Ways To Enter Saturated Markets
A lot of people have ideas for new books or websites that are based in saturated markets. It makes sense, because most people have some experience in those saturated markets, and there’s more money flowing around in those saturated markets as well.
The problem then is that when you’re entering a saturated market, you’re going to be one voice amongst millions and your chances for economic success are very low. For this reason, you’ll find most advice is to stay away from health and fitness, making money or the like.
It’s a good reason. You probably should stay away from competitive niches if you can. If you can make a living selling to a niche market and never have to worry about competition, then do that.
However, sometimes you just have to compete for whatever reason. Or, if you’re a freelance copywriter, chances are you’ll be hired at some point to create material for these competitive industries.
Outside of writing the next iteration of “5 reasons you need Goji Berry extract in your life” there are a few things to do when it comes to entering saturated markets to try and carve a niche of your own.
This article is four of those things.
Bear in mind the following when reading: Most people make the same error when they start a business venture. That mistake is to see something they like – whether it’s an internet marketer talking about SEO, a bodybuilding youtuber selling protein powder or something else – and think they need to do exactly that.
The first rule to selling to a saturated market is to do something different.
Say It To A Different Audience
With the above rule in mind, we’ll talk about what the average person does.
Average person hangs around on their special interest forum. Let’s say its Bodybuilding.com for the sake of ease. They hang around with other fitness people and they hang out on the bodybuilding forums. They see other people selling protein powder or running a fitness Youtube. So they think it’s the best practice: They start to sell on exactly the same sites. They write the same blog posts recommending the same protein at the same price to the same audience. Then they don’t make any money.
Fitness people are the easiest example to talk about here because the problem is so obvious: If you want to sell fitness, you need to sell to people who aren’t fit.
No matter how saturated the market, there are going to be audiences who aren’t exposed to it. For all the hundreds of blogs with inspirational gym-captioned photos with a picture of Ronnie Coleman or Arnold Schwarzenegger on it, how many blogs are there that are actually designed for people who need it?
It’s the same with making money online. There are millions of businesses that aren’t even online. No website, no emails, nothing. Those are the businesses you should be selling “make money online” services to. Not the internet marketer looking for the next quick-fix with the cheapest price.
Say It In A Different Medium
Here’s a more subtle option, and I’ll start with a confession: I hate video and v-logging.
I prefer the written word, and always have done. I remember written words better, I find it easier to concentrate and take the information in, and I find it easier to cross-reference and archive written words.
That means a lot of valuable information is simply not available to me, or, it’s not in my preferred form.
That equally means that there’s a gap in the market for someone who’ll change the medium.
The same works in reverse – there are hundreds of blogs and sites with articles that are inaccessible to people who prefer podcasts or videos.
Say It In A Better Way
There are a lot of experts on practically every topic. However, it’s rare to find an expert who is also a great writer or orator.
Even if you find them, there’s always a way to deliver the information in a better way. You simply analyse the weaknesses and get rid of them.
This is why you need to learn copywriting or sales. It might seem like a small difference, but when you’re entering a saturated market, it will make all the difference.
Merge The Saturated Market With An Unsaturated One
Chances are high that you don’t have a single pursuit that you follow at the expense of everything else. That means you can merge two markets, and probably should if you’re looking to enter a saturated market.
A good example that I’m thinking of right now: Technology and gardening.
Technology is obviously a massively competitive niche online. But did you know that there are people who automate their greenhouses?
They’ll get a Raspberry Pi, some sensors and other electrical bits and bobs and then use it to open greenhouse doors, water and feed plants and check the health of their plants.
Writing about that sort of niche would be a great way to make a lot of money from knowing technological stuff. You’d have no competition, demand from two markets and your knowledge would actually be useful – without having to compete with the top minds in a saturated market.
Have Completely Different/Novel Material
This is a problem point because nearly everyone thinks that their thoughts and opinions are more valuable than they are.
If you have novel or superior knowledge, then you’ll succeed no matter how competitive the market. If a car manufacturer managed to make an engine that ran without fuel, the competition would cease to matter.
Of course, when it comes to building an online business, you probably don’t have a free-energy device. Still, if you have higher quality information, then you have a competitive advantage. If you have a novel approach, then you have something to offer that will separate you from the rest of the pack.
Final Thoughts
When it comes to creating online businesses, here’s a final thought:
The majority of websites are not run professionally. They won’t last, and they’re not competition.
When it comes to saturated markets, the majority of people are thinking and working in a short-term capacity. Most don’t last more than a year or two. Most of them aren’t going to have any of the advantages we’ve talked about above. After a certain point, they aren’t competition.
The good news is that they are a huge proportion of all the competition you’ll face. Once you’re more successful than that majority of turnkey projects, the competition gets increasingly thinner. Essentially, if (or when) you get to this point, success will probably be exponential.