Developing a Niche Marketing Strategy that Drives Growth

Discover what a niche marketing strategy is, how to develop one, and examples of these strategies in action from popular brands.

Designed to attract a specific subset of customers, a niche marketing strategy considers the narrow category into which your business falls. It focuses on a small group of buyers, instead of the broader market. A niche strategy helps you stand out from the competition, attract the people who can't resist buying, and boost profitability.

Developing a Niche Marketing Strategy

1. Know your competition.

Developing a niche marketing strategy is impossible without scoping out your competition.

That's because it's crucial to understand your unique selling proposition — what you do that makes customers choose your company over another.

Maybe you design ceramic dishware that can't be found anywhere else, or maybe you've developed a tool that makes it easier for marketers to send emails.

Whatever is it, find your specialty and craft a story around it.

2. Narrow down your niche market.

Airbnb co-founder Brian Chesky is famous for saying, "Build something 100 people love, not something 1 million people kind of like."

Put simply, it's better to reach a small group of people who sing praises about your company, rather than a large group who thinks it's just okay.

You can do this by honing in on the right niche market for your business. While this takes time and thought, it's worth the effort to find loyal customers who will gladly choose you over competitors.

For instance, Thirdlove is the first underwear company to offer bras in half-size cups. Through its inclusive sizing options and emphasis on body diversity, they've built a loyal community of over 327,000 Instagram followers.

3. Go where your buyers are.

If your ideal customer spends all of their time scrolling on Facebook, it wouldn't make sense to develop a niche marketing strategy around email campaigns.

This is where the value of market research comes in.

You already know who your buyers are, but research helps you go deeper to find out where they shop, how they find products, and what influences their purchase decisions.

Once you have that information, you'll get the most return for your marketing dollars.

4. Listen to the word on the street.

Everyone has problems that need solutions.

If you listen to people's thoughts about a certain product or service, you can find opportunities to fill in the gaps.

David Barnett did just that when he engineered a solution for constantly tangled headphones. What started out as two buttons glued to the back of a phone case quickly turned into Popsockets, a company that brought in $169 million in revenue just seven years after its founding.

5. Create a unique brand.

Once you've defined your unique selling point, outlined your buyer persona, found out where to reach them, and listened to their problems — all that's left is to build a brand identity.

A well-defined brand will help you develop a niche marketing strategy that's authentic to you and attracts ideal customers.

For instance, Etsy's position as the marketplace for independent artists has attracted more than 138 million buyers.

In a 2020 TV commercial, the brand touched on the pandemic and used emotional marketing tactics to encourage support for small businesses that sell through the platform.

To Wrap Up Things

By prioritizing ethical storytelling, whether in a social media post, email newsletter, or online webinar, the organization has built a reputation for producing high-quality work that addresses the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals and UNDRIP.

Plus, their Code of Ethics makes it clear what type of community members and partners they're aiming to attract.

Creating a niche marketing strategy that drives growth for your business is more than creating a social media ad or sending a weekly email promotion.

If you take the time to learn about your customers and differentiate your brand, you can develop a strategy that attracts the right buyers and helps you hit your growth goals.