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Kelly, MyQute.com
A Night Market’s (Pasar Malam) Marketing Secrets I am learning quite a bit about how top bloggers make their blogs work (‘spin money’)! This blog entry is a result of my curiosity of the local night markets (aka “evening flea markets”). I stood around longer than necessary, trying to understand how they operate their small businesses while Fatty snacked on a chicken wing and Taiwanese “lap-cheung” (hot-dogs). Have you ever been to a night-market (aka “pasar malam” in local Malay language) in Singapore?
Especially a very loooooong one that stretches to over 2.5km (a ‘rough’ estimation)? They usually have a lot of stalls serving hot-dogs, fried chicken wings and even “fake” sharks’ fin! There may be 3 to 8 of those fast-food stalls in such a night-market. So….what’s the secret?
While there are many who’d attend a night-market to get a cheap and good mattress or pillow, many would just go for popcorn, hot-dogs or satay. I observed that it would be very likely that one fast-food stallholder profited a little more than others.
Out of about 8 stallholders selling Beef Burgers, 7 were owned by one and the same person. He hired friends and relatives to help in his fast-food stalls.
That is also to say:
1. Products often come in different packaging (brands and pricing) although they may be of the same product. In the night-market stallholders’ case, the appearance of their signage, banner and cooking appliances are their “packaging” (apart from the smell of food). People often choose one product (or service) over another one based on the appearance of its ‘package’ without really knowing they’re actually the same product.
Marketing lesson: Spruce up the appearance of your product. Use top designs that would give you the best results – profits. (Testing of designs is another ‘topic’!)
2. People don’t always buy what they need. Take for example my fatty relative….does he need another chicken wing to fatten him even more? Nope, but he still buys one at a night-market!
Marketing lesson: Appeal not only to what a person wants, but also what he needs (ethically of course).
3. If Sim Lim Square is a night-market, it would perhaps be one of the best examples that “competitors” are no sweat; in fact competitors can bring you business!
Sure, people will compare products and services, but consumers’ needs vary. For example, one can promote and sell fruit-based cosmetics although there are already loads of other kinds of cosmetics available in beauty salons, personal care shops and departmental stores. Boutiques catering to taller-than-average women can/may do equally well, in a place where there are already many ladies’ boutiques.
Marketing lesson: “Niche” what you are marketing for a market that’s in demand, that what people want.
4. You may think that the 8th fast-food stallholder earned lesser money than the other (the one who had 7 fastfood stalls). You are probably right but that didn’t mean he didn’t make a profit. This 8th fast-food stallholder had employed a marketing strategy. Every $10 purchase of fast-food entitled the consumer to a small pack of potato chips or a cup of grape juice (the customer can choose either one).
Marketing lesson: A small tweak in a marketing strategy can mean you profit (or break-even) in an already-saturated market (many people promoting the same thing).
| In the offline world of Night-market/pasar-malam | In the online world of shopping websites and ecommerce-enabled blogs |
| Spruce up the appearance of your product. Use top designs that would give you the best results – profits. (Testing of designs is another ‘topic’!) | Graphics can and have the ability to do the work of a thousand words! |
| Appeal not only to what a person wants, but also what he needs (ethically of course). | Cross-promote other people’s products that are related to your own. |
| “Niche” what you are marketing for a market that’s in demand, that what people want. | Don’t just carry general winter-wear products for travellers for example, make the rare trekking or scuba-diving product available online for holiday-makers as well (only if there’s a demand). |
| A small tweak in a marketing strategy can mean you profit (or break-even) in an already-saturated market (many people promoting the same thing). | Use tools that deploy smart marketing strategies for your online business/blog. |
For us bloggers, I think it would be a good challenge if we can put some of these marketing ideas to work on our blogs/websites! Do you agree or disagree? Share your thoughts by tracking back (from your own blog) or adding a comment!
Related info:
Why You Shouldn’t be Afraid of Competition on your Blog
AirForce Blogging Guidelines
Derek Baker’s Blogging Goals 2009
Michael R”s Guide to Getting More Online Buyers
Tags: promotion ideas, marketing strategies, case studies, night market, secrets of local, local night markets, marketing lesson, marketing idea
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