What Need Does Your Business Fill?

[womaninbiz]

When starting a business, you are encouraged to be creative, to create long term and short term goals, to have a business plan and to be knowledgable about your business industry but you should also create a business that fills a need.

Why? Because if your business fills a specific need then people will seek you out to fulfill that need and that could make for a profitable business especially if you monopolize the industry with your product or service.

So take a look at the business you have right now and share with us the Need that your business fills and how you stumbled upon this much needed product or service.

If you have a unique product or service share that as well. An example of a unique product that I stumbled upon just recently is the www.howsmynanny.com reporting website.

I look forward to reading your posts and to learning more about all of the exciting and new businesses that are out there.


To Your Continued Success!


Scharlene


Promote Your Business and Win - Contest!
http://www.fullcirclementoring.org/even ... EventID=44

[Angela Wills]

That's a great question and a great thing to think about. The need my business fills is helping other online business owners. Every person working from home is just one person so they have a need to get more work done and have more time for the things they want to do..that's where a VA comes in .

[Lynn Terry]

Great question!

Its interesting how my current business model came about, actually. I was in web development professionally, designing websites and marketing plans for pay. I had A LOT of people asking me questions, not just clients but potential clients and even do-it-yourselfer's.

I honestly wasnt able to keep up with the flood of questions and requests, or at least, couldnt spend the majority of my time on it as they were basically "free consultations". So I started the SSWT Newsletter (long before I launched this site to go with it) and funneled the info-requests in that direction.

The list took on a life of its own, filling a need obviously, and the forum and archive site followed behind a few years later. I have since closed the service business and no longer take clients... and "answer questions" full time now

[womaninbiz]

[womaninbiz]

[Lynn Terry]

Hi Scharlene,

In the last decade my business model has changed dramatically, but it was more of a natural progression along the way than any major switchover. In this type of business, you really do have to follow the trends and the needs of the market.

It is more of a "funny" with me that I say I "answer questions for a living". When people ask me what I do... I say "I answer questions". When the kids ask me what I am doing... "I'm answering questions". Obviously I do a lot more than that, but it seems thats what it boils down to... whether I am managing a forum, blogging, writing an article, publishing newsletters, writing content for my sites & affiliate sites, etc. If I am not answering a direct question via email or on a forum... I am indirectly answering questions by writing case studies, tutorials, how-to information, etc.

I do not offer consulting for pay, outside of the Elite Membership group here at the forum. In fact, I dont take on ANY type of paid client - period. I stopped doing that over 3 years ago. Not to say that I wont in the future, but I have some long-term projects going on now that require my time and attention.

To answer your question - I am an Internet Marketing Expert, a Super Affiliate and Professional Blogger. What I do here at SSWT represents only a portion of my online ventures - I actually DO everything that I teach (or "answer questions about" lol) so I have a portfolio of sites in a variety of niches using a range of business models.

[womaninbiz]

Sorry for the nosy in me Lynn,

so do these other businesses provide you with an income in some way then if you do not take on "paid" clients?

I think your forum is awesome and I just checked out your blog and got a great tip on Affiliate marketing and keyword placement through Amazon, I will have to visit your blog more often for all of the insider secrets!

Thank you for sharing!! Now are there any other lurkers out there who have a business that they believe fills a specific need? jump right into the discussion and share your business with us.

To Your Continued Success!


Scharlene

[Lynn Terry]

[DBeavers]

Although some consider my business a service, it's really about meeting the needs of my clients. I sell promotional advertising to a wide range of business and industry, as well as gov't agencies from the federal level down to the local school board. I also service the needs of some non-profit organizations.

So, my business is product based, and I stay busy servicing the needs of clients with a vast assortment of products - in the range of 800,000 different items.

While many are used as typical customer handouts - calendars, ink pens, coffee mugs, etc, carrying the business name, logo, phone # or website, others are more original.

We do a lot of embroidered shirts and jackets that businesses give to their employees, as a means of reinforcing their brand/identity. Some are ordering items to use for new product introduction, rewarding employee achievement and longevity, commemorating a company anniversary or grand opening, etc. Some items are included in bulk mailings, but the majority are given to the recipients in person.

I've also seen individuals order items to be used for birthday parties, weddings, bar mitzvahs, and family or school reunions.

What ever the need, if it's legal and ethical, we try to accomodate people as much as possible.

If you have a need for promotional items, we may have just what you are looking for.

Dennis
www.CuttingEdgeAdv.com

[ElevatingYourBusiness]

My clients need business and marketing information, tips and tools so that their businesses can grow. And they need and want it fast. No BS, just answers to the questions they have and answers to the questions they don't know to ask

My clients who are in service related businesses (about 80% of my clients) know that they won't make more money than they're making w/o creating products. So for them, I add this to the mix of what we work on together.

They've tried to do it on their own. Maybe they've had help now and again. But nothing as consistant as 12 months worth of help from a business and marketing expert. Expert meaning that I just know ore about those things then they do

[laurie]

What an interesting discussion this has been so far.

Lynn - it's been good to find out more about you and your background.

I believe I fill a need in that I research home businesses to find legitimate ones to offer to people. With all the scams and uncertainity today, I believe people need a place they can go and trust the information that is provided.

I also offer consulting to help connect people with a home business that is right for them. I did this because, as I was looking for a home business, I became frustrated with the lack of info. about different opportunities, and felt it would be great to have a "live person" to help me sort it out.

I haven't found that a lot of people take advantage of the consulting however, and would like to see that grow.

Thanks for letting me share.

[Lynn Terry]

Hi Laurie,

How do you offer the consulting - by email, phone, forum? Just curious. Perhaps this would make a good topic of its own if you would like some feedback and suggestions on growth in that area of your business!

[laurie]

Hi Lynn,

I would love any feedback you could send my way

I offer consulting either by phone or email - $20 for either. That is for a 30 minute phone consultation or 2 week email consultation. I actually prefer to do the email consultations, as I think it gives me more time to think and do any research I need to do.

Thank you!

[Lynn Terry]