How to exploit an untapped niche?

[nicksthename]

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I've recently noticed a couple of market niches - B2B - which look ripe for affiliate marketing / performance marketing. I've some knowledge / experience of both, so think my assessment is pretty valid.

There are no merchants for it - I did say it was untapped
but I think there is a lot of potential there with relatively little effort / risk - I've already identified potential affiliates with targeted traffic which are finding it hard to monetise.

How the hell would I get something like this going? I work full-time in Online Marketing, so don't have the time to sell in this solution to potential merchants and connect them to affiliates.

Can anyone advise, or will I simply have stare from afar thinking of what could be

Cheers,

Nick

[moredial]

Your post is confusing: first you talk of B2B, then you mention affiliates.

B2B promotion would be easier for limited time resources.

Who would be interested in affiliates and how do they fit into a B2B niche?

[nicksthename]

Not sure in what way that is confusing - affiliates would be promoting a service to businesses, rather than consumers. Hence B2B.

[moredial]

From my experience, B2B should be manufacturer to distributor or local agent. And each local agent/distributor should be able to set their own price.

More a drop shipping role than affiliate.

Just my 2 pennies.

[The Ferryman]

There may be different versions of what B2B means.

I thought it differentiated between trades with other businesses and trades with retail customers.

So, if you are selling stationery to offices, it is B2B, if you are selling clothes to people, it is B2C

Stationery can be B2C, if you buy envelopes from WH Smiths, but clothes wouldn't usually be B2B, if you are selling clothes to another business, that is wholesaling or something, not a B2B or B2C trade.

I think

Bruce

[accelerator]

Can you approach merchants yourself and make your own affiliate agreements with them? Generally speaking if you can show that you can sell stuff through the internet then I would expect the merchants to be interested.

Rgds

Accelerator

[moredial]

B2B is usually long life assets or goods used in the manufacture of end products. B2C is consumables sold to the end customer. B2B has fewer customers with higher invoice value than B2C.

[The Ferryman]

Business to Business sales are also very difficult to track.

You are into the world of ringing up to squeeze better discounts, offers and tenders, purchase orders, etc.

The introducing affiliate may be long forgotten in the process, (and maybe in the need to provide the most competitive discounts)

Bruce

[nicksthename]

Thanks for the feedback - it's not about how hard it is to track nor the nature of B2B marketing. I've done my research and know this is a valid opportunity.

Accelerator, yes, that would be ideal, however working a 9-5 that makes it pretty much impossible to do. My only other thought would be to approach small aff marketing consultancies to see if they'd be interested in getting in on the action?

Or maybe theres another way of doing things...?

[LazyWinner]

Go for it!

But what kind of advice is it you need? (more spec)

[Telby01]

Interesting thread.

Do any of the networks promote any B2B merchants?

I am going to have a product in the next 6 months that will be ripe for affilate marketing but its a B2B service.