The Top 200

Other Top 200 catalogers have shunned the marketing tactic of targeting a wide swath of customers. Instead, they’re effectively directing their offers to special-interest consumers, such as golfers (Golfsmith, No. 3); bird-watchers and ornithologists (Audubon Workshop, No. 4); wine lovers (Windsor Vineyards, No. 5, and Wine.com, No. 7); and even saltwater fishing enthusiasts (Offshore Angler, No. 8). No, the universe of names that might have an affinity for their products isn’t huge. But targeting a niche audience, and then serving that customer base well, is the textbook approach to differentiating your company from competitors — and then reaping the rewards.