An Article on
GROOVING BY NICHE MARKETING
Jaideep Singh
Assistant Professor
(P.I.M.T) P.M.N. College,
Rajpura.(Pb.)
Abstract:
Niche marketing refers to the submarket where specific products are marketed. More specifically niche marketing refers to narrow market segment where products with special offering survives. Niche marketing basically works with a concept of `Big fish in small pond. ` By targeting a niche market, the marketer can serve in more specialized manner and can create a situation of monopoly. The market notices the difference in the value of services provided by a niche marketer and generates loyalty. Now the companies are realizing the power of niche marketing and
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Small or medium size businessman often functions as niche marketers focusing on specific customers. Niche marketers are generally small or medium sized firms due to their focus on narrow market segment. Larger firms due to lack of flexibility & scope are generally reluctant to enter niche marketing. However there are exceptions to this belief. For example Johnson & Johnson, Procter & Gamble, Rolex watches, Nike, Roll Royce are some of the renowned firms which opt niche marketing.
Limitations in Niche Marketing:
• One of the limitations of niche marketing is that this market strategy is not suitable for long term business because of the fact that niche does not offer sufficient business. In case if one`s business has to rely on selling large quantity or large number of products then niche marketing is not a place to business.
• If the niche market is invaded by large firms then it will be very difficult for small or medium sized firms to compete & question of survival may come.
• If any firm is solely dependent on niche marketing then its survival chances get reduced as the niche market is not that adequate & significant that one can totally rely on
Niche Markets: Reach people in a space where they’re already comfortable and spending their time. By choosing the right platforms and groups, you can invest your time in developing relationships with exactly the right markets, such as Facebook groups who all like American cuisine or something similar.
The threat of new entrants is moderate. It is relatively easy for a company to enter this market because there are not a lot of legal barriers. But a smaller company that has just entered the market would have a tougher time competing with some of the larger companies – an obvious reason being that larger companies can have larger inventories. Another reason is that larger companies can do things to weaken the smaller companies, such as offer discounts, sales promotions, and increase spending on advertising. Since most of the companies in this industry are competing on
On the other words, niche marketing is to concentrate all marketing efforts on a small but specific and profitable defined segment of the market. While niche markets are focus, they are not necessary small. Many niche brands already represent
A specialization strategy focuses on a narrow market segment or niche and pursuing either a differentiation or cost leadership strategy in that market segment according to Jean Phillip and Stanley Gully. To be successful, businesses following a specialization strategy are required to know their market segment very well, and often enjoy a high degree of customer loyalty. The company can be successful using this strategy if it results in either lower costs than competitors serving the same niche or an ability to offer customers something that other competitors cannot.
As technology continue to refine how products and services are delivered to consumers, competition among industry participants becomes more refined. Organizations that are able to keep up with changing technologies become leaders while those that are not fall behind. Mergers and acquisitions are increasing while causing small businesses to sell out or seek partnerships and cooperatives in order to remain competitive and relevant.
On the other hand, prices are the most insignificant buying criterion in High End, Performance and Size segments. No matter how high the prices are, customers in these segments are more preferable to high-tech product. In particular, for the High End and Size segments, ideal position occupies 43% and products’ ideal age is 29%. Furthermore, reliability is the most important consideration to customers in Performance segment. Hence, Niche Differentiation is a proper alternative for these three segments.
All companies desire to dominate any given market without being outfought or outwitted by rivals. However, the implications of
In simple terms, niche (marketing) can be defined as fulfilling the needs of a tightly-defined market segment (Kotler and Keller 2006).
In my opinion the threat to new entry into this industry is low. I say it is low because it will require a high amount of capital in order to get established in the industry. Furthermore it takes a lot of resources, innovation, financing and marketing in order to maintain your company so it cab be able to compete with the juggernauts of the industry. The knowledge of this would deter many companies from trying to enter the industry. Thus diminishing
While playing the BSG I found the best strategy was the best-cost provider strategy. Using the best-cost strategy allowed me to continue using a decent amount of superior material while also offering prices that were below or around the same price as my competitors. My shoes where not the highest quality or most expensive, but it was also made with a small amount of superior material so it was also not the cheapest made shoe available. This strategy worked best because it attracted buyers who wanted a good quality shoe but did not want to pay high quality prices. Since there were so many companies offering the same product, offering a medium-quality product at a lower price helped my company to gain more customers and market share. A focused differentiation strategy worked least well. Concentrating on one niche results in a company missing out on potential customers. Competitors working outside of the niche will eventually find ways to match the firm’s capabilities in serving the target niche. If the wants and needs of the target market start to switch over time, entry into the focused market can become easier for competitors as people look for different products and services.
* Entrepreneurial strategy tends to take the form of a niche which is a specialized but profitable segment of the market. It protects the organization niche from the forces of open and direct competition.
Threat of new entrants is rather low. It is caused by the fact of high barriers of finance. First of
There are also some risks for each strategy. Upholding cost leadership can be risky because of the requirement of frequent capital investment to sustain cost advantage, then cost surges narrow price differentials and diminish ability to compete with other’s brand royalty. Differentiation strategy has some threats, such as imitation decreases alleged differentiation, buyers need for differentiation falls. Meanwhile, the risks for focus or niche strategy are the differences in preferred products or services between the strategic market and target as a whole narrows, the cost discrepancy between wide ranged competitors and the focused firms broadens to eradicate the cost advantages of allocating a narrow target or to offset the
According to Phillip Kotler, a niche is a narrowly defined customer group. Niche markets primarily consist of market segments within the larger market place who have similar demographic, psychographic, buying behavior and/or lifestyle characterics. The Fenix Group started with two entrepreneurs, Anthony Keung (Chinese) and Masaaki Ogino (Japanese) who shared the same business philosophy, which is aiming at niche markets, that most times are left untouched or under-served.
A company that conversely was very successful in finding its niche is Geek Squad. When given the opportunity to expand they were hesitant, and took their time. They built their brand, then expanded, while GovWorks expanded before having a chance to see how the company would grow in the long-term.