Market Diversification Does Your Business Need To Adapt
In today’s fast-paced and ever-changing business landscape, companies are constantly seeking new opportunities for growth and profitability. One strategy that has become increasingly popular is market diversification – the process of expanding a company’s products or services into new markets or customer segments. Market diversification can help businesses reduce their reliance on a single market or product, spread risk, and create new revenue streams. In this article, we will explore the concept of market diversification and its benefits, as well as the challenges that businesses may face when implementing this strategy. We will also provide examples of companies that have successfully diversified their offerings and expanded into new markets, and offer practical tips for businesses looking to pursue market diversification.
So what happens when you have sold all of your existing products or services to all of the potential available customers i.e. you have completely saturated the market.
Well if you have delivered a great product / service to these people then there is always the opportunity for some product diversification.
So you could develop / introduce some products that allow up sell or cross sell. Just think about the last time you purchased an electrical item. Hopefully at the point of purchase the assistant asked you the questions
- Do you want the batteries
- Have you seen the cover / bag / bracket / lead etc to go with the product
- Are you interested in purchasing a guarantee / extended warranty
Increasing The Value
So all of the above elements help to increase the value of the sale (and hopefully allow a significant increase in the profitability of the transaction) as well as making the customer feel more valued within the transaction.
What if you need to find a new customer segment to sell to? Well that’s where Market / Customer diversification comes into play. Perhaps your product has been developed for a customer segment of Large businesses / organisations? Could the product be made suitable for Medium size enterprises.
If your service is geared at the 18 to 30 Female segment, could this be adapted to make the service suitable for either an older or younger female segment or even a male market.In some cases the product / service might need to be slightly modified / adapted to make it fit for purpose (so in some ways this could be considered product diversification – but I don’t want to split hairs)
Is there a market available to you that you have previously not targeted. For example as a manufacturing company have you sold to aerospace and marine, is there now an opportunity to sell the service to off shore / energy or pharmaceutical.
Market diversification alone does not necessarily allow a company to increase prices. The ability to increase prices depends on a variety of factors such as the level of competition in the new market, the value proposition of the company’s products or services, and the willingness of customers to pay higher prices.
However, market diversification can indirectly help a company increase prices in certain situations. For example, if a company successfully enters a new market where there is less competition or where their product or service is perceived as more valuable, they may be able to charge higher prices. Additionally, by diversifying their offerings, companies can create a more differentiated and unique value proposition, which may justify higher prices for their products or services.
It is important to note that increasing prices should not be the primary motivation for pursuing market diversification. The goal of diversification is to reduce risk and create new revenue streams, and any potential price increases should be seen as a secondary benefit. Companies should also be cautious not to overprice their products or services in new markets, as this can lead to customer resistance and ultimately harm the company’s reputation and sales.
Want to pick up the phone and speak to us about Market Diversification?
Call us on: 01733 361729 mail: solutions@bdolphin.co.uk
The Importance Of Clarity In Strategy
if you are looking to diversify your business, you will need a business strategy. Diversification can be a complex process that involves identifying new markets, products, or services to pursue. Without a well-defined business strategy, you may struggle to successfully navigate the challenges and opportunities that come with diversification.
A good business strategy will help you identify the areas of your business that are most suitable for diversification, and then outline a plan for how to execute that diversification effectively. This may involve conducting market research, identifying new revenue streams, developing new products or services, or even acquiring other businesses.
Your business strategy should also take into account the resources and capabilities you currently have and how you can leverage them to achieve your diversification goals. Additionally, it should include a clear timeline and set of performance metrics to help you track progress and make adjustments as needed.
Overall, a well-designed business strategy is essential for any business looking to diversify. It can help ensure that your diversification efforts are aligned with your overall business objectives, and that you have a clear roadmap for success.
The difference between Clarity and Foggy
The following characteristics are exhibited. Which of these characteristics does your business exhibit
Clarity |
Foggy |
| Planning | Confused |
| Clear communication | Speculation |
| Motivation | Stressed |
| Engaged people | Demotivated people |
| Profit | Inefficiency |
Five great clarity questions
- What are we trying to achieve
- What does success look like
- How will we measure success
- Why is this important to us
- What are the consequences (of failure)
Research has indicated that typically only 48% of managers and employees know a businesses most important goals.
Faced With A Business Challenge (don’t turn to drink!)
Seven Steps To Consider In helping You Find A Solution
1. Where is this issue on a scale of 1 – 10?
- Where 10 is devastating and somebody might die
- Where 1 is its a minor inconvenience
- Being able to identify the size of the issue will allow you to identify the priority it requires
2. How important will this be in 6 months time?
- If it will be of no importance in 6 months then perhaps it isn’t really a business challenge
- If not sorting this out now will mean that in 6 months its a major issue, then perhaps you need to be allocating resource to solve the problem
3. Is your response appropriate and effective?
- Just because your best customer is one day overdue on payment should you really send them a letter telling them that you will never supply them again
- A supplier has inadvertently sent you the wrong item. Do you really need to de list them
- A customer complains about a customer experience – do you really want to publish on social media that this specific customer is a pain
4. How can you improve or influence the situation?
- Is there anything that you can do that will facilitate solving the problem
- Will anybody else have faced this problem before
- Will some new technology, equipment or expertise help you in the resolution
5. What can you learn from resolving the challenge
- In resolving the challenge what helped
- Were any particular people of help
6. What will you differently next time
- As part of the experience in resolving the challenge do you now know what systems and processes you can improve / change
- How will you make sure you don’t make these mistakes again
7. What can you find that’s positive from resolving the challenge
- Often being faced with an important challenge to resolve provides us with lots of learning points
- Why not takes some time out to consider what positives have come out from resolving the challenge
- Can these positive points be communicated to the rest of the company
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7 Elements Of The Lifecyle Marketing Process
There are various stages in the lifecycle marketing process. We have found that companies have different levels of capability for each of the stages. Simply look at the following stages and evaluate what you are currently doing and how effective it is.
Attracting Customer Interest
- What are you currently doing to attract customers?
- What are you doing to get visitors to your website?
- What are you looking to do to attract footfall or get the phone to ring with enquiries?
Capturing customer / visitor leads
- What are you currently doing to capture customers or prospects details who enquire personally?
- What are you currently doing to get capture details of visitors to your website?
Nurturing Prospects
- What are you doing to stay in contact with your visitors?
- Do you have a pre planned system in place to allow quality communication with prospects?
- What quality content do you have in place to offer prospects?
Converting Prospects To Customers (Converting Lapsed Customers To Live Customers)
- How do you know when your web visitors are ready to buy?
- Do you know how close prospects are to purchasing
- Are you able to categorise and profile the quality / future buying potential of your prospects
- What mechanisms do you have in place to stimulate a customer to buy from you
- The following stages Enquiry, Qualification, Quotation, Negotiation, Outcome (win or lose) may help systemise the process
Deliver And Survey
- What do you do to ensure that your customers are happy?
- How do you find out about how well you have performed and if you could improve?
- How do you identify what your customers need that you don’t supply?
Up Selling And Cross Selling
- What are you currently doing to sell more products and services to your existing customers?
- Are there opportunities to improve the way you up sell / cross sell
Gaining Referrals
- Are you asking satisfied customers for referrals
- How do you manage the process
Lifecycle Marketing Planning
Consider each of the above. You might want to score each element out of 10 (with 1 being very poor to 10 where you perform that activity brilliantly) and then identify which of the stages is most challenging to your business.
Market Diversification – Targeting
When a business aims to approach market diversification and target a new market, it should consider the following approaches:
- Market Research: Conduct thorough market research to identify potential new markets. Understand the demographics, preferences, needs, and behaviours of the target market. This research will help you determine the feasibility and potential demand for your product or service.
- Segmenting and Targeting: Once you have identified the new market, segment it into smaller, more manageable groups based on common characteristics such as age, location, interests, or buying behavior. Choose the segments that align best with your business offerings and capabilities, and focus your efforts on targeting those segments effectively.
- Tailor Your Value Proposition: Adapt your value proposition to meet the specific needs and preferences of the new target market. Analyse what unique benefits your product or service can offer to this market and emphasise them in your marketing messages. Highlight how your offering solves their problems or fulfills their desires better than existing alternatives.
- Competitive Analysis: Understand the competitive landscape of the new market. Identify your direct and indirect competitors and analyse their strengths and weaknesses. Differentiate your business by offering unique features, better customer service, competitive pricing, or innovative marketing strategies.
- Marketing and Communication Strategy: Develop a comprehensive marketing and communication strategy that aligns with the new target market. Utilise appropriate channels to reach your audience effectively, such as social media, online advertising, influencer marketing, or traditional media. Tailor your messaging and content to resonate with the new market’s values, language, and cultural nuances.
- Distribution Channels: Assess the most suitable distribution channels for reaching the new market. Explore partnerships with local distributors, retailers, or online platforms that have a strong presence in the target market. Consider adapting your product or service to meet any specific requirements or regulations of the new market.
- Test and Iterate: Start with a small-scale pilot or test campaign to validate your assumptions and gather feedback from the new market. Analyse the results, measure key performance indicators (KPIs), and make adjustments based on the insights gained. Iteratively refine your approach to improve market penetration and customer engagement.
- Build Relationships: Invest in building relationships with potential customers, influencers, and industry stakeholders in the new market. Attend relevant trade shows, conferences, or networking events to establish connections and gain insights. Leverage social media and content marketing to engage with your target audience, answer their questions, and build trust.
- Adapt and Innovate: Remain flexible and open to adapting your strategies based on market feedback. Continuously monitor market trends, customer preferences, and competitive dynamics. Innovate and introduce new features, services, or experiences to meet evolving market demands and stay ahead of the competition.
- Long-Term Commitment: Market diversification requires a long-term commitment. Be patient, persistent, and willing to invest resources into building brand awareness and market share in the new target market. Develop a sustainable growth strategy that aligns with your overall business objectives.
Remember, market diversification requires a thoughtful and well-executed approach. It’s crucial to balance your ambitions with the available resources and capabilities of your business. If you would like to know more about market diversification contact Andrew Goode
Market Diversification Targeting FAQ’s
1. What does market diversification targeting mean for an SME B2B manufacturing business?
Market diversification targeting is the process of identifying and pursuing new customer sectors, industries, geographic regions, or application areas beyond your current core market. For a B2B manufacturing business, this often means reducing reliance on one sector, customer type, or product application by finding alternative markets where your existing manufacturing capabilities can solve similar problems.
For example, a manufacturer currently supplying fabricated metal components to the agricultural sector may find opportunities in construction equipment, material handling, transport, or industrial automation. The principle is not necessarily to reinvent the business, but to identify where your current machinery, technical expertise, certifications, engineering capability, and supply chain can be repurposed profitably.
For SMEs, diversification can reduce commercial risk, create new revenue streams, and improve resilience if one market experiences a downturn.
2. How do we know which new markets are worth targeting?
The most commercially sensible new markets are those where your existing strengths provide a realistic competitive advantage. SMEs should start by assessing internal capability before looking externally. This includes reviewing manufacturing processes, available machinery, tolerances, material expertise, production capacity, quality systems, technical staff knowledge, and delivery capability.
Externally, look for sectors with similar technical requirements to your current market. If you already manufacture precision-machined components for automotive applications, adjacent sectors such as aerospace subcontracting, medical devices, industrial machinery, or energy may present opportunities. Demand size matters, but so do barriers to entry, certification requirements, procurement complexity, and margin potential.
Customer pain points are equally important. Markets with urgent delivery demands, poor incumbent suppliers, fragmented supply chains, or a need for bespoke manufacturing solutions can offer faster routes to entry. The objective is to find markets where you can credibly solve problems rather than simply chasing industries that appear large or fashionable.
3. Should we target completely new industries or focus on adjacent markets first?
For most SME manufacturers, adjacent markets are usually the lower-risk and more commercially practical option. Entering a completely unfamiliar sector often requires substantial investment in compliance, certifications, technical understanding, new tooling, sales relationships, and sector credibility. This increases both cost and time to market.
Adjacent diversification tends to be more effective because existing operational capabilities remain relevant. A sheet metal fabricator serving construction may transition into HVAC manufacturing, industrial enclosures, transport equipment, or warehouse infrastructure more easily than moving directly into highly regulated sectors such as defence or pharmaceuticals.
That said, completely new industries may still be attractive if margins are significantly stronger or if the existing market is structurally declining. The key question is whether the business has the operational capacity, financial resilience, and commercial patience required. In most cases, SMEs benefit from building momentum in related sectors before attempting broader diversification.
4. How do we market ourselves to a sector where we have no existing reputation?
Entering a new market requires a deliberate credibility-building strategy because B2B buyers are naturally cautious when selecting manufacturing suppliers. Without sector-specific reputation, your messaging must focus on transferable capability rather than market heritage alone.
This typically means clearly presenting technical competence, manufacturing capacity, machinery lists, quality standards, tolerances, project examples, engineering support, and production processes. Buyers need reassurance that you understand their operational requirements even if you are new to their specific sector.
Digital marketing plays a strong role here. Sector-specific landing pages, technical content, case studies showing relevant transferable expertise, search engine optimisation, targeted LinkedIn outreach, and account-based marketing can all help generate visibility. Sales teams should avoid vague claims about being “industry leading” and instead communicate specific operational strengths that matter to procurement managers, engineers, and technical buyers.
Trust can also be accelerated through pilot projects, smaller initial orders, prototype work, or consultative engineering discussions that reduce perceived supplier risk.
5. What are the biggest mistakes SME manufacturers make when trying to diversify into new markets?
One of the most common mistakes is pursuing diversification without a clear strategic rationale. Simply entering a new market because current sales are slow often leads to poor targeting, weak messaging, and wasted business development spend.
Another frequent issue is assuming technical capability automatically creates market demand. Manufacturing competence is important, but new sectors require market understanding, buyer insight, procurement knowledge, and competitive positioning. Without this, even technically strong businesses struggle to win work.
Pricing errors are also common. SMEs entering unfamiliar sectors may underprice aggressively to gain traction, damaging profitability and creating unsustainable customer expectations.
Many businesses also fail to adapt their messaging. Generic websites that speak broadly about “quality manufacturing” rarely convert effectively in specialised sectors. Buyers want evidence that you understand their specific applications, challenges, compliance requirements, and commercial priorities.
Finally, some manufacturers diversify too widely at once. Spreading effort across multiple sectors dilutes sales focus, stretches marketing budgets, and makes it difficult to build momentum. A narrower, strategically selected diversification plan usually delivers stronger long-term results.
