Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Finding the Right Online Niche Market

An Idea & A Niche...

In a nutshell, the Internet has become an awesome source of information and a great place to purchase just about anything a person could imagine. With the click of a mouse you can find almost any product, service or piece of free information. Just as web surfers can shop from their homes, business owners can conduct business in the convenience of their own bedrooms. If you want to set your own hours and enjoy the general freedoms of working for yourself, starting a home business online is the best way to go about it.

I believe the most important factor to starting your own home business is to invest time in finding your niche. What is a niche? Finding a niche is about discovering a hot segment of a certain subject, then capitalizing on it. It means finding that particular area in your market where you can stand out amongst others. Take me for example. There are thousands of artists, graphic logo designers and cartoonists on the Internet. But how many of those creators deal almost exclusively in just cartoon logo design? Almost none! I am at the top when it comes to cartoon logo design. My web site oozes with info and samples of great cartoon logo designs. Many people actually consider me an expert in the field of cartoon logo design. That's my main niche!

I also have a web site that provides baby information and affiliate baby products. I don't make a huge amount of money with this site because it is so general and I have to compete with hundreds of other general baby sites. If I had the time, I would build a web site that sold only toys for babies under two years old or sold only baby cribs. Those would be niches and would have less competition.

Your home business must focus on selling something that people are searching for and something that has the least amount of direct competition. I know one cartoonist that sells nothing but business and safety gag cartoons. That's it! He works from home and makes great money.

How do you indentify your niche? Ask yourself a few questions: Like, what are you good at or what do you have a passion about? Are you an artist, a mechanic, a writer? Do you know how to do something that not very many people can do? Do you make unique cookies, salsa or candy? If you know just about everything there is to know about a particular topic, you may have found your niche! Take a look at your hobbies and interests. Make sure you pick something you have a passion for because there will be tough times when getting your business started.

Once you have an idea for your business you will need to find out if there is a market for it on the Internet. If you already know that there is a shortage of information on a product or service that you have searched for, you know that other people are also searching for that information. You can supply that information or product to them! If you can improve on an idea or make something better you may also find a niche market. You must find an area that will set your business apart from your competition to be successful!

More on Niche Markets...

Here are a few things your potential clients need in order for you to make money from them:

a) They need similar interests and desires
b) They need to be easily located - (Do your clients use computers?)
c) They need to be easily reached once located (Do they surf they web?)
d) Will they be willing to pay for your product or service?
e) Are there enough of them to produce a decent volume of business?
f) Are they small enough that your competition may have overlooed them?

To more quickly understand and make money from a niche market, you may want to make sure you identify niches that you already have some experience with. That way you will already have some expertise and also have some significant contacts. Although it is possible to build a site using free information online and not be n expert on the subject.

Sample niche markets:
1. Web site building for a single profession (ie. just dentists)
2. Drawing cartoons for a single market (ie. only realtor cartoons)
3. Selling info and parts for a single automobile (ie. 1965 Ford Mustangs)
4. Provide info/products from one area of the world (ie. all about Key West, FL)
5. Create info/products for a segment of people (ie. info for senior citizens)
6. Provide info/music for a single group/artist (ie. Madonna fan site)
7. Sell only organic food and products
8. Become a hub for people with the same hobby (ie. a square dancers site)
9. Make only unscented candles
10. Start a newsletter and web site for parents of twins
11. Show people how to play poker better
12. Sell a niche product on eBay

Do you get the idea? You can also search the Internet for more ideas on finding a niche market.

Dominate Your Niche!! Click Here!

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