Promoting a specialized area or service is a common strategy for brands looking to stand out in a crowded marketplace. It’s easy to see why. Trying to be all things to all people dilutes the brand narrative for your audience. Rather than trying to cater to everyone, focusing on a gap in the market or targeting an underserved group can help brands differentiate their offerings.
For instance, in an industry filled with businesses offering many of the same capabilities, such as financial services, companies may choose to highlight one or two areas of specialization, like retirement or business succession planning, and heavily market those capabilities. The same may ring true for a food and beverage brand that may choose to highlight segments of its product line that are in line with developing consumer trends, such as the better-for-you space.
Here are three ways brands can own their niche:
1. Identify Your Audience
Increasing brand awareness among your audience is important for business growth. The key is to avoid casting too big a net. Instead, make it a point to understand who your existing audience is along with identifying who you want to target specifically, especially if your goal is to expand into new markets. An effective marketing strategy includes a targeted plan with the right tactics for reaching those markets.
Click the link for more advice on how to target the right audience and attract leads to your business:
2. Use PR to Build Your Thought Leadership Reputation
When it comes to reputation, your people are your brand evangelists and greatest resource for building trust among prospective clients and customers. They will be the ones to provide expert commentary, analysis and education to key stakeholders. Once you’ve identified your brand’s niche, the best next step is to determine who will be your subject matter experts to publicly represent the brand.
This is where a good PR strategy comes into play. Thought leadership should be a primary component. It helps establish a rapport with your audience and gain trust by sharing relevant information and offering advice without asking for business in return.
Click the link to learn more about how to approach a thought leadership strategy on different platforms:
3. Cater Content to Your Subject Matter Expertise
In addition to securing high-profile media coverage, creating and highlighting thought leadership content is a tactic that can be just as effective as a media interview. Implementing a content marketing strategy can increase your company’s SEO rankings and ultimately drive more traffic to your website. It’s about building relationships, understanding who your audience is and delivering the type of content they value.
From blogs and bylines to videos and speaking engagements, there are plenty of content opportunities across the media landscape. Click the link to learn more:
By having a niche, brands can promote specialized areas of their businesses and find ways to stand out in their industries, ultimately attracting their ideal types of clients and customers.
After you identify your niche, it's important to align your brand narrative.