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<—— A quick reminder to Retweet if you enjoy the post … Thanks!
I’m just wrapping up a small series on brainstorming and how to go about finding a topic that you’re truly passionate about and now I want to do a follow up on how to narrow that topic down into a niche topic to give you a better chance of success for your online business.
What I don’t think I stressed enough in the previous lessons is how important this is … even if you ALREADY have an online business.
If you’re not as successful as you’d like to be I hope you went through the lessons as well. If you didn’t get to them yet please do yourself a favor and give them a quick listen (they’re audio/video lessons). You can find them here: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 and you’ll also want to check out the post about Gary Vaynerchuk’s book, Crush It, that is specifically about finding a topic you’re passionate about (enter for the signed book giveaway too).
In fact, I once heard Gary say (I wish I could remember which interview I heard this on *sigh*) that one mistake people make is that they have a topic they’re passionate about but they change it (even slightly) because they think there’s not a market for that specific topic.
Diet Soda … Soda … or Beverages?
The example he used was about a guy who was passionate about diet soda. He figured there was no way he could make a business out of his passion for diet soda so he thought maybe soda (all sodas). After he put some more thought into it he decided he wanted to make a fortune (and there couldn’t possibly be an audience for diet soda) so he decided to go with beverages. The problem with this way of thinking is that this guy isn’t passionate about all beverages … he’s passionate about diet soda! So when it comes time to speak and/or write about vodka or juice or any other beverages for that matter … he’s just not very interested (not full of passion for the subject) and he dreads going to work on the business and/or gets overwhelmed.
This was a “light bulb” moment for me. I have a site that I’d love to work on more often and I just don’t because it’s overwhelming and I feel like I’ll never get it to where it can be truly successful. As you might already know, Ken and I got married in Mexico earlier this year and I spent a ton of time online researching destination weddings … where to get married, what the requirements were for each country, the seasons/weather, travel expenses, etc. I was so excited about the subject that I started a site/blog on the subject (Best Destination Weddings – might as well give it a little link juice huh? LOL).
Well … after hearing the diet soda illustration I realized this:
Weddings = Beverages
Destination Weddings = Soda
Riviera Maya Weddings = Diet Soda
Do you see the idea here? I could research, read, write … and talk about the Riviera Maya area where we got married (we returned to their for our honeymoon as well) all day every day and be totally excited and passionate about it … without wondering how much money I’ll make for sharing this information … B-I-N-G-O!!!!!!!! There’s my passion … don’t you agree?
I will not scrap the existing site but rather I will be adding a separate site that’s more specific to that area and then the sites can be a referral source for each other. I hope to find alternative ways to fill the existing site with steady content (article directories, guest bloggers, etc.) and that way I can focus my time and energy on the niche site and I’ll be thrilled to work on it.
So … where are you at in choosing your niche topic? Are you ready to get started? Do you have an online business? If so, was this helpful to you too? Are you considering an adjustments to any of your niches? Have questions? Let us hear from you! *SmiLes* Suzanne
Glad you're here! I wrote my first eBook, "Blogging Idol Secrets Revealed," and it's my FREE gift for those who supported me in the Blogging Idol competition (and for my new online friends too LOL).
Go download it and learn how I drove new visitors and grew my RSS subscribers by over 800% ... in 30 days flat! Let me know what you think of the book ok?
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18 Comments
Postcard Printing
on 19th Nov, 09 02:11am
That’s a really nice analogy! I learned a lot from this post. Thank you so much for sharing this.
Suzanne
on 19th Nov, 09 10:11am
Thanks! It’s helped me a lot too. I have some sites that I really need to put through this “diet soda” test! LOL
Taranfx
on 23rd Nov, 09 10:11am
Choosing Niche Keywords is just so important. I`ve gained alot by using this methodology
Taranfx´s last blog ..BlueHost vs DreamHost vs HostGator
Dennis Edell
on 20th Nov, 09 10:11am
I think I’d like to talk to you about an idea of mine regarding this sort of thing. Waaaay too much for a comment. LOL
If you have some time to brainstorm and bounce things a bit with me, I’d really appreciate it.
Dennis Edell´s last blog ..IS An Advertising Page Really A Good Idea? An Interesting Opposing View…
Suzanne
on 21st Nov, 09 10:11am
Awesome! Look forward to chatting
Dennis Edell
on 21st Nov, 09 12:11pm
Got your emails, will be in touch soon.
Dennis Edell´s last blog ..IS An Advertising Page Really A Good Idea? An Interesting Opposing View…
Property investment
on 21st Nov, 09 06:11am
I am really annoyed to read your blog……….
Suzanne
on 21st Nov, 09 10:11am
ROTFLMAO! Well … I’d hate to reward your behavior with a PR3 backlink. LOL
Dennis Edell
on 21st Nov, 09 12:11pm
Kudos Suz, you’re a much kinder human then most.
Dennis Edell´s last blog ..IS An Advertising Page Really A Good Idea? An Interesting Opposing View…
Fred Haskurti
on 21st Nov, 09 10:11pm
hey stopped over read through your site loved it and will be cming back again, you can check out my blog when you can http://fashionmadnessblog.blogspot.com . Cheers
Suzanne
on 24th Nov, 09 12:11pm
Hi Fred ~ Thank you so much for checking out the blog and for commenting. On my way to see your site now.
bed bath and beyond store
on 23rd Nov, 09 12:11pm
I want to referesh what i hav learn so want a site which provides a brush up and i need audio tutorials so that i can also work as well as study.thanks..
Wordpress Help
on 24th Nov, 09 11:11am
You’re preaching to the choir here! I’ve said this time, and time, and time again. Case and point, I had a potential client call me mid-September trying to get a Halloween costume site off the ground. It was her first web site, and she chose the costumes thing because that was the example they used in the $495 blogging course she bought.
My first question was “what do you love, what are you an expert in, what do you know the most about?” She said “herbal medicines and cures…”, and I tried to convince her THAT was what she should be writing about. She said “how am I supposed to make money with that?”, and I told her just to write about it – get an audience, and worry about the monetization later. I explained to her that you can monetize anything, but the hardest part is actually getting an audience.
Wordpress Help´s last blog ..How to SEO
Suzanne
on 24th Nov, 09 12:11pm
Oh … that’s such a hard one! I haven’t even put up any more niche sites due to this topic right here. I can barely make myself work on some of my sites and even though they do “ok” they will not improve until I’m ready to do the work to take them to the next level … dreaded writing … dreaded because I’m not interested in the topics at all. LOL. I hope she “gets it” before she wastes her time and energy and then decides that internet marketing doesn’t work. Bummer. *SmiLes*
Keith@Norman Rockwell Art
on 2nd Dec, 09 08:12pm
Hi Suzanne,
Great analogy there. Even if you worked full time on it, I doubt you would “win” weddings. It is just too broad of a subject, no matter how passionate you may be about it. Destination weddings is still somewhat broad, too, as you said.
Riviera Maya Weddings may be just right. Even if that niche turns out to be too narrow, you should be able (and willing!) to completely cover the topic. And your passion will show through.
And you can certainly monetize travel and lodging! Best of luck. Now that the topic has been outed, you really should go for it before someone else decides to use it.
Keith@Norman Rockwell Art´s last blog ..Nov 29, Santa’s Workshop by Norman Rockwell from 12/14/1922 Clintonville Gazette
CharlesZI
on 9th Dec, 09 06:12am
Well, I don’t know whether this is the right section to post in.
However, I’m new here but I would like to say that it is a great thing you guys have going here.
I simply love it!
Thanks for so much information you guys have imparted.
Thank you.
Regards,
CJ,
Perimeter Computer
http://www.perimetercomputer.com
social mediamarketing
on 5th Feb, 10 03:02am
Your terms are excellent,Weddings = Beverages
Destination Weddings = Soda
Riviera Maya Weddings = Diet Soda.
And I always like these things.
Reverse Phone Lookup
on 16th Jul, 10 02:07am
Its better to choose Diet Soda because it will bring you much targeted traffic and the competition will not be as high as Beverages or Soda.
Reverse Phone Lookup´s last blog ..How to Trace Mobile Phone number in USA Canada and Caribbean Islands