For me, the reason we target a Niche market or product is only because there is less competition. Does that mean we can't find something that everyone would be potentially interested in? Of course it doesn't, I believe we just need to understand some concepts of what makes a Business or Product "Universal"
In this tutorial I am going to cover the following:
Examples of Universal Business
Examples of a Niche product
Example of making a Niche "Universal"
For my first example, I want to contrast two companies that started at the same time in a similar market, by two similar people.
You've probably heard of the first one. It's called Microsoft. You might have heard of the second one too, it's called Apple.
Both of these companies started out with Operating Systems. The contrasts start from here though.
Microsoft took the attitude : "We want to make a great Operating System and let anyone use it, it doesn't matter who makes the computer, they can load Windows onto it"
Apple on the other hand took the attitude: "We want to make a superior product, we will not only make the OS, but will also make the computer, the software, the hardware, everything"
Both companies did a pretty good job don't you think? Many people will agree Apple produced a superior product with their first computers, and continued to get better.
Did that superior product result in better sales though? Let's see what percentage of homes have Windows, and what percentage of homes have a Mac Computer:
Windows: 95%
Apple: 5%
So you can see here that Microsoft were using a Universal business plan, Apple were not. Apple of course got around this with the iPod, iPhone, iPad and iDontKnowWhatTheyWillMakeNext but it's interesting to see that even operating within something as global as Computing, you can still be very niche. Therefore, it makes sense that operating in something niche, you can still be very universal right? More on this later. Another example on page 2.
In this tutorial I am going to cover the following:
Examples of Universal Business
Examples of a Niche product
Example of making a Niche "Universal"
For my first example, I want to contrast two companies that started at the same time in a similar market, by two similar people.
You've probably heard of the first one. It's called Microsoft. You might have heard of the second one too, it's called Apple.
Both of these companies started out with Operating Systems. The contrasts start from here though.
Microsoft took the attitude : "We want to make a great Operating System and let anyone use it, it doesn't matter who makes the computer, they can load Windows onto it"
Apple on the other hand took the attitude: "We want to make a superior product, we will not only make the OS, but will also make the computer, the software, the hardware, everything"
Both companies did a pretty good job don't you think? Many people will agree Apple produced a superior product with their first computers, and continued to get better.
Did that superior product result in better sales though? Let's see what percentage of homes have Windows, and what percentage of homes have a Mac Computer:
Windows: 95%
Apple: 5%
So you can see here that Microsoft were using a Universal business plan, Apple were not. Apple of course got around this with the iPod, iPhone, iPad and iDontKnowWhatTheyWillMakeNext but it's interesting to see that even operating within something as global as Computing, you can still be very niche. Therefore, it makes sense that operating in something niche, you can still be very universal right? More on this later. Another example on page 2.
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CashPro
Premium
With all due respect, what kind of car do you drive? If it's anything more innovative than a Model T, or likewise, then what you're driving is a result of competition. I take it you don't watch any sports, either. By the way, again, I DID say 90% of all progress. I leave the last 10% to original invention, and true altruism, as rare as that might be. And it's not about a bunch of people within a corporation competing against each other, although that certainly does happen. Coke vs. Pepsi, Nike vs. Adidas, Ford vs. Chrysler (personally, I suspect, like your political parties, those last two are probably run by the same people, anyway, and only exist side by side to give you the illusion of choice). Capitalism is based on competition, or it wouldn't exist. I don't want to be insulting, my friend, but I'm not sure what kind of world you would have us live in if competition didn't run most everything in our lives, including your friendships, workspaces, home atmosphere, schoolyard, highways, etc. Maybe you'd like to explain how you would otherwise satisfy the natural human tendencies of seven and a half billion people towards proving oneself through competitive conflict .
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iloveflash
Premium
The same way all families provide for their needs--each person doing their role. Dad does this, mom does that, the kids do this and that. You don't see mom and dad competing to see who would make the better dinner (though that can sometimes be fun). They just do it. In fact, come thanksgiving, they work together, not leave the work to one person or compete to see who makes the better turkey. This is what capitalism is based on: the belief that through people competing and gaming for money, we can somehow magically bring everything into coordination and make the world better. But like I said, that's counter intuitive. 90% of all human progress is not a result of competition, and I'm not stating that as an opinion. Do the research and the evidence is overwhelming that cooperation (including monopoly; cooperation isn't all about altruism) have resulted in more dynamic systems of commerce, travel, education, health care, etc. etc etc., than competition. Case in point: which makes the better technology, NASA, or all the armies around the world? Hint: only NASA can get to Mars.
Yes, competition has its place. Sports are a great example. Capitalism too--it's the natural result of our desire to share resources. But economically, competition is more hindering than helpful. And capitalism has run its course, as all the global economic crises are showing. In the classroom, kids compete for grades, but not knowledge. You can't compete for that. As an old proverb goes: I traded a dollar with a man and we both still had a dollar, but when I traded an idea with another man, we both had two ideas. The automobile industry is a joke; if we were really at the zenith of our craft, the average car would be a Lamborghini, and the better ones would be crash proof, solar powered, aerodynamically shaped, and size-customizable, all with less resources. I couldn't care less who produced my sneakers; I just want them durable and made by willing hands.
What kind of world would I promote? I kind of said it already. All the phone companies should start pooling their ideas. All the car companies should start an annual car design fusion project. All schools should agree on a curriculum that works at the global level. We have scientists in so many departments, yet interdisciplinaries are unheard of. Our politicians are too busy competing to do anything. There's so many protest movements, but all scattered, uncoordinated, ineffectual. Together, together, together. We need a wiki model society.
As a last note, I want to point out, in response to that comment about competition being a natural human tendency, that we are currently on a website promoting people cooperating and sharing their knowledge, time, and resources, having a competitive debate. It's probably the greatest example I could come up with of how cooperation is really the instigator of ALL human progress--100%--and that competition is just a method of cooperating in the scheme of it. In other words, humans have the potential for competition, but our nature is to work in groups. It's why we're at the top of the food chain.
Sorry if I sound like a jerk or something, the internet makes everything sound serious. Just lively banter is all.
Yes, competition has its place. Sports are a great example. Capitalism too--it's the natural result of our desire to share resources. But economically, competition is more hindering than helpful. And capitalism has run its course, as all the global economic crises are showing. In the classroom, kids compete for grades, but not knowledge. You can't compete for that. As an old proverb goes: I traded a dollar with a man and we both still had a dollar, but when I traded an idea with another man, we both had two ideas. The automobile industry is a joke; if we were really at the zenith of our craft, the average car would be a Lamborghini, and the better ones would be crash proof, solar powered, aerodynamically shaped, and size-customizable, all with less resources. I couldn't care less who produced my sneakers; I just want them durable and made by willing hands.
What kind of world would I promote? I kind of said it already. All the phone companies should start pooling their ideas. All the car companies should start an annual car design fusion project. All schools should agree on a curriculum that works at the global level. We have scientists in so many departments, yet interdisciplinaries are unheard of. Our politicians are too busy competing to do anything. There's so many protest movements, but all scattered, uncoordinated, ineffectual. Together, together, together. We need a wiki model society.
As a last note, I want to point out, in response to that comment about competition being a natural human tendency, that we are currently on a website promoting people cooperating and sharing their knowledge, time, and resources, having a competitive debate. It's probably the greatest example I could come up with of how cooperation is really the instigator of ALL human progress--100%--and that competition is just a method of cooperating in the scheme of it. In other words, humans have the potential for competition, but our nature is to work in groups. It's why we're at the top of the food chain.
Sorry if I sound like a jerk or something, the internet makes everything sound serious. Just lively banter is all.
bryonbrewer
Premium
i find when I have a question like "how can i (whatever)?" the best thing for me is just muse on it for a few minutes every day, if I do it enough, eventually the answer will come when I least expect it, like I will have a train of thought or see something and suddenly think "wait, that's how I can do it!" maybe this will help you
DABK
Premium
Interesting post. A little change in perspective can take you a long way.
You can use the idea (enlarge the pool of buyers, change the pool of buyers without changing the product, with getting it universal being the best) every day.
I mean, you can sell a treadmill as an exercise machine to get you in shape; you can sell it to women to get trimmer legs. It's still a treadmill.
But it is best if you pick things that can be wanted by everybody.
You can use the idea (enlarge the pool of buyers, change the pool of buyers without changing the product, with getting it universal being the best) every day.
I mean, you can sell a treadmill as an exercise machine to get you in shape; you can sell it to women to get trimmer legs. It's still a treadmill.
But it is best if you pick things that can be wanted by everybody.
bryonbrewer
Premium
