Market Area

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MARKET AREA EXPANSION CHECKLIST

When a locally made product or business is successful in the local area,

an opportunity often exists to expand marketing efforts to new geographic

areas. Sometimes this can involve opening another outlet in another

location.

SOME EXAMPLES

1. A co-operative that supplied equipment to mountain climbers and

hikers was so successful it expanded to include a second operation

in another area.

2. A nut and fruit bar made and marketed only in a local region had its

marketing expanded to a mcuh wider geographic area.

3. A successful local restaurant with a unique concept expanded by setting

up similar restaurants in other cities across North America.

HOW TO DO IT

1. Identify products or services currently offered by your company

within your region and consider whether marketing efforts could be

expanded to new areas.

2. To find successful local products or services which are produced by

someone else and not distributed to other areas:

a. talk to purchasing agents;

b. place classified advertisements in newspapers;

c. contact your local Business Info Centre or the Ministry of Small

Business, Tourism & Culture (in Canada);

d. analyse local advertising and talk to local business people;

e. look for locally made products in stores;

f. look for stories on local products and services in business

magazines and newspapers; and

g. talk with tourists visiting your region, as well as local travel

industry personnel, to find specific products and services that

attract businesses, and consider which of these could be imitated,

franchised or marketed in other areas.

3. To find successful one-of-a-kind businesses that have been developed

by local people: analyse the Yellow Pages in your phone directory;

identify local fashions and lifestyle activities; observe retail

stores and services in your area and Iisten for positive comments

from local consumers and business people about local businesses; and

ask visitors to your area for the names of unique local businesses

they have noticed and which they might like to have in their own

community.

4. Talk to potential customers to discover whether there is a market for

the products or services in the new area.

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