The dynamics change once we try to sell something over the Internet. Therefore, we need alternate tactics and strategies to get ahead in this competitive market. Merely conducting market research, looking at our personal likes / dislikes, and asking for opinions would work well offline.

New internet marketers need some additional online marketing knowledge and skills, on top of market research and interest, just to reach their target customers.

I’ve taken an interest on this post, and have written a lengthy review on it on my blog What Sells Online!.

Truly, selling a product online does take more than just setting up a website, and putting up our inventory list online.

Cheers,
Samantha
http://www.what-sells-online.com

You may think and say that you are an average person. But, let’s be honest here. You’re not the average person.

The fact that you are here reading this blog shows that you are not the average person.
You have:

- More initiative
- Think on a grander scale
- Have less fear of change
- Think outside the box
- Etc.

This all makes it difficult for us to tap into just what it is that the average person wants.

Marketers with a list should ask their list what they want.

Marketers without a list have to be careful about not choosing too specialized/small of a niche.

I suggest starting with a niche that has a proven record of wide appeal and active buyers.

Evaluate your niche keywords for;
- number of monthly searches
- how many sites contain those keywords
- how many advertisers compete on Adwords for them
- what’s the Adwords bid price for them

You have to be realistic in selecting your first niches to get into.

I started a business in 2007, encountered a major problem, and found a solution. Now, besides the business itself (a professional service), I have a product (my solution) I’ll be selling to others in my niche.

Alex

For the most part, I have to agree with you – because if you don’t love what you’re doing, there’s going to come a point when you lose your enthusiasm and your passion for it, and you’re going to hate every minute of what you’re doing. And then it gets really hard to keep making money because you have to literally force yourself to do the work you need to do.

One thing I think isn’t discussed enough though – especially for people who are starting online businesses – is creating their exit strategy.

Now I know that may seem a little weird when you’re starting out to think about planning how you’re going to leave your business, but it’s also important.

Here’s why: When you’re looking at those lists Ray told you to make, ask yourself another question: What happens if you succeed as far as your wildest dreams take you? (I don’t say beyond your wildest dreams, because I believe in being realistic.) But when you’re looking at what you’re good at, and doing what you love – at least think about what you’re going to do (when) you succeed. Do you want to sell your business? Keep it until you retire? Give it to your kids?

No matter what your choice is – start planning from the beginning for what you’re going to do when you succeed and you’re ready to quit. If you do something where you “are” your business, then you need to start listing and documenting your processes and systems – so that when you’re ready to quit – or even if you just want to be able to duplicate what you’re doing and start another business – or grow the first business – if you “are” the business, then everything depends on you.

And that means you really don’t have a business, you have a job.

On the other hand, documenting everything, and putting systems in place – right from the beginning – means that you can outsource, you can hire other people – or you could sell the business – when you’re ready. (It also means that you’ve got a “real” business and not just a nice little hobby.)

Another way having an exit strategy and documenting your processes from the beginning is so important is that it helps you to automate your business – which, as we all know, is one of the real secrets of building a lifestyle business.

That’s my two cents worth anyway!