| Many years ago, I watched a show called the | | | | downloading. And I'm not just talking about |
| "Ray Bradbury Theater". Every episode began | | | | e-books; there are all kinds of products and |
| with a narration of Ray saying, "People ask, | | | | services that can be purchased instantly via |
| where do you get your ideas?". It seems this | | | | the internet. To name a few:Information |
| is a question that is on everybody's mind, | | | | (e-books, databases, documents, articles, |
| whether they are creating a story, or | | | | tutorials)Software (programming tools, |
| creating a business.Just where do you start | | | | analyzers, calculators, designing tools)Audio |
| when creating an internet business?Businesses | | | | (music, satellite radio, MP3's, synthesizers, |
| always get started with one thing in | | | | sound effects)Video (trailers, commercials, |
| common... an idea! Easier said than done | | | | instructional, teaching, entertainment)Games |
| though, right? Maybe, or maybe not. You see, | | | | (games, arcades, casinos, teaching/learning, |
| a common misconception is that many believe | | | | prize winning)Graphics (designing services |
| they have to create this great internet store | | | | tools, artwork, driver software)Services |
| full of all kinds of products in order to | | | | (advertising, locating/finding, auctions, |
| meet the majority of peoples needs.The more | | | | website designing or hosting, search engines, |
| you offer, the more people it will appeal to, | | | | writing, professional services)These kind of |
| right?Not exactly. Several years ago, I built | | | | products can give the consumer instant |
| an online gift store that included all kinds | | | | gratification! Not only that...Think how much |
| of merchandise; anything from home interior, | | | | this helps you! The product can be designed |
| garden décor, to unique gifts. I really | | | | to be delivered instantly upon payment. No |
| felt this kind of a store would appeal to | | | | orders to fill, no shipping, no products to |
| people, and the truth is, it did.What was the | | | | buy, no materials are needed, and best yet; |
| problem then? I was competing with over 3 | | | | you have an endless supply!Don't get me wrong |
| million other gift store websites! I didn't | | | | here; you can still be successful at selling |
| have a chance. Unless you have deep pockets, | | | | physical products on the internet |
| you should stay away from generalized ideas | | | | too.Millions of products are shipped to |
| such as this.So, where should your focus be? | | | | consumers ordered through the internet |
| Find a niche market!The dictionary defines a | | | | everyday. And there are many, many specialty |
| niche as: "a special area of demand for a | | | | stores owned by private individuals that are |
| product or service".A gift store is too vague | | | | extremely successful. But if you are new to |
| to be considered a niche. A gift basket store | | | | selling on the internet, it may take a much |
| is a little more focused on an area, but how | | | | larger investment just to get started.I hope |
| about gift baskets for pets? Now that would | | | | you have begun to get ideas spinning around |
| be considered a niche. Not necessarily a good | | | | in your head. Now, let's branch off those |
| niche, but you get the point.Think of a niche | | | | ideas into more ideas.By now you should know |
| as, "an opportunity for an average, everyday | | | | what interests you have, even if you haven't |
| person to be successful". Most of us have no | | | | thought of a product yet. And please, don't |
| chance of survival when we are trying to | | | | think you have to come up with the perfect |
| compete with the "big dogs". But fortunately, | | | | product. Remember, your goal is to help just |
| we can still pick up what they leave behind, | | | | a few people out there, not everybody.Now |
| and...They leave behind plenty!According to | | | | that you have some ideas written down, you |
| the Computer Industry Almanac, Inc., in 2005, | | | | can use these to create more ideas with a |
| the population of Internet users surpassed 1 | | | | handy little software tool. This free tool |
| billion. With most large corporations | | | | can be used for various things, but for now, |
| focusing their products and services on the | | | | we are going to use it to stimulate more |
| mass marketing scale (which in all | | | | ideas.A valuable little toolOpen up your |
| likeliness, we can't even compete with), we | | | | internet browser and type in the following |
| are left with marketing to the niches.Large | | | | link: you will see a small little box called |
| companies don't care about making a few | | | | the "Keyword Selector Tool". Start by looking |
| thousand dollars extra per month. They are | | | | through your notes, and pick out the key |
| after millions a month. So, they leave behind | | | | words that are specific to your interests.For |
| niches that are very valuable to people like | | | | example, you may have written down, "I enjoy |
| us. Would a few thousand extra per month help | | | | camping because I love the outdoors and I'm |
| you? A few hundred would make most people | | | | really good at building tents". So, you could |
| ecstatic!But are there any unfilled niches | | | | enter words into the box such as, "camping", |
| left? Possibly; but you're not likely to find | | | | "outdoors", and "tents". Enter these words |
| one. But you don't need to find an unfilled | | | | one at a time to get their specific |
| niche. In fact, you don't want one! Why try | | | | results.Once you enter your word, you will |
| to build a demand for a market, when you can | | | | most likely see many results. Take a look |
| find a market that already exists? Find one | | | | through all these results and get some new |
| that already has people ready to buy, and put | | | | ideas about what you could do to fill a need. |
| yourself right in front of them!Besides, | | | | Hopefully it will spark some imagination on |
| there are plenty of partially filled niches | | | | the subjects you know and enjoy best.You can |
| and even more poorly filled niches. What's | | | | get a further breakdown into more specific |
| more, experts are estimating the internet | | | | ideas by clicking on any of the results in |
| will double in the number of users by the | | | | front of you. Then, click on some of those |
| year 2011. That's 2 billion users! The | | | | results. The more you break it down, the more |
| potential is mind-boggling.So, how do you | | | | specific the subject will be. These results |
| decide on a niche? First and foremost, choose | | | | are actual searches done by people all over |
| something that you enjoy. Even if you find a | | | | the world.See, people want to know what you |
| niche that has very little competition, it | | | | may have to offer!The number to the left of |
| will be very difficult for you to stay | | | | each result represents how many times that |
| interested if it's something you don't even | | | | particular word or phrase was searched for in |
| care about.So, first you need to start by | | | | the last 30 days on the Overture Network |
| doing some brainstorming to come up with some | | | | (this includes MSN, Yahoo, Altavista, CNN and |
| ideas. Then you need to research those ideas | | | | more).This number can give you an idea of the |
| and see if they have potential. Need some | | | | popularity for that term. But, you can |
| help getting started? You got it!Start by | | | | usually be sure the more popular it is, the |
| asking yourself a few questions and write | | | | more competition there is. But don't worry |
| down the answers:What are your hobbies? (coin | | | | about this for now. In this article, we are |
| collecting, cooking, painting)What are your | | | | just going to focus on finding a niche of |
| interests? (camping, cars, electronics, | | | | interest to you.Spend as much time as it |
| gardening)Do you have any skills? (speaking | | | | takes to come up with ideas. Besides the |
| languages, instruments, writing)Do your | | | | keyword tool, use search engines to give you |
| friends consider you an expert at something? | | | | ideas. You could even use a thesaurus, such |
| (computers, repairing, designing, decorating, | | | | as the one at to help inspire you.No matter |
| etc.)Ok, have you been writing down your | | | | what subject or niche you decide on, you WILL |
| answers? This was sort of a self examination. | | | | have competition. Competition is actually a |
| But you also want to get some other view | | | | very good thing and keeps our economy |
| points. You've interviewed yourself, now | | | | healthy. So don't be anxious or afraid |
| interview some others. Ask your spouse, some | | | | whether your niche will have any or too much |
| close friends, workmates, or anyone else you | | | | competition.There will always be a need to |
| can think of some questions about | | | | fill!I bet there isn't one niche out there |
| yourself.Ask each of these people:What do you | | | | where everybody is 100% completely satisfied. |
| like best about me?What would you say I'm | | | | Pick any niche, pick any subject, and you'll |
| talented at?What can you always count on me | | | | find someone complaining about something.Use |
| for?If you owned every business in the world, | | | | search engines, such as Google and Yahoo to |
| what position would you hire me for?Remember, | | | | not only find what others are selling, but to |
| nobody should choose your niche except for | | | | find what others are missing. What are |
| yourself. These exercises are to help you | | | | peoples concerns, suggestions or complaints |
| brainstorm the possibilities open to you. You | | | | about? Find online forums on the subject. |
| get the idea.Now, before we go on, I want you | | | | Find out what people want. Is there anything |
| to keep in mind the key goal to finding | | | | you could offer them?Take your time and do |
| success. Are you ready?Find a need, and then | | | | your homework. You may even need to make some |
| fill it! Simple, right? I don't care who you | | | | purchases yourself, just to see what the |
| are or what you know, you have something | | | | competition is offering. In fact, I really |
| unique to offer. Everyone does. Even if it | | | | suggest doing this!When I was writing my |
| has already been done a thousand times | | | | first e-book, I purchased several other |
| before, look at it from a different angle, | | | | e-books from competitors. Each book had |
| put a spin on it and make it better!As you | | | | something to offer, and each book was missing |
| are brainstorming all your ideas and | | | | at least something that the other one had. I |
| possibilities, let me see if I can stir some | | | | created my product by filling in all the |
| more ideas up with some facts about the | | | | "gaps" that were missing from the others and |
| internet and the way we use it.Do you know | | | | incorporating my own ideas and styles to |
| what the number one selling product on the | | | | create a product that was truly unique to all |
| internet is?Drum roll please... INFORMATION! | | | | the others. During your research and while |
| It's the one product we all have in common | | | | creating your own business, you may even |
| because we all need it, for one reason or | | | | consider purchasing some help or information |
| another.We love free information, but we are | | | | from an expert. There is so much good content |
| more than willing to pay for it if it | | | | available for purchase on the internet, and |
| satisfies our needs. Sometimes we want the | | | | many products even come with a guarantee of |
| best, and we'll all pay a premium to get it. | | | | satisfaction.Don't be afraid to invest in |
| Most of the paid information on the internet | | | | yourself! People spend ten's of thousands of |
| is in the form of e-books.Although a huge | | | | dollars on a college education. Why not spend |
| seller, I'm not saying that you should just | | | | a tiny fraction of that educating yourself on |
| focus on writing e-books. But at the same | | | | what could possibly bring you into a very |
| time, don't eliminate the idea just because | | | | successful future on the internet?There's |
| it has been done over and over again.The | | | | always room for one more!The internet is far |
| first e-book I ever wrote brought in well | | | | from being too full. There is plenty of room |
| over $3,000 in the first couple months of its | | | | for you, and with the internet forecast |
| release. And this was with very little | | | | doubling in population during the next 5 |
| advertising.My e-book was nothing new either. | | | | years, we've seen nothing yet! Remember, |
| Remember the phrase I mentioned earlier? | | | | "find a need, and then fill it!"I hope that |
| "Find a need, and then fill it." My angle for | | | | this information has been helpful and |
| writing this book was, "better information at | | | | beneficial to you finding your niche. If so, |
| a better price". I wrote a more complete | | | | you're off to a great start!Enjoy your |
| e-book with information that I felt others | | | | success,Chad Curl Curl is an author of |
| were lacking, and I put a price on it that | | | | various e-courses, e-books and articles |
| was much lower than comparable products.I | | | | specializing in Online Marketing. He is also |
| found a need, and then I filled it! Result? | | | | the owner of also mentors and provides |
| More income!Think about this too...What do | | | | training to those interested in starting |
| most people want when purchasing any product | | | | their own online business and to current |
| or service?They want instant gratification! | | | | online business owners looking for better |
| In other words, they want it now, not later. | | | | ways to promote and increase their business |
| The internet can offer this in the form of | | | | income. |