Parrot Cards
After the events of 2001, Pat, a computer consultant, wanted to send out an especially cheerful holiday card, but couldn’t find one that fit the bill. So she took a photo of her parrot, Scarlet, with a Christmas elf and sent the electronic card to 350 people.
The feedback was immediate. Many people (including those not on her original mailing list) wanted to know where she found such a beautiful card.
After the positive response, Pat read an article estimating that almost 7 million households in the U.S. own parrots. Also, with more research she found the statistic that the typical person buys 30 greeting cards per year. Aware that there wasn’t a greeting-card company especially for parrot owners, she wrote up a business plan and started a card company in 2002.
Despite several people telling Pat that her business is too specialized to succeed, her business became profitable in 2005. “Nowadays I think the ‘nichier’ you are, the more success you’ll have,” she says.
This story is a good example of marketing to a small, niche market. Although there is nothing special about greeting cards, parrot greeting cards are another story. Pat’s business shows that niche businesses can be profitable and fun.
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