The title of this post is Mexican niches, not nachos.
I arrived in Playa del Carmen, Mexico this past Thursday. It’s been awhile since I’ve left the USA… and it feels great to get away. Although, in a touristy place like Playa, it’s hard to feel like you’ve actually left the USA at all.
Even though I don’t feel like I’m soaking in any new culture, I love these little touristy spots. They provide endless business lessons and insights.
I can walk around all day and see examples of businesses that are successful (they have patrons), and those that aren’t. I can see solid systems in place and broken systems – dirty bathrooms, slow service, no credit card machines.
I also get endless insight into the things I need to do to improve my niche info publishing businesses.
Playa is not a huge place, yet in the span of 50 or so blocks, there hundreds of hotel options available. There are all-inclusive resorts, beach resorts, eco lodges, private bungalows & cabanas, hostels, etc. There are luxury options and budget options. There are options to fit all tastes and income levels.
There are niche markets everywhere that these hotels are serving. And many are doing well and thriving despite not trying to make everyone happy.
Often times, as niche product publishers, we go WAY TOO wide, trying to hit the largest audience possible. But the online environment isn’t THAT much different than offline. Imagine if one of these hotels tried to serve the backpacking crowd and the luxury crowd? How long do you think they’d be in business?
But, as niche marketers we do this all the time.
It’s great to get off the computer and look at what’s working in the real world every once in awhile.
Back to the basics:
- Focus on a narrow defined target market.
- Know what that target market wants.
- Promise them what they want with your USP.
- Deliver on that promise (have solid systems in place).
