The Curvy Coach

I know it’s easy for many to think that fashion is the only market in the plus size industry. It makes sense to believe that since clothing sizes are identified by the term “plus size”. However, the plus size market consists of many other niches even within the plus size fashion niche that are filled with business opportunities. For example, there are larger bikes, seat belt extenders, fashion shows and conferences, maternity products, image consulting, books, and many more that cater specifically to the plus size market. They all have the potential of being a profitable plus size niche.
 
Typically when researching business opportunities, one might think of what existing businesses or franchises can be purchased. However, I’m referring to something that is far less risky, less expensive, and less time consuming. To avoid the risk of being optimistic, we’ll explore what opportunities to consider based on what exists in the market today and what customers are literally buying. Here are five critical steps to choosing a niche particularly within the plus size market:

 1. Which area of the plus size market should I explore?

Maybe you already own your own online plus size clothing boutique and would like to determine if selling plus size evening gowns are a great addition to your business. Maybe you sell workout DVDs on your website and would like to identify if selling plus size workout gear is worth it. The key is to select a niche that you have interest in and would make sense for your business.

2. Are your customers looking for it online?

Now that you’ve selected your niche, let’s see if your leads and customers are already searching for this particular product. You can use Google’s Keyword Tool or the Free Wordtracker tool as outlined in this post. Type in the terms relevant to your niche and evaluate the number of searches for those terms. Don’t get too hung up on the numbers, a better way to think of what the numbers means to your business is “Based on the number of  searches, how many opportunities are there for me to sell this product? How competitive is it for me to sell this product?

3. What existing resources are available within your niche?

Are there articles, news topics, blog posts, magazines, etc. that are relevant to your chosen niche? I like using Google Alerts which aggregates content based on specific terms. If there are a few websites and content on your particular niche, that will help you to better understand what people are interested in and how it can potentially fit into your business. It will also serve as a reference for networking opportunities and content creation should you decide to commit to this niche. 

4. Is it profitable?

Next step is to figure out if the product is readily available and are already sold by different merchants and affiliates. If so, that’s a good indication that there is money to be made with those products. Another key thing to look for is the number of ads. If there are ads promoting those products of interest that is also a great sign. To test profitability, consider recommending or reviewing existing products to see if you can make a few sales.

5. Survey your customers

Last but certainly not least is to connect with your customers and see if there’s a need for that particular product or service. This is the best market research you can conduct by far; your paying customers are willing to tell you what their needs and wants are.  In fact, there are quite a few who don’t mind telling you their dislikes either
 
Knowledge is power, so now that you have done the preliminary research, it’s up to you to make the decision to build upon this niche and make it a part of your business development plans. In a follow up post, I will feature a special guest who will analyze a very intersting niche – Plus Size Wedding Dresses!

P.S. I invite you to contact me if you’re interested in working together to exploring and monetizing your plus size niche. My goal is to help you succeed in the plus size industry so leave a comment below or send me an email. Can’t wait to hear from you!