George Lucas faced such a challenge when he began filming “Star Wars” in 1976. He could see the entire film in his mind, down to the last detail-but he had trouble bringing his ideas to fruition. The alien creatures, the space battles, the light sabers-every cool visual effect he wanted to include created a trial for the special effects department. Why? Because no film to that point had ever required the magnitude of effects at the level that Lucas demanded.

Yes, there had been a number of science fiction movies and series before then–”Star Trek”, “My Favorite Martian”, and “Lost In Space” to name a few–but the effects were as obvious as they were low budget. Lucas wanted more. And since he knew he’d need the technology for later projects, he decided to do something about it: he created Industrial Light and Magic.

Today, I.L.M. is THE place to go for special effects in the film-making industry. Next time you see a film with all kinds of cool effects, scan the credits. You’ll no doubt see a mention of Industrial Light and Magic.

What? You don’t have tens of millions of dollars sitting around to start a big venture like I.L.M.?

You don’t need it. All you need is a problem to solve that’s common to your field of interest. If you’re having difficulty with something, no doubt others are as well. Take “the bull by the horns” and become a problem solver.

Here’s what some other folks have done:

• Steve and Andi Rosenstein were hard-working clothing sales reps who wanted to lounge-but look great-on the weekends. Sweats weren’t just cutting it. So after a “what if?” conversation and a few preliminary sketches, Fitigues, Inc. was born in 1988. Combining pajama comfort with flair and style, Fitigues is geared toward the person who wants to knock about the house in comfort but still look great enough to answer the door or run a few errands.

Today they have 26 retail outlets, a mail order company, and a web site-with sales approaching $40 million. Seems a few other people wanted to be stylish “couch potatoes” as well…You can visit them online at www.fitiges.com .

• Judy McDonald was working at Hewlett Packard when she brainstormed an idea to jump start activity in their sluggish color ink sales. “We could develop software that would enable people to use their computers and color printers to create customized craft projects, like iron-on designs for T-shirts,” she enthusiastically told her boss. Unimpressed, he passed.

Hopes dashed, Judy vented to a friend-who immediately jumped on the idea. Partnering with another friend, the trio started Jiro, Inc. in 1995. When their sales screamed past the $10 million dollar mark in less than two years, they attracted the attention of Mattel-who acquired them in 1998. With the team firmly in place, they’ve gone on to make additional software titles under a new label called Fashion Magic, a division of Mattel Media, www.mattelmedia.com .

• Dave Kappel was a budding songwriter who just couldn’t get the words right-but not for lack of trying. He wrote and rewrote, and after going through reams of paper, finally cut the words into pieces so he could re-arrange them at will. He later pasted them to magnets, which found their way to the refrigerator door.

When visiting friends couldn’t keep their hands off them, Kappel wondered if he was on to something. He bought $100 worth of supplies, made 100 sets of magnetic words, and took them to a local crafts fair. They sold out in three hours.

That was 1993. Today, Magnetic Poetry has sold more than a million kits, including kids’ versions, theme versions, and foreign language versions. Not a bad outcome of a little writer’s block. You can visit them online at www.magneticpoetry.com .

So I ask you again, what problems have you encountered in your everyday life? Don’t discount the obvious. A little problem solving could a long way toward simplifying your life AND filling your pockets. Look around. Take some notes. Observe. Ask questions.

You never know…opportunity may be knocking louder than you think.

Successful direct mail order businesses!

Franklin’s “Poor Richard’s Almanac” made him anything but in the 1730s while Arthur Murray waltzed right into a fortune the 1920s with his “Correspondence School of Dancing.” And long before Hollywood came knocking, Arnold pumped up his fortune by selling “How To” info through the mail.

You know direct mail works–the number of catalogs you receive September-November tells you as much. People like to shop by mail, in the convenience of their homes, with no pressure from salesmen.

So how can grab your share of the “mailbox millions”? There are several great ways to make money with direct mail, including:

• Sell a Great Product. Clothes, shoes, food, cars, brides–you name it, it is probably shipped by direct mail. Start with a product you feel passionate about, perhaps a hobby or favorite topic, and do some market research to determine if there’s a need. If so…fill it!
• Generate Leads. If you have a high end product, you can sort the lookers from the buyers through an effective mail piece.  People will qualify themselves by contacting you or visiting your website.
• Sell to Your Customer List. Once you have a customer who’s bought something, sell to him again and again and again. It’s “easy” money, yet 95% of businesses fail to make full use of their databases. Why? They overlook the potential. If this is you, dust off your database, send a direct mail piece, and inject some cash into your business.

With a great product, the right offer, and the right mailing list, fortunes can literally be made overnight. Sound simple? It is–if you know what you’re doing. If you don’t, it can eat a hole in your bank account. It’s a viable marketing method that translates well to the web while still being effective by “snail” mail. If mail order piques your interest, you owe it to yourself to learn more.

Resources:

How to Start a Home-Based Mail Order Business

Marketing Secrets of a Mail Order Maverick

So with that in mind, let me ask you this: how do you relax? Do you garden? Play cards? Watch old movies?

What if you could find a way to turn how you relax into something that makes money? I know what you may be thinking: “My down time is off limits!” But it’s precisely for that reason that it’s a great way to make money. It’s also why it’s often overlooked.

Futurist Faith Popcorn concludes that with today’s hectic pace, people would rather spend money than time. If you could combine your love of your leisure time activity with the knowledge that people will pay to have things done, you could find yourself with some potentially lucrative ideas on your hands.
Here are some examples of what I’m talking about:

• Several years ago, I was having lunch with a group of women I worked with. We started to talk about how we liked to unwind. One woman read books. Another liked to walk her dog. Cooking and watching television were also high on the list. But one woman just chuckled. “I know you’re going to think I’m crazy, but I like to iron clothes.” It was obvious. Everything she wore was always neatly pressed.
• By the end of the meal, she had herself some clients. Before long, her quick, precise skill had won her an army of regulars-that had her netting several hundred dollars a month. All for a few hours a week of doing something that she enjoyed that helped her to unwind.
• My husband’s grandfather loved to mow lawns. It was how he could be by himself, think about nothing, and make money to boot. He mowed for several churches and schools and had private clients as well.
• One of the men who works with my husband is a visiting scientist from Japan. After they’d been here a few months, his wife wrote a long letter to one of her friends back home, detailing her life in America. The letter found its way to the local newspaper editor, who asked for permission to print it. Now the wife is a regular contributor, chronicling her life in the States.
• Love to wrap gifts? It’s a lucrative sideline for one woman I know. With her specialty papers and unusual ribbons, she can transform a mere package into a beautiful work of art.
• Her talent first caught the eye of one of her superiors when she wrapped a group gift that went to a co-worker. The boss paid her to wrap a birthday gift for his wife, who in turn hired her to wrap all of their Christmas presents. Word of mouth spread quickly, and before long, she had herself a fun way to earn enough to regularly indulge another past time: travel.
• Another woman I know loves to cook, with holiday baking being a particular passion. The orders she fills during the holidays from friends, family, and co-workers regularly end up as hostess, teacher, and business gifts, and she usually makes enough money to cover all her own Christmas expenses.
• Finally, my own grandmother, a regular social butterfly, used to love to host product parties for her business opportunity friends. Tupperware, Shaklee, Beeline Fashions-you name it, Grandma would have her girlfriends over for a look. Never interested in becoming a distributor herself, she’d settle for the hostess gifts and a percentage of the sales made during her parties. That way, she could enjoy the variety of things offered without ever having to handle products herself.

So how do you relax? Sew? Assemble photo albums? Tinker with cars? If it’s something you enjoy and are going to do regardless, why not make some money? A little word of mouth or even a classified ad could create enough steady business to put a whole new spin on relaxing. After all, people would rather spend money than time. Why shouldn’t they spend their money with you?

For example:

If you like:

Growing Tomatoes…

Create a startup kit for growing tomatoes from seed. You could include a package of seeds, instructions for growth, and an application to the “best grower” contest that you list on your website, in your store, or in your newsletter. They could then submit a photograph of their plants after a certain amount of time for a chance at winning a prize–like a nice planter, gardening set, etc.

Studying Alligators…

Create trading cards with strange and fascinating facts about the various species.

Solving Mysteries…

Develop a “Junior Detective” kit with a magnifying glass, finger dusting kit, a way to cast footprints, etc. And of course, give them a mystery to solve, like the Case of the Missing Cookies, or Big Sister’s Lost Diary

Egyptology…

Create costumes for aspiring Pharaohs or a game about finding what’s in a mummy’s tomb.

Bird Watching…

Develop a guide to the best bird-watching areas in your region. You could sell the guide or give the information away free on a website, and use bird watching equipment and books as back end items to your guide.

See how simple this is? Focus on the discovery process and let your imagination run wild!

If you’re good at promoting, you don’t even have to create the products yourself-just find an existing source, negotiate distribution rights, and market the heck out of the product.

BY THE WAY, if you have an existing retail business, focusing on kids is great way to generate traffic.

Depending on your business, you could offer classes, demonstrations, or field trips that fit in nicely with your establishment. Charge for the activity or promote it free of charge-what’s ever appropriate for your industry.

I’ve seen this done successfully with craft stores, woodworking supply stores, bakeries, orchards, farms-just to name a few. Think of fun weekend things you’d like to do with your children or grandchildren (if you have them), and offer the experience to your customer. If you promote it through community announcement venues on television, radio, web sites, and the local paper, I think you’ll be surprised by the turnout.

Kits for kids and other kid-related stuff is a great way to make money.  Tap into your kid passion and see!

Why? Because the Internet is all about information.

Whatever you’re looking for, whatever you can imagine, you can find information about it on the Internet, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

People want to know who, what, where, when, why, how–NOW. And if you can learn to supply the demand, you can make money. Perhaps A LOT of money.

Here are a few examples of people who turned their knowledge into cash with information products:

• Done For You Fat Loss Meal Programs

A busy personal trainer – who didn’t think he had the time or energy to eat a balanced diet and described himself as a fitness “fraud” – took the proverbial “bull by the horns” and got his diet under control.  Within a matter of days he felt better and had more energy, and suddenly those extra pounds he’d packed on started melting away like ice cream on a hot day.  He decided to share his tips with the world and makes more money with this than he ever did doing one-on-one personal training.

• Registry Easy

Slow computer?  Need to reboot all the time?  Don’t spend hundreds to repair – just download this registry software and clean thing up.  So says the man behind this software company, who turned his teenage geek time into big bucks online.  Hmm – how did you spend your teenage years again?  And could you profit from it now?

• Get Paid to Draw

Like to draw or have take pictures?  So does this guy.  But he’s no “starving artist.”  He learned how to harness the power of the internet to get others to buy his drawings, and makes TONS of money from his talent.  He also makes a TON of money showing others where and how to sell their drawings and photographs online.

See the diversity?

If you have some experience or success at something, YOU can make money teaching others what you know.  Here’s are some ways you can create and use information products:

As a Profit Center

Write about something you know and sell it through direct mail, from your own website or from many of the information product sites around the web. Here’s a great example of information brokering.

As a Lead Generation Tool

Whether you’re selling condos in Aspen, baby grand pianos, or marketing an MLM, information products build rapport and establish expertise. They can also be profit centers in and of themselves, like they are for this guy (click on “Recent Success Stories”).

To Build Your Career

Nothing establishes expertise faster than having your name in print, whether it be on an article, a “how to” report, a videotaped demonstration, or an audio recording. The first time I stumbled across the powerful technique, I garnered a promotion and an “Employee of the Year” award. .

The best thing about information products is that you can create them quickly, easily, and inexpensively. You don’t have to be a trained writer. All you need is a hot topic and a way to tell people about it. Recipes, gardening, celebrities, cars, travel–you name it, you can create an information product to sell.  Try it yourself and see!

*******************
“Best Bet” Resource:

Make Your Knowledge Sell! is the single best product I’ve seen on how to sell information in its many shapes and sizes. From conception to production to marketing, Make Your Knowledge Sell! takes you step by step through the entire process–then throws in tons of resources and insider notes just for good measure. It has information on every aspect of the information industry, whether you want to make books, audio tapes or video tapes. If you’re at all interested in creating info products, you owe it to yourself to take a look.  Best of all, it’s FREE!

• They jump on the bandwagon before they know how to play, or
• They talk the subject to death, research it to death, make tons of notes–and do nothing.

Either way, they end up frustrated.

I know people who fall into both categories. You probably do, too. In fact, you may be one of these people. I was.

So how can you break out of this aggravating pattern and put yourself on the path to success?

Here are a couple of suggestions:

DO SOME RESEARCH

Take a little time to see if your idea will fly. Now I’m not talking about a full scale investigation that takes months or years to complete. Instead, spend a few hours on the Internet, scanning the search engines for relevant sites and posting a few questions in appropriate newsgroups (Has anybody done “x”? Where could I find more information on “z”?).

Put in some library time and look for resources at your favorite bookstore (either online or off). You’re looking to see if you have a ready target market, and if they’re already buying products and services similar to what you’re offering.

Why? Because chances are they’ll buy more of the same. If white widgets are all the rage and have been for months, chances are black, blue, or red widgets might make money as well. If no one’s buying widgets at all, stop. Do not pass go, do not collect $200.

Look elsewhere. Don’t waste time, money, and energy developing and trying to sell something no one wants.

“But I’ll be the first one on the block,” you might be thinking. “I’ll capture the market and make millions!”

Yes, I suppose there’s always that possibility. But don’t bet the farm on it.

While it is true that stories like that happen every once in a while, more often than not they come about by accident rather than design.
Silly Putty™ and Aspartame (NutraSweet™) were born from lab experiments gone awry, and the Yahoo! directory started as a list of favorite web sites by two Stanford University technophiles.

But many of the original ground breaking ideas that are common place today have very unglamorous and un-newsworthy histories of long hours, near bankruptcy, public disinterest and divorce. Such sordid tales are behind the Xerox machine, the typewriter, deodorant, and McDonald’s.

While persistence finally paid in each of these examples, you know there are hundreds of other casualties whose ideas never came to fruition.

Don’t try the hardest thing first. Mimic what’s already working, and get some success under your belt. You can always go back later and try the hard sell when your “tried-and-true” idea takes off and you don’t have anything better to do with your time and money…

If your idea looks viable, proceed to the next step. If not, find another idea and put it under your feasibility microscope.

MAKE A PLAN

Now you need to figure out how to go from idea to money in the bank. The best way to do this is by creating a business plan.

Now don’t be put off by the name. If you take the time to think through everything you’ll need to get from point A to point B, you’ll have both your “to do” list and your game plan by the time you’re ready to get started.

A business plan looks at things like:

• Licensing requirements
• Legal entity
• Hiring employees
• Scrutinizing the competition
• Your marketing plan
• Your funding requirements

In short, it forces you to take a big picture view of your business-which is really great, if you don’t have a business background. You’ll know what parts you can do, what parts you’ll need help with, and an estimate of how much it’s going to cost.

If you’re thinking about approaching a bank or investors for money, you’ll need a business plan to share with them. Other parties along the line might require a copy as well.

Your accounting, spreadsheet, or word processing software may have come with a business plan template, so look there first. If it you don’t have one, check out the Small Business Administration’s version or download a copy of BusinessPlan Pro.

So now you have your idea and your business plan. The next step?

EXECUTE THE PLAN

There comes a point when you need to stop gathering data and start gathering sales.

Everything doesn’t have to be perfect. Move forward. Learn. Try stuff. If something doesn’t work, try something else. A little success brings a lot of confidence; all you have to do is get started.

To quote Nike, “Just Do It!”

So you’ve got a great business idea! What do you do with it?

1. See if anyone wants to buy it
2. Make a plan
3. Execute the plan

Follow these three steps-and you’ll be in business!

To get started, request a tip sheet from the paper, regional magazine, or trade magazine you intend to target. This tells you what the publication is looking for, rates they pay for different assignments, and whom to contact for additional information. You can usually find the address on the mast head of the publication, or by picking up a current Writer’s Market. If reviews aren’t specified in the tip sheet, call or write the editor to pitch your idea.

Not only is this a great way to earn some extra money, it’s an excellent way to establish your expertise in an area…which can ultimately lead to additional business.

A ballet master I knew would go to the opening night of any dance troupe that performed in town, and write an unbiased review for the next day’s paper. She would tell the good, the bad, and the ugly, and no unpointed toe, sloppy arm, or thunderous landing escaped her notice. It was clear to anyone reading the review that she knew what she was talking about. The newspaper bought her ticket and paid her for writing the article, and she got a byline and usually several students as a result of sharing her expertise.

So what do you know well enough to render an educated opinion? Beer? Gardening? The hottest nightclubs in town? Whatever you do, don’t underestimate the amount of interest people have in reviews.

I’ve seen critiques on everything from the kid-friendliness of restaurants to which hair sprays work best in which climates. One of the most popular local celebrities in Houston for decades was a flamboyant television reporter named Marvin Zindler. Marvin would get copies of the health department restaurant inspection reports and spend a few minutes every week telling Houstonians just how their favorite restaurants violated local health code ordinances. “Mouse dropping in the storage room!  Slime in the ice machine!”  Was it popular? You bet!  It also cause some restaurants to go under, so powerful was Marvin’s influence.

Just find a topic that interests you and think about ways to critique it-again, and again, and again. Restaurants, books, movies, bands, candy makers, customer service centers-whatever it is, you can write a review and make money.

Good luck!

Now I mention this movie not for its cinematic excellence, but rather for the final message it imparts: To change your life, you need to change your thinking.

It’s the single biggest secret for success.

For just as your love life needs work to be successful, so does your claim to fame and fortune.

So many people want to make tons of money NOW, without having to go through all the trials and tribulations of building a solid foundation. Unfortunately they miss the most integral part of the whole deal: building for long term success. And like Elliott, they often find that the “quick and easy” solution brings disappointment and frustration instead of instant happiness.

In fact, studies reveal that 95% of people who hit the lottery are broke again within 3 years. They get the money, spend it, and are right back to square one. It’s the “easy come, easy go” mentality. When you don’t have to work for something and are unprepared for the windfall, it’s easy to be careless and allow emotions-and other people–to influence your actions. Which is often the case in these situations.

But when you understand the basic principles of prosperity, you’re more likely to make smarter choices. The best way to learn those principles is by rolling up your sleeves and getting to work instead of waiting for wealth to magically strike.

In his book, The Magic of Thinking Big, Dr. David Schwartz reveals that most successful people have a couple of things in common: they set goals, and they allow for errors. They know they’re going to make mistakes along the way, so they plan for it. They don’t let the fear of the unknown keep them from getting started.

I see this very fear all the time in emails from people. One young woman who recently visited one of my fashion sites felt compelled to write and tell me how her life-long dream is to be a fashion designer. She sketches all of the time, and her friends and family keep telling her how talented she is.

“It’s such a shame that I’ll never have that career,” she wrote. “I don’t have any money to get started, and unless someone gives me a break, my talent will just be wasted.”

Yes, it probably will be. Because no one is going to show up at her door and beg her to come be a fashion designer, which is clearly what she’s hoping for.

Understand this: Hope is not a strategy!

She has to take the bull by the horns and make it happen for herself. But she won’t-at least not anytime soon. Her short, 7 line email revealed a tremendous amount between the lines, including the fact that she has low self-esteem and a negative attitude toward life.

So how is YOUR thinking coming along? Are you hoping to “strike it rich” someday, or are you actually laying the foundation to make it happen?

In The Magic of Thinking Big, Dr. Schwartz gives what I think is an excellent blueprint for success. He feels that you need to set goals in the three most important areas of your life, including:

• Work - How much you’d like to earn when, what level you’d like to attain, what impact you’d like to have in your field, etc.
• Home – The family unit you’d like to have, the size of home you’d like to live in, the type of decor you’d like to have, etc.
• Community – Political positions you aspire to, community projects you’d like to participate in, philanthropic contributions you’d like to make, etc.

Since the amount of money you make pretty much determines your lifestyle and your ability to contribute to the community, you need to take particular care when defining your monetary goals.

So what are YOUR work-related goals for this year? Have you defined them yet? Even given them a passing thought?

If not, now’s the time to do so.

Start with something simple, something “do-able”, like spending an hour researching the competition for your hot new idea, or placing an ad for your latest product.

Don’t make it “Make $100,000 this year”.

Why not? Because that sets the bar too high. It’s so monumental a task, that you’ll never get started.

Yes, that may be your ultimate goal for this year, which is fine. But to make $100,000 this year, you have to have the blueprint to make it happen…which includes things like researching the competition and placing an ad for your new product. Don’t put the highest hurdle first. You’ll never make it. Instead, make a bite-size list of things to do that will help you accomplish that final goal.

Remember that old saying, “Inch by inch, it’s a cinch, yard by yard, it’s kind of hard”?

Well, most people want to get to the end so quickly, they opt for the “yard-by-yard” approach. Unfortunately, it’s the hardest way to go. They tire quickly and throw in the towel. Or, like Elliott in Bedazzled, they encounter situations they aren’t prepared to handle, and give up on their dreams.

Don’t let this happen to you. Plan your income like you’d plan a road trip: know how long it’s going to take, how much it’s going to cost, and each stopping point along the way. Once you get into this habit of “inch by inch”, you’ll not only get started, you’ll be amazed at how quickly you’ll be able to accomplish your goals.

Don’t wait for lightening to strike or sell your soul to the devil to accomplish your goals. Make a solid, step-by-step plan for success, and then go for it! If you plan your work and work your plan, you can’t help but succeed!

Good luck!

Recycling isn’t just the mantra of environmentalists and the green movement – it’s a savvy way to conduct business.  Just because something’s no longer wanted doesn’t mean that it’s without value. If you can see worth in what’s worthless to you, then you can make money in salvage.

Sell things like:

• Old clothes to vintage clothing stores
• Old toys, records, photographs, etc., to collectors
• Old furniture to antique dealers or used furniture stores
• Unused jewelry to jewelers
• Old business equipment to second hand dealers
• A wrecked car for parts
• The architectural salvage from a dilapidated building or barn (ceiling beams, floors, mantle, shutters, etc.)

I think you get the picture.  If you look around your community, you’ll realize just how much people recycle – particularly in the farm community.  In our area, horse manure from all the horse farms is sold to the mushroom farmers.  The compost from the mushroom farms is sold to the soil vendors.  On and on it goes.  Find your link in the chain and make money.

Start with cleaning and selling your own unwanted items.  Once you’ve cleared the clutter from your house and realize the profits to be made, you can place ads to buy OTHER people’s stuff to sell. Remember, people would rather spend money than time, so most folks would rather sell something to you for next to nothing rather than take the time to dispose of it themselves.

You can then resell it at a profit by placing classified ads, having a garage sale, taking a booth at a flea market, joining the action on eBay, or even opening your own secondhand shop.  “Like new” is desirable in a down economy and attractive to the thrifty in ANY economy, so keep that in mind.

So, consider turning “trash into treasure” through salvage or resale.  It’s a quick, easy way to make money.  Good luck!

Now this may seem obvious, but the high percentage of business failures clearly indicates that while the intentions are good, the execution is poor. Build a house without a blueprint and you’ll have a lopsided structure that could collapse at any minute. Build a business in the same fashion, and you’ll get an equally unstable result.

If you’re going to do it, do it right. Begin with the end in mind. If you know your destination, the itinerary comes together easily. If you don’t know where you’re going, you’ll be all over the map.

Here are the steps you need to consider:

1. Start With Something You Like To Do

Whether you’re looking for spending money or an entirely new career, start with something you enjoy doing. I’ve seen so many people “crash and burn” by running where they think the money is. As soon as the going gets tough, they quit.

Make a list of things you enjoying doing. This could be your line of work, your hobbies, or your “things to try in this lifetime” list.

2. Find Out What People Want

If you want other people to give you their money, you need to give them what they want in exchange. Find out what people are willing to pay for, and then start building your concept around that. So many people get this backward. They figure out what they want to sell instead of determining what others want to buy. Don’t make this mistake.

Research is the key. Fortunately, the Internet makes this fast and easy. Here are a few suggestions:

Go over to both Alexa.com and Technorati.com to see the most popular sites on the web in different categories. You can see the most visited sites web-wide, or the top Travel sites, Shopping sites, Entertainment sites, Health sites, etc. This gives you an idea of what people are looking for.

Sign up for the keyword ezine at Wordtracker.com.   This resource gives you the top 200 keywords people are searching for in the search engines. You’ll almost always see MP3, sex, Napster, Yahoo, and Britany Spears, but you’ll also see a lot of other phrases that will send your brain into overtime.  This week’s list including phrases like Travel, Disneyland, Paris, Food, Research, Song Lyrics, and Music. Any of your interest coincide with what others are looking for?

Check out the forums in your area of interest at places like Yahoo! Groups. Or, tool around Facebook for favorite groups.  You’ll see first hand what people are talking about, and you can ask questions, solve problems, and get some great ideas.

3. Determine Your Niche

Now that you know what you like to do and what others are looking for, try to create a niche. The narrower, the better. Let’s say that you like to shop when you travel. Travel is too broad. Shopping is too broad. Great shopping in New York City (or Detroit, Madrid, Moscow, etc.) is also too broad.
But great diamond shopping in New York City is a niche. Where to find car deals in Detroit is a niche. Stocking your bar with Spanish wines is a niche. Where to find jeans in Moscow is a niche.

Don’t be a little fish in a big pond. Be a big fish in a little pond. Dominating your niche allows you to do that. Define and dominate. It makes a bigger bank account.

4. Decide What To Do

If you’re working a full time job, running a house, spending time with your kids, etc., your time is at a premium. You need to be realistic in what you can do. If you like to travel and shop, your ultimate goal may be to conduct shopping tours or write about the different places to shop while you’re traveling the globe.
But don’t put your life on hold until you can have your goal. Work towards it. If you have 2 to 5 hours a week, for example, you have a couple of things you can do to make money and hone your skills. You could:

A. Write articles about the shopping in your area. You could sell this to your local newspaper travel and/or lifestyle sections, a regional magazine, national and international travel magazines, and national and international magazines in your area of interest (like diamonds, car deals, wines, and jeans, from above).

B. Create an information product about the shopping in your area for sale to travelers coming your way. My bookshelves have many such regional titles from our travels, including Plantations of Louisiana”, “The Decorative Iron Works of New Orleans”, “The Ghosts of Charlottesville and Albemarle”, “Texas Travel Guide”, “What To Do in San Francisco”, a copy of the Mayflower Compact of 1620, and so forth. We picked up most of them in the gift shops of the tourist places we visited.

C. Become an affiliate  for different programs in your area of interest. Focus, focus, focus, and deliver with a twist.

Love finding diamond deals in New York? Give tips and tricks of where to go and what to look for and become a reseller for airline tickets, hotel rooms, Broadway shows, and jewelry supplies like cleaners, safes, and insurance riders.

Know the best places to find wine in Spain? Write about local festivals and events and become a reseller for airline tickets, hotel rooms, restaurants, car rental, wine cellar supplies and books about wines.

The fastest, cheapest way to put up a web site and maintain control? Buy a Site Build It! license and follow the instructions.  Not only will this program walk you step-by-step through defining a niche and figuring out the marketing angle, it hosts your domain and handles all the technical web stuff so all you have to do is market. VERY cool!

5. Determine If It’s Feasible

Can you deliver your idea? If you have a fantasy about writing but can’t string two words together, taking a writing course. If you want to conduct shopping tours to the Big Apple, can you manage all the details that are involved? If you want to export Spanish wines, do you know all that’s entailed in exporting? If not, find out.

Sometimes you’ll discover that you’re in way over your head. That’s okay. The time to determine this is BEFORE you sink a lot of money into the venture. Now having said that, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you should “chunk” the idea. Rework it until it IS something you can manage. Start small. Grow. Learn.You can build it to your ideal later, when you have more resources and experience under your belt.

6. Test, Test, Test

Do you have a winner? You don’t know yet. Put it in front of some people who are likely to buy it and see if they do. If they don’t, change something – the title, the presentation, the sales pitch. Try it again. If they bite, you have a winner. If they don’t, change something else and try again. Try to find out why they are or are not buying. You’re looking for feedback at this point. You also want to work out “all the kinks” before it gets to market.

This is another area where so many people drop the ball. They roll out their product and assume it will be a best seller. On rare occasions, it is. More often then not, it isn’t.

Some people will like what you have. If you have a few sales, you’re striking a chord. But if your sales are very few in comparison to your traffic, you’re missing something that’s keeping more people from buying. Your task is to determine what that “something” is. Testing will tell you.

7. Promote, Promote, Promote

Once you have something people want and are willing to pay for, tell as many people as you can as often as you can. Don’t neglect the marketing. Only a handful of people are actively looking for what you have to offer. Everyone else is waiting for you to come to them. So go – and make it easy for them to buy from you.

Then keep in touch. If you they bought from you once, chances are, they’ll buy from you again.

Seem simple? It should be. Don’t make it more complicated than it is.

Good luck!