From the beginning of time, men have been "stealing" great ideas from their friends and enemies. Most, if not all, of the conveniences you enjoy today are the direct result of building on the innovations of others. Each time a system is emulated, something extra is added to give it a unique quality all its own. This is essentially evolutionary innovation, and it works. If it wasn't for a little borrowing of successful elements every now and then, true progress would likely never occur.
The same philosophy holds true in the realm of online business. Innovation occurs when an individual or business takes the success of another, reshapes it, and develops it into a completely new idea. The key is to find and study a system that you know is actually successful. Go through the process of purchasing their product or service. Examine every aspect of their business, and try to understand what elements are responsible for their success.
Look for Relevant Business Models
One of the best indicators of the success of a business model is the number of businesses that have adopted it. Many times, individuals may think the opposite is true, but that is not the case. If a system is successful, it will stand the test of time. In fact, many successful online businesses now operate much like direct marketing organizations of the past. Building your online business using the time-tested methods of others only makes good business sense.
Boldly Go Forth
Building a successful online business is simpler when you decide to build on the experience of those that have gone before you. But it doesn't really matter what plan you choose if you never take action. The best plans in the world will be dismal failures if they're never implemented. Theory will only take you so far. Taking action and gaining the experience by actually "being in the trenches" will be what moves your online business forward. Borrowing from the ideas of others is great. But, in the end, it will always be up to you to see it through.
1) Hang out in online discussion groups. Watch what people are talking about. Look at the questions they are asking. The topics that are bringing the greatest number of visitors would make for an excellent article.
2) Take a look at what information is being broadcast on TV, radio, newspapers, and online. They can be invaluable sources to help you determine what's 'hot'.
3) Read quality blogs. What are people posting about? What kind of comments are they leaving? What questions do they have? Blogs are the internet marketing medium of the moment and you can literally find blogs on any topic. This is an excellent source for your next article idea.
4) Survey your current customers or website visitors. Ask them what kind of article they would like to see in your next ezine or published on your site.
5) Check online and offline bookstores. What are the top sellers? This can be a good way to come up with an article that catches the attention of what people are reading.
6) Be seasonal. Write about what is going on that time of year. Holidays, festivals, sports, graduations, etc. all makes for an article that someone will want to read.
7) Write an article about a current fad. There is always something that is hot at the time and could make for interesting reading from you.
8) Keep track of what your customers and prospects are asking you. If you get an email or phone call with a question this may make for a good article. Others may have the same question, but are afraid to ask it.
9) Use your intuition. What will everybody be talking about next Christmas? Read books and articles by futurologists about societal trends and then take a hunch on what people will like to read about a year down the line.
10) Start a swipe file on what others are writing about. If it is of interest to you it will probably be of interest to others. Never plagiarize the work of others, but you can certainly get good ideas this way. The biggest benefit of a swipe file is having it handy to refer back to over and over whenever you are ready to write your article and are not sure what you want to write about.
If you still find it hard to write about your idea, you can hire a professional to ghost-write it for you. The costs are not as high as you may think and, considering what's at stake, it could be the best investment you ever make.
Both Larry Didrikson & Nadeem Azam are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Larry Didrikson has sinced written about articles on various topics from Make Money Online, Build Online Business. If you're interested in copying the achievements of others to get your online business going, you may be interested in reviewing this fun, but informational website: