davitdude

Director of Operations & Marketing

Custom niche market tactics?

So I work in a niche market (large yachts) trying to sell large custom equipment. Most of our competition is in Europe, where most large 50+m yachts are built.

Does anyone here have experience trying to crack overseas/niche markets against local (to the customer) competition? We have a good/competitive product but the time and delivery difference is big to overcome.

🧠 Advice

🦾 Hardware Tech

👑 Sales Strategy

12 comments

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CuriousFox

WR Officer

🦊

Yeesh I do not. But tell me about these yachts. 👀

jefe

Arsonist

🍁

Preferably with pics

davitdude

Good Citizen

Director of Operations & Marketing

@Diablo thanks for the tips, I’m new to the sales side of things so and direction/advice is helpful.

Diablo

Politicker

Sr. AE

Sure! Sounds good.

Not sure if you like reading books, if yes you might want to read 'The Goal' by Eliyahu Goldratt.

All the best!

SADNES5

Politicker

down voters are marketing spies

Conference, network, boat shoe in EU, Conference. Ship builder conference. Any event you can get a ticket for attend. Your presence will be noticed.

I am super niche as well. When my competitors don't show up, all the potential clients talk.

Diablo

Politicker

Sr. AE

Is it just a niche market or product as well that has to be custom made ?

davitdude

Good Citizen

Director of Operations & Marketing

Both, the space isn’t that large and then due to the nature of these boats a lot of the equipment is bespoke, or starts life out as something we’ve built before but then has to be tailored to the application.

Diablo

Politicker

Sr. AE

To me it looks to be a complex problem that you'll have to break down and find a solution to.

Do you follow a proper forecasting process? If yes, are you exceeding the delivery commitment given to your customer? If there any bottleneck in the process e.g. why this delay happens - is it to ready the product, ship the product, etc. Do you have parts and labor in place?

There are too many things to look at to know the root cause. I worked in non-Saas as well and that's how I had solved one of the similar challenges (but again it was CPG, completely different) but think designing an approach in the similar line might help you answer your problems.

SADNES5

Politicker

down voters are marketing spies

I've watched a little boat monitoring company grow in BC. Called Barnacle. BKRNL. They were awarded contacts with Canada coast guard a few weeks ago. Why?

They went to every single boat show, conference etc and got noticed. Even went to CNS in Vegas. People talked. They are now $$$

cw95

Politicker

Sales Development Lead

If you haven't already, join as many groups be that on FB, insta, Linkedin you name it in which these people that love yachts assemble. Even forums on random internet groups. Don't post on there obvs.

Find the people that love it then find out the email etc and do the usual work!

ColdCallHotCoffee

Politicker

TSR

In a past role I worked with people in Europe. Im US based. As much as it blows, you have to make yourself available. Also respond ASAP considering the time difference.

davitdude

Good Citizen

Director of Operations & Marketing

Here’s a recent one we had some stuff on.

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davitdude

Custom niche market tactics?

12 comments

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