a user-friendly website, quick responses to questions in stories, additional delivery options, and personalization.
You need a different approach – niche marketing. I will outline five main differences between niche marketing and the promotion of large brands.
Understanding the Audience
Studying the audience is important in any case, but it is essential to consider the specifics of your particular customer.
For large businesses, it is enough to have a general understanding of the target audience and then segment based on product lines, type of product, and objectives.
However, even in such cases, creating a detailed profile can be quite challenging.
The requests of a niche audience are usually more specific and can often be more easily understood by small businesses.
The narrower the potential client base, the more realistically you can identify their value and points of contact, making it even more crucial to study them in detail.
It is important to analyze what the audience cares about and what characteristics and attributes brands hold significance for them.
Focus of Strategy
Customers of small brands buy a product simply because the company offers what they need. They buy the idea, the advantages of your brand, and the sense of belonging to it.
To prove this, your strategy should not only focus on creating a community but also on immersing yourself in it. Tell customers that you share the same values as they do, give them the opportunity to express themselves and be heard.
Large brands must use a different approach to demonstrate value. Due to their size and reach, they have many more competitors.
It is necessary to focus the strategy on a specific advantage – what distinguishes the brand from the rest.
Speak the Same Language
When planning targeting and setting up SEO, use all your insights. You already know everything about your customer; you probably have "inside" jokes and terms known only to members of your community.
This way, you will precisely hit the client's specific request. For example, only a seller who truly knows the internal language of their circle can offer the correct product for the request "buy marathon shoes."
Earned Media
In niche areas, you can place even greater emphasis on earned media – acquired channels that are formed by the customers themselves. What we mean:
Make employees the main ambassadors: these are people who already know the brand, are inspired by it, and can genuinely promote its values on their pages and among their social circles.
UGC Content: Think about the mechanics that will encourage customers to share your brand. Then you will get unique content that a new audience will learn about. UGC can also be used to promote your own networks or fill your website.
Communication Channels
Don’t forget about the service, which can also become your competitive advantage and another newsworthy element.
Large brands play on a grand scale: their budgets allow them to advertise in major media and on television. At a smaller scale, it’s important to provide the customer with an ideal service: a user-friendly website, quick responses to questions in stories, additional delivery options, and personalization.
