The Future of Internet Marketing Is In The Niche 
by Rufina James

The dotbombs failed.  But not entirely in vain. They left
valuable lessons in their wake.  Mainly, that you can`t be
all things to all people.  And that you can`t survive if
you`re not making money. 

Today, more and more established big businesses are coming
online. But they`re doing so carefully.  Practically.
They`re keeping the lessons of the dotbombs in mind.

Is There Still Room For Small Business On The Web?

But is the presence of big business squeezing out small
businesses and home businesses online? 

How do the rest of us compete with the large, established
sites of big companies? 

How do we make it online when we don`t have their reserves
of capital and staff?

The good news is that there IS room for everyone -- as long
as it`s done right. However, you can`t try to copy what they
are doing.  It simply won`t work for small businesses. A
different strategy is required.

Specialization is the Key

The key for small businesses and home businesses is to
master the art of niche marketing and specialization. Sites
that provide general information are already dominating
their markets. They already have a loyal customer base and
strong marketing strategies in place to bring new customers
to their door. And they can usually spend quite a bit more
money on reaching their market than the small or home
business can.

However...it`s important to keep in mind that many big
businesses don`t want to bother with smaller segments of
their markets. They can afford to be general and market to
the masses. That`s how they are accustomed to doing
business.

As a result, many smaller market segments (often called
niches) remain unserved. 

And that`s where YOU come in...

There are literally countless wide-open niches that are yet
to be explored. There are unlimited topics and new markets
that have yet to stake their claim on the Internet. All with
virtually no competition from big businesses.

These untapped markets mean potential profits for you. They
are just waiting for a specialized product or service to
provide exactly what they need.

As Dr. Michael Fortin of SuccessDoctor.com says, "Narrow
your focus to broaden your sales." The better you are at
serving your niche market, the more successful you can be. 

Make Sure You Choose the Right Niche

Finding your niche is critical to online success. So is
using productive niche marketing strategies. Without a
carefully-chosen, tightly targeted niche and a well-
structured marketing plan that places your product or
service squarely in front of your niche market, the only
thing you can count on is failure.

That`s because not every niche is profitable. The right
niche has to be carefully selected. It can`t be too small to
support a market. It can`t be too big, or you won`t be able
to compete. And it must be reachable and viable.

Research Your Niche BEFORE Your Start

Determining the size and viability of the market should not
be a matter of guesswork. Many a website has gone to waste
due to the guesses, good intentions, or attachments of the
owner.

Being overly attached to the idea of your product, whether
it`s a book, software, or any other creation, can lead to
blind spots about it`s viability.  Worse yet, proceeding
before you know there is a market inevitably leads to
disappointment. Isn`t it much more efficient to research
your market before investing time and money into a project?

How to Research Online

If you`re marketing online, it`s best to research this
information online, using search engine tools provided for
this purpose. Search the number of queries that the keywords
or keyword phrases related to your topic are getting. Search
the amount of money that is being paid per click for each
keyword or keyword phrases.

Try different variations of keywords or keyword phrases. If
you can`t find any keywords in your topic that bring in at
least a few thousand queries, it`s a strong indication there
is not enough of a market there... and that it`s time for a
reassessment.

These factors are critical to niche marketing success.
There`s more to it, of course, but choosing a niche
intelligently insures a good start.

Rufina James
rufina@nichemarketingsecrets.com
http://www.nichemarketingsecrets.com
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How do you choose the right niche market and avoid critical
mistakes? The FREE 7-day e-course, "7 Secrets to Niche
Marketing Success" reveals the basic strategies you must
know BEFORE you start. Send a blank email to:
nichesecrets1@proreply.com
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This article presented as a courtesy of the SoHo Store  Online - Internet Marketing Specialists... All rights reserved...