When you first start out with your business, you may be approaching a very specific niche or approaching a very specific demographic. For example, if you run a small organic produce market, there is a good chance that you will largely attract only people who are already interested in organic produce and are willing to the pay the price premium that goes along with that type of product. Word may spread among people who lead that kind of lifestyle.

If your business continues to grow, it will become necessary to expand beyond this smaller niche and demographic if you want to gain any more customers. Going back to the small organic produce market, you may start to consider supplying fruits and vegetables to local restaurants and eateries. This is not a market that you would have approached when you were only selling at the regular consumer level. You still have the same products; you’re just selling them to another set of customers as well.

The same can be said about many of the people who largely market their products and services online. The people who are in that niche and have that set of interests may be able to find your company online, but at some point, you may consider expanding into a more traditional market as well, directing that traffic back toward your online business. Say, for example, that you sell arts and crafts via an Etsy or eBay store.

When you start out, most of your marketing efforts will likely be geared toward online shoppers already. Eventually, you may look into more traditional retail channels, possibly supplying a local store, taking out an ad in the local newspaper, or other related possibilities.

To expand your reach, you must also expand your perspective. Take off those blinders and see how far your business can grow.