Comments on: Think Thin & Win: You’re the Expert

By: Joanne Black

Joanne Black — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 15:17:03 +0000

Hi Susan:

You’re absolutely correct. We must diversify our sales efforts. Even though we can’t foretell the future, we must focus business-development activities where we expect sales growth.

There’s a difference between a sales person saying that they sell to any sales prospect who fogs a mirror, and prospecting in two or three different verticals.

By: Susan Shargel

Susan Shargel — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 18:05:39 +0000

Yes, with a very strong warning! Be careful that your niche will perform for you in both good times and bad. In the 1990-91 recession, I lost 80% of my business. I had defined my niche as the construction industry which performed fabulously in the 80′s but plummeted in 1990.

I refocused and defined my niche as small business, and within small business, professional firms who compete for talented, highly educated staff. This niche has helped us perform reasonably well in this economy.

By: Deidra Jow

Deidra Jow — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 20:07:52 +0000

Susan Friedmann echoes what I have heard before from a Internet marketing expert — niche markets are the way to go and the Internet supports targetting narrow slices of a specific audience.

Thanks for the great article and good reminder.

By: Pam Foster

Pam Foster — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 16:50:46 +0000

Thanks for this fantastic post, Joanne! All freelancers need to read this. I have expertise in a niche market and I’ll take you up on your invitation to shout it out. I’m a web-SEO marketing consultant to the pet industry (PetCopywriter.com). This includes anyone who has a website focused on marketing to pet owners, pet businesses, veterinary practices, etc. If their website isn’t working or showing up in Google, I help them. I’d appreciate any referrals and will return the favor. Many thanks! Pam Foster