I’m a huge fan of entrepreneurs who choose a niche marketplace for one big reason: they are relentlessly and authentically focused on product-market fit.
By that, I mean that every touchpoint in their brand experience is created, illuminated, and guided by the customer experience. Understanding your audience at the deepest level — the things that keep them up at night — awakens possibilities for your brand.
I recently became inspired by the founder of the infused tequila brand 21 Seeds, Kat Hantas. Kat had a problem that literally kept her up at night: her evening habit of a glass or two of wine was giving her insomnia. Advised by a doctor to switch to a distilled, not fermented, “clear” drink, she was drawn to blanco tequila. But Kat didn’t want an overly boozy experience, so she found herself experimenting with infusing tequila with fruits and veggies for a light, fresh taste.
At the same time, Kat noticed that all of her friends were naturally moving away from sweeter drinks and gravitating towards “skinny” cocktails, especially tequila. Her infusions gained her loads of party invitations, and a big idea: infused tequila for female drinkers.
Conventional marketing wisdom says there are riches in the niches, and what Kat did beautifully was pay attention to the three…
