Opportunity Knocks in Niche Marketing
Tim Pelcone Although the large "super-stores" are closing out a few small local stores, it is not the end of them. There are some family-owned stores that are forced to close their doors when super-stores move into town. However, the media exaggerates the severity of the situation greatly. The demand for locally owned stores will remain in certain niches. Thinking outside the box is very appropriate to the entrepreneur. One will ultimately fail at fighting the big business current that exist in the economy today. In order to be successful, a small business must offer something different. See what is there; offer what is missing. There are no limitations to what you can do. To help you get started, some suggestions are provided. You probably know of someone that loves their pet as much as some people love their children. There are many Americans that share that love and greatly enjoy expressing it with affection and attention and by purchasing the many toys and trinkets on the market. Cute holiday pet costumes can give your shop an edge over the mainstream stores and will be a tremendous hit. Ask a woman with an irregular foot size how difficult it is to buy fashionable shoes. The mainstream stores are geared to the masses and sell size 6 to 11 in a medium width. Occasionally they will offer a wide shoe, but usually only in a sneaker. What about the woman in need of a 7.5-wide peek-a-boo shoe for tomorrow's party who lacks time to order online? If she is a size 5, she'll have just as much of a hassle ahead of her. Speaking of wide feet, there is a legion of women in America who, for whatever reason, are larger than the "Plus Size" offered in mainstream stores. Many of these women have demanding careers and cannot show up to work wearing Wal-Mart's extended size clothing. Women who shop for refined career wear have money to purchase the clothes they want, which is why it is such a booming market. There are endless possibilities, such as motorcycle gear and accessories, scrapbooks and supplies, quilting supplies, or candy shops. The secret to your success is to find a niche, whatever it may be, that reaches several customers and offers them a selection of merchandise not available in the big chain stores. After you know what you'll sell, determine the perfect location. You should consider visual merchandizing. This simply means catching people's eyes with displays and allowing people to navigate easily. Find answers and suggestions from other experts in the field. The company should be successful in the particular niche of providing custom store fixtures. All businesses vary and so they all require different materials. Ask for assistance in choosing the right ways to display your merchandise with the appropriate cabinetry. You'll be successful if you just take these tips and get started; opportunity awaits you. About the Author
To have a successful niche store, Tim Pelcone realized that he needed a good store layout. From mannequins to Metal Garment Racks, Tim had many options. So, he bought unique retail store fixtures from csfixtures.com and used them creatively for successful merchandising. Now, his store is easy to walk through, but unique enough to hold a customer’s attention. Tim Pelcone may be contacted at http://www.csfixtures.com. Click here to view more articles by Tim Pelcone. Reprinted with Permission from IdeaMarketers.com
|
