Marketing a Niche
Jennifer Grant was a rehabilitation counselor and lay hospital chaplain before she decided to open a store catering to the physical and spiritual needs of the disabled and their families. The unique nature of her store has pushed Grant to find unusual ways to spread the word about her business. She was interviewed by freelance writer Karen E. Klein.
As far as I know, my store is the only one in the world that carries assisted daily living products along with educational and inspirational materials.
People think I sell wheelchairs and walkers, but actually I offer products like talking watches for the visually impaired, one-handed cutting boards and electric jar openers for people with arthritis or other hand-grasp problems.
I also sell religious and educational materials.
My main objective in marketing has been to let people know there’s a one-stop resource where they can find these products and resources.
I go to networking groups where I meet the professionals who work with the people in my target audience. At my store, I maintain a resource table for these professionals, so they can advertise their resources through me. This way, I can give them some publicity and also help my customers find resources.
I developed my own brochure that lists the categories of products that I sell and I distribute it as a resource to these professionals to use when they’re talking to their patients. I have found a tremendous receptivity to my business within the health-care community.
Another thing I do is speak to all sorts of groups, taking sample products and literature with me. I structure my remarks and the products I bring specifically to the group I’m addressing, whether it be a stroke support group or an independent living class.
I want to be sensitive, so I don’t try to make a lot of sales at these groups. I don’t want to turn someone’s meeting into a retail circus.
I get speaking invitations from former colleagues and the people I meet in networking groups. I also monitor the community calendar sections of the newspaper and contact some of the groups I think might be interested in my presentation. Usually, I’m surprised by how many are very receptive.
Because there’s some confusion about what kinds of products I carry, I have done some networking with local durable medical equipment companies. Now, when I get calls for wheelchairs or canes--which I don’t carry--I refer my callers to them. If they get requests for any of the products I carry, they refer people to me.
I do health fairs that are put on by different organizations. I feel that starting a business is expensive enough, so I don’t do the ones that charge a lot for a table. I also advertise, including placing some ads that go after my non-target audience. You figure that almost everybody knows an ill or disabled person, so in some of my consumer ads I appeal to people who want to buy gifts for their grandparents or parents. Finally, I’ve tried to look at who I’m not serving and why--and I’ve tried to establish some sort of innovative way to help those people.
Because none of the items I sell are covered by Medicare or standard insurance, there are low-income people who I know could use my products but can’t afford them. So I am trying to solicit funding to start a program that will make these products and materials available on a scholarship basis.
Karen E. Klein will be featured at The Times’ Small Business Strategies Conference Oct. 17-18 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. If your business can provide a lesson to other entrepreneurs, contact Klein at the Los Angeles Times, 1333 S. Mayflower Ave., Suite 100, Monrovia 91016 or send e-mail to kklein6349@aol.com. Include your name, address and telephone number.
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AT A GLANCE
* Company: Never Give Up Inc.
* Owner: Jennifer Grant
* Nature of business: Retailer of rehabilitation products, educational/ inspirational materials
* Location: 4288 Lincoln Blvd., Marina del Rey
* Founded: 1998
* Employees: 0
* Projected annual revenue: $30,000