I a previous post I mentioned that a small company can benefit from a very narrow focus – grabbing share from a larger company that can’t be ‘everywhere at once’.

But the question is – does narrow focus mean slim pickings?

No. for example, I came across a site devoted to industrial suppliers, ThomasGlobal. And not any suppliers, but the kind of hardware that companies that create things need (for example, tools and dies).

They don’t do computers. They don’t offer health care or training. They simply provide a directory of industrial suppliers. So it’s a very narrow directory focus.

But as narrow as that is, it’s a HUGE category. Drop by their site and look around (for example, one section is just a directory of tools & dies). If I’m looking for Can Making Dies or Thread Rolling Dies (whatever they are), this is the place to check.

And they are rewarded for that focus. For instance, if you search ‘tools, dies’ in Google, you’ll find them on the first page – if they had a broader focus to their site, they would have a tougher time getting that first page. The reason is simple: people looking for Tooling information find the link valuable, so Google rewards them for being ‘spot-on’ with better rankings. Again, focus is key.

Huge companies can afford huge sites that try to be everything to everyone. And while it may work, it’s a lot of money to grab every bit of market share, when a piece can be quite profitable. Just ask ThomasGlobal – they seem to think so.