No, I'm not going nuts. See, in the end, its all as simple as that.
Let me tell you a true story.
Some years ago I was walking down the beach strand, absolutely eager about my new position in the National TV News station I worked for. I finally achieved being promoted and was, at last, a department chief editor. Wow.
I was hungry and happy enough to provide myself with a treat. Yummy. I wanted a big cheese burger. Although I hate junk food (its so bad for your health), I decided to go for it. Sitting at a table, with my sunglasses on and my beach towel ready for a swim after my lunch I noticed something that gave me the KEY.
"www(I can't recall what).com Burger Order delivered to your door."
I was absolutely shocked by that. Right there, printed with a groovy logo right in my tray. This was a real new and great idea. I talked with the restaurant's manager in order to feature his service in TV. He finally shut his service down. But what I learned was so important.
I now call it the "Cheese Burger Effect".
Just by sitting there, doing nothing really, I discovered what an Internet niche was (although I didnt know what that word really referred to then). I understood that there were people out there that would buy online just because it was easy, fast, and they don't have to move from their sofa.
This is when I first decided to brainstorm and research a bit. I found out that a great deal of men and women claimed to be making money online easily -Yes know I know most of them were just trying to make money by saying that they made a lot of money-. I payed to put a simple website online that promoted all kinds of stupid things that now I'm ashamed to mention. I spammed. I thought I was going to make tons of money.
Hugh! I didn't. Not a single red cent. I gave up.
A few weeks later I gave my cheese burger hidden addiction another treat. While sitting, thinking about banal matters I came up with another idea. What if I tried to sell real things online and not just bogus "systems" "randomizers" and lies? What if I sold the old books standing on my room's shelf. I got a website up with photos and then posted the URL in a free classified newspaper. People went there, saw my books and called me if interested. You know what ? I sold them all!
More burger stories. Hanging around with a friend at ???????? (I hate giving them publicity) , we talked about my old books sale. We –almost joking- mentioned selling his soccer stamps from when he was a kid, and even build up a business where we sold things from other people in exchange of a commission.
BINGO. Oh yes. You got it. The idea was already up there, running and making people money. And there were also people out there selling dowmloadable products, and a bunch of so called "gurus" trying to teach me. And an ebook about making your cat go to the bathroom. And about picking girls. And products for blind people, and for writers, and for athletes, and for home moms, and for children, and for almost anything you can imagine.
It is now a tradition. Whenever I want to brainstorm a new business idea, I go and take a cheeseburger. I sit down, paper and pen in hand, and I jot down every wild idea I come up with. I look around for KEYS. Someone talking about guitar lessons, someone on the phone yelling about his PC broke down. Someone doubting about if that or this diet is better. A dog biting his owner. A mother that can't stop her baby from crying...
Then I search for related information in Google. I look for affiliate programs. I build a site or promote directly in Pay per Click. I may even consider writing a report or ebook, building a newsletter, posting in local newspapers... and then I make money. Simple when you discover the right way to do it.
So. Give me a cheese burger and some weeks and I can turn it into a profitable business. And sometimes in a fun hobby that makes money for me.
Do you have your "cheese burger" moment?. If not look for it! If you are starting out it is sooooo important. Keep yourself motivated and eager! Once your business is working, go for another Niche. If it doesn't work , then brainstorm another.
This is what I jot down in my cheese burger effect moment:
Topic: cats, satellite dishes, lottery, auctions... etc
What kind of people ?: youths, owners, professionals, house wives... etc
Products they want: cat toys, guides, winning systems, wine...
Once at home I do my research using Google and some other tools to find out if I can profit form them and if I can find affiliates programs, or if competition is tight, or if can find enough information.
This is your jump start!
About the Author
Jose L. Gonzalez has a Journalism degree in Spain, a career that he still works now and then mostly for fun. After months of hard research, finally making a living online with several websites on different niches. He is editor of Premier Marketing Ezine and author of The Marketing Master Course.
http://www.marketing-master-course.com