「不拓展市場」也許比你想的更能賺錢！ "Not expanding your market" might be more profitable than you think!

(ENG below)

「很多人做的一定有市場，但卻不見得是門好生意！」

市場過於競爭的情況下，最後可能都只淪於價格競賽，誰也沒有從中獲利太多。

所以敢於取捨、敢於做的不同，才會是最終能突破重圍的關鍵。

前幾期的電子報我們都圍繞在「拓展新市場」的討論，依照上面的論述，當大家都在拓展市場時，我們反向不拓展市場，會不會反而才是利基點？

拓展市場是想增加業績很自然會想到的方式，但它也不全然都是正面的。

例如，進新市場可能會需要增加店面、人事管理、原料取得與運送成本等，甚至是當地消費習慣、口味不同的調整，再到當地競爭者的策略因應。

以上這些都會大幅度影響進軍新市場的成功率， 甚至會讓營運成本提升，導致整體獲利率下降。

因此，如果我們反向不拓展新市場，而是深耕原有的市場，反而能帶來下面幾個好處：

• 更容易建立品牌知名度:

因為只在特定 (相對小) 的市場，反而可以透過長期經營在當地市場裡建立起高知名度

• 更容易達到高獲利水準：

因為只在當地市場展店，可以大量複製成功經驗，加上店面彼此間的距離較近，也可以降低原料運送成本、人員管理困擾，甚至更能確保產品品質一致，讓獲利率維持在一定水準。

• 降低失敗風險：

因為戰場小，需要考量的財力、物力、人力規模也較小，也不用擔心地區對於口味、使用的差異性，反而是更容易取得成功的。

你應該會發現有非常多「老店品牌」其實就符合上面這幾個狀況，他們雖然沒有大刀闊斧進軍新市場，但卻因為深耕當地市場，成為在地人都知道的好味、好物，甚至是外地人來玩會順便帶走的伴手禮，獲利率自然不會輸那些大牌子。

也由於他們專注經營單一市場，更能照顧到品質多年不變，更是邁向百年品牌很重要的關鍵。

所以如果你的品牌沒有過多資金、營運能力，也許專注在一個市場，並在裡頭做到極致，才是更有效率、更能獲利的選項。

不要因為其他人都在拓展市場，就覺得自己也非做不可。策略是活的，相信自己最好的判斷，多年過後，可能你才是別人口中的老店品牌。

Just because many people are doing something doesn't mean it's a good business!

In an overly competitive market, it often ends up being a price war, with no one profiting much from it.

Therefore, daring to be selective and different is the key to ultimately breaking through.

In the past few issues of our newsletter, we've been discussing "expanding into new markets." Following the above argument, when everyone is expanding their market, could choosing not to expand be the niche opportunity?

Expanding the market is a natural way to think about increasing business performance, but it's not always entirely positive.

For example, entering a new market might require additional storefronts, personnel management, sourcing and transportation costs for raw materials, and even adjustments for local consumer habits and tastes, not to mention responding to local competitors' strategies.

All of these factors significantly affect the success rate of entering a new market, and may even increase operational costs, leading to a decrease in overall profitability.

Therefore, if we do the opposite and don't expand into new markets, but instead focus on cultivating our existing market, it can bring several benefits:

• Easier to establish brand awareness:

Because you're only in a specific (relatively small) market, you can build high brand awareness through long-term operations in the local market

• Easier to achieve high profitability levels:

Because you're only opening stores in the local market, you can replicate successful experiences on a large scale. With stores closer to each other, you can also reduce raw material transportation costs and personnel management issues, and even better ensure consistent product quality, maintaining profitability at a certain level.

• Reduced risk of failure:

Because the battlefield is small, the scale of financial, material, and human resources to be considered is also smaller. You don't have to worry about regional differences in taste and usage, making it easier to achieve success.

You'll probably notice that many "old brand stores" actually fit these conditions. Although they haven't aggressively expanded into new markets, they've become well-known local flavors and goods by cultivating the local market. They've even become souvenirs that tourists take home, naturally achieving profit rates that don't lose out to big brands.

Also, because they focus on operating in a single market, they can better maintain consistent quality over the years, which is a crucial key to becoming a century-old brand.

So if your brand doesn't have excessive funds or operational capacity, perhaps focusing on one market and excelling in it is a more efficient and profitable option.

Don't feel like you have to expand your market just because others are doing it. Strategy is flexible; trust your best judgment. Years later, you might be the old brand store that others talk about.