Dr. Paul Borosky, DBA, MBA
Business Consultant · Marketing Glossary
What Is Long Tail Marketing for a Small Business?
The best seller on the shelf is not always where the profit hides. Sometimes it sits in dozens of specialty items that each sell a little. Dr. Paul Borosky, DBA, MBA, has helped owners find that demand as a business consultant, and he explains here how the long tail works and when it is worth serving.
Questions? Call or text (321) 948-9588. Dr. Paul answers personally.
Last Updated: 11/07/2026 · Written by Dr. Paul Borosky, DBA, MBA
The Short Answer
What Is the Long Tail?
Are Small Sellers Adding Up to Something Big?
In Plain English
Lots of Small Sellers Can Add Up
The long tail is lots of items that each sell a little, or lots of very specific searches, adding up to a meaningful share of your business.
You may never beat the big store on its bestseller. But you can own the dozens of small, specific things it does not bother with.
A Real-World Example
The Fabric Shop and Its Specialty Supplies
A small fabric shop in Milwaukee, Wisconsin sells basic cotton plus dozens of specialty quilting supplies. No single specialty item sells much, but together they bring in about a third of monthly sales.
The shop also writes pages answering very specific searches, like how to repair a vintage quilt binding. Each page brings a few visitors a month. Together, they are a steady source of new customers. Any retail store can look for its own long tail the same way.
From Dr. Paul’s Fabled Forest
Cal the Camel and the Things Wendell Didn’t Sell
Doctor Owl was at the permit office, number 84 in line, when Cal the Camel plodded in to complain.
“Wendell’s Warehouse sells lamp oil cheaper than I ever could,” Cal said.
“You can’t keep a whale in a fishbowl,” a passing clerk said, to nobody in particular.
Doctor Owl turned to Cal. “What do you sell that Wendell does not?”
Cal thought. Cactus-fiber saddle pads. Desert map tubes. Sand goggles sized for young camels.
Doctor Owl tallied them on the back of his permit form. None of them sold more than a handful a moon. But added together, they brought in more coins than lamp oil ever had.
Cal stopped worrying about Wendell’s lamp oil. He added two more kinds of goggles instead.
Find the rest of the forest’s lessons in Dr. Paul’s Fabled Forest Business School Series. This one is from Book 4.
Dr. Paul’s Insight
Dr. Paul encourages owners to track their small sellers as a group before deciding what to cut.
Put It to Work
How a Long Tail Adds Up
Illustrative fabric shop, one month:
| Niche item | Units sold | Revenue |
|---|---|---|
| Vintage quilt binding kits | 6 | $180 |
| Hand-dyed thread packs | 15 | $225 |
| Batting, specialty sizes | 9 | $270 |
| Quilting rulers, odd sizes | 7 | $140 |
| Repair patches | 12 | $96 |
| Templates | 8 | $120 |
| Long-arm needles | 10 | $150 |
| Pattern books, out of print | 3 | $135 |
| Niche total | 70 | $1,316 (about 33 percent of $4,000 monthly sales) |
Two kinds of long tail: niche products, like the table above, and niche searches, specific questions like “how to fix a vintage quilt binding.”
- List your niche items and specific questions. What do you sell, or answer, that the big players skip?
- Track monthly units and revenue per niche. Look at them as a group, not one at a time.
- Keep the ones that add up. Drop the slow ones that tie up cash in stock.
Watch Out
Pitfalls When Chasing the Long Tail
A niche needs some real demand behind it.
Slow stock is cash sitting on a shelf.
The long tail adds to the core. It does not replace it.
Without the numbers, you are keeping items on hope.
Why It Matters
Benefits of the Long Tail
- More sales from items you already know
- Steady traffic from specific searches
- Loyal niche customers
- Less dependence on a few bestsellers
In Your Business Plan
How Long Tail Shows Up in a Business Plan
Lenders worry about a business that depends on one or two products. A long tail of niche sales spreads that risk and shows steady demand.
Sample plan excerpt: Marketing Plan, Strategy
“Specialty quilting supplies, each a small seller, together account for about a third of current monthly sales. The plan expands niche categories and how-to content, projecting niche sales to grow from 33 to 40 percent of revenue by Year 3.”
FAQ
Questions Owners Ask About the Long Tail
What is an example of the long tail?
What is the difference between long tail products and long tail keywords?
Can a small business benefit from the long tail?
More From the Series
Keep Building Your Business
Every book in Dr. Paul’s Fabled Forest Business School Series teaches one subject through short stories, real terms, and one-page worksheets.
Dr. Paul Borosky, DBA, MBA
Dr. Paul is a business consultant and author with 14+ years of experience and 1,000+ written business plans. He works with owner-run small businesses on plans, financial projections, and the systems that let a business run without the owner doing everything. This page is part of the glossary for Marketing for Small Businesses, Book 4 of Dr. Paul’s Fabled Forest Business School Series.
This page is for general educational purposes only. It is not legal, marketing compliance, or other professional advice. For decisions about your own business, consult a qualified professional.