Sometimes people are so sure what their customers' want that they don't listen to what their customers really need. Even if you think that you know what you are going to sell, open yourself to other possibilities. There once was a chiropractor who wanted to increase his practice using the techniques you are about to learn. The question he was asking himself kept him from seeing all of the profit centers that his knowledge could bring him.
His original question was, "How can I get more appointments." He changed his question from, "How can I get more appointments" to, "How can I expand my business?" He found that in addition to generating more appointments with his patients, he could also package his knowledge into books, e-books and audio programs. The Doctor now makes more from his information products than he does from his patients AND he is selling these products online 24 hours a day!
So even if you think you have the best widget in the world, don't just think about selling widgets. Think about the knowledge and information you have about making the widgets that people may be willing to pay you for. Think about the other products and services that widget buyers might be interested in buying. The people who made the most money during the California Gold Rush weren't the prospectors. They were the people selling the shovels, picks, hotel rooms, drinks and food.
The Two Things That Make People Buy....
So, why do people buy? People buy things for one of two reasons. They either perceive that what they are buying will solve a problem or they believe that it will lead to increased pleasure now or in the future. We've heard the old saying that people buy from emotions but justify with logic.
The Two Reasons People Buy:
1. Solve a problem (fulfill a need).
2. To fulfill a desire (experience pleasure).
The best product or service to sell is one that people already want. You can find out a great deal about what people already want if you can first find out what they are already looking for. You can find out a great deal about what people are looking for by looking through the things people search for on search engines.
This basic market research is a crucial step to make sure that there are people who actually want what you are thinking of offering. Entrepreneurs and inventors often fall in love with their idea before they have researched the market and are shattered when a lack of sales communicates a very painful message to the entrepreneur that could have been avoided if he or she did their research.
What it all comes down to is finding what people want and giving it to them, for a nice profit of course. A successful business is about finding a need or a problem and solving it. A successful business owner is someone who can look through the problem to see the pot of gold that is on the other side.
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