Inch Wide, Mile Deep

"Inch Wide, Mile Deep" refers to one of the most wonderful properties of a niche market. To take advantage of this, a person needs to have several items to sell, each item must delight the customer and be part of a "sales funnel."

The principle of a "sales funnel" is simple: Given the fact that most people will not make a purchase from a source where trust has not been established, the vendor needs to provide a path by which that trust may be won. Commonly this is done by offering products in a line, arranged from least expensive to most expensive.

Most buyers are willing to risk $20 to find out whether a given product will meet their needs, provided they don't trip over any of several potential obstacles. (Typographical errors, poor grammar, second-rate graphics, resemblance to known swindlers, etc.). Once they get over the initial resistance, purchase and enjoy the product, they are far more likely to purchase a more expensive offering from the same vendor. If they like their second purchase, they are likely to make several more successively more expensive purchases. Hence the expression "inch wide, mile deep."

So, when marketing over the internet, lead with a $20 product, and have several follow-up products to offer potential buyers after their initial purchase.

Next Installment: Establishing Credibility