Have you heard about niche marketing? Niche marketing is defined as channeling all marketing efforts towards one well-defined segment of the population. Niche marketing exists, so you don’t have to be a “jack of all trades, master of none” when you can be the specialist of something.
In fact, focusing on a specific product or audience is a great strategy in marketing because you’ll have a more focused market. It also offers a more transparent basis on what to revolve your marketing strategies around.
After all, you’re positioning yourself as the “go-to” place for a particular product or service.
Niche marketing is also more common than you’d think.
Every time you hear a slogan such as:
“Be the change you’re looking for.”
“Expect more. Pay less.”
“Honey, We don’t waste.”
“Brewed for those who love coffee.”
Although the products for these slogans aren’t stated, you have an idea of who they appeal to and what they market. There is also a similarity despite the different products, which is a niche focus on a particular audience!
If niche marketing is still confusing, we have another example.
There are various food products containing different ingredients such as natural ingredients, GMO, artificial colouring, preservatives and many more sold at supermarkets. But a shop that sells a niche product might focus on “non-GMO only” food products.
Therefore, GMO-conscious people would be interested in shopping at non-GMO retail shops.
Finding Your Niche
There are many methods to identify your niche. Your niche can be identified through simple questions.
These simple questions consist of who, what, where, why and how, so you’ll quickly understand how you should design your niche marketing.
Who?
The first step in finding your niche is understanding who you would like to market towards. A niche target audience shouldn’t be something general but something specific.
Your target audience can be people based on a particular age group, gender, belief, income, demographic and many more. For example, faux leather for vegan-centric shops.
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What?
Deciding on the niche product you’re going to market is part of the “bread” of your business. Your product should be your business’s focus and align with the target audience in mind.
Let’s say your target audience is left-handed people. Then your products should be items that cater to left-handed customers, such as left-handed pens and left-handed scissors.
Where?
Thinking about where to market your niche product is essential. After all, there are many platforms ranging from online to offline.
You can market through something as simple as word-of-mouth or opt online, where you’ll be exposed to international audiences.
Why?
Behind every product and service is a mission and principles that serve the brand’s purpose. Once a brand has identified its target audience and niche product, the purpose of the brand should revolve around them.
For example, a website that only provides deliveries from self-established home cooks might be established due to a perceived need for hassle-free side-income support.
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How?
The “How” you’re going to market your niche product or service goes hand-in-hand with “Where”. There are plenty of options on how you’d like to market your brand.
Methods such as campaigns, advertising emails, subscriptions, events and many more are great ways to find potential customers.
Following these questions, there are other ways to determine your niche. You can base your niche on:
To name a few…
- Prices: Luxury items, discount items
- Demographics: Teenagers, Elders
- Quality: Premium, Homemade
- Psychographics: Interests, Values
- Geography: Korean migrants, a town disconnected from the city
…And there are many other ways to discover your niche!
Now that we’ve established ways to identify your niche, you may have doubts about how well niche marketing works in Malaysia.
Don’t worry because we’ve got you covered! In fact, there are many Malaysian businesses with a niche market.
Although there are many examples, we’ve chosen a handful that perfectly captures the success of Malaysian niche marketing.
4 Examples of Niche Marketing in Malaysia
1. Lelong
Most Malaysians have used Lelong at least once because Lelong was established in 1998. Lelong is also one of Southeast Asia’s most popular Malaysian websites.
Lelong was created as a “Malaysian eBay”, a platform for users to sell and purchase items online. Although this site is limited to Southeast Asia, it still boasts thousands of active users daily.
This website functions as an online marketplace where online sellers can open their stores and sell various products. It also became one of the first few online hubs for purchases throughout the nation.
Users can find products ranging from locally made to internationally renowned. Therefore, Lelong became one of the best platforms for users with niche products to sell.
After all, Lelong offers many categories and search options for niche products. Moreover, the ease of the search bar helps narrow down products of interest.
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2. The Hive
The Hive is one of Malaysia’s most well-known zero waste stores in Malaysia. In fact, they are the pioneers for zero waste stores because they were the first ones!
The Hive is also known as The Hive Bulk Foods, and they’re all about environmentally friendly and zero waste options. They also cater to customers with various kinds of products such as cleaning products, food products, makeup and even pet products.
The store has a unique system where customers are required to bring their own containers for products of interest. Customers can buy as little or as much as they like as long as they have a container.
One can easily discern that their niche target audience is customers with preferences for vegan, gluten-free, health conscious or environmentally friendly products.
3. MakanSharing
For those who enjoy homecooked food, MakanSharing is for you. MakanSharing takes the concept of neighbourhood food sharing into a globalized platform.
This Malaysian food marketplace became a hub for home cooks nationwide to connect with each other. There are also delivery and takeaway services for users who would like to taste these underrated yet delicious delicacies.
Users can even rent MakanTrucks or approach the marketplace for food events at approved MakanSpaces or any permitted locations.
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4. Jalan Jalan Japan
Jalan Jalan Japan originates from Japan’s Book Off stores. Book Off is a famous nationwide pre-loved item store in Japan.
Although Jalan Jalan Japan is situated in Kuala Lumpur, this store is frequented by many locals to purchase or sell pre-loved goods. In fact, Jalan Jalan Japan also receives pre-loved goods from Japan itself!
The goods sold at Jalan Jalan Japan are also priced affordably due to their secondhand nature.
Thus, it has become an ideal place for locals looking for affordable and good-quality goods. Jalan Jalan Japan’s niche market appeals to locals interested in Japanese and local goods that come at a reasonable bargain price.
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