Niche Selection Roadblock

by IMSue
27 replies
I really want to find a new niche for information products that I am interested in but everything I research is over saturated or has no interest.

I am beginning to think that Niche selection is so hard and I may never get past this simple starting point (not so simple).

I do not want specific ideas, rather do you Warriors have new niche ideas rolling around in your head all the time?

Is the Internet Marketing Niche over saturated at this point in time or is there room for one more?

Any suggestions or real advice will be GREATLY APPRECIATED!!!!!!

Susan
#niche #roadblock #selection
  • Profile picture of the author shawnlebrun
    Hey Susan,

    after 14 years in the biz... I've found a way to select a niche that has worked well for me.

    i actually give away a free chapter on niche/market selection to my clients...

    http://fitness-copy.com/warrior-ebook-sample.pdf

    it's 14 pages, but it shows you how i select niches to target these days.

    i hope it helps!

    shawn
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  • Profile picture of the author BinaryQwest
    The best way to start finding a niche is to ask yourself what interests you? It is much much easier when the topic you're working with actually interests you.
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  • Profile picture of the author Alex Mensah
    Originally Posted by IMSue View Post

    I really want to find a new niche for information products that I am interested in but everything I research is over saturated or has no interest.

    I am beginning to think that Niche selection is so hard and I may never get past this simple starting point (not so simple).

    I do not want specific ideas, rather do you Warriors have new niche ideas rolling around in your head all the time?

    Is the Internet Marketing Niche over saturated at this point in time or is there room for one more?

    Any suggestions or real advice will be GREATLY APPRECIATED!!!!!!

    Susan
    Hi susan, great question. The IM niche is not over saturated and frankly it will never be because each day thousands of people are getting online for the first time to see if they can make money so this niche is still very young. Now what can become saturated is the traffic method that you are using to promote to this niche but not the niche itself. hope that helps you out!
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    • Profile picture of the author Steve B
      Originally Posted by Alex Mensah View Post

      The IM niche is not over saturated
      Alex, while I agree with what you say in theory, in all reality I think suggesting the IM niche to a newbie is marketing suicide.

      Does someone brand new to marketing really belong in a niche about marketing? Would you take the advice of a newbie marketer that hasn't had the chance to get his/her feet wet in the topic?

      Susan, my advice would be to dig deeper into the niches you love and have some experience with. If a particular topic seems to be saturated, dig deeper until you find a niche that has some room for you. There is always ample space for a new idea, a different way of solving a problem, or a fresh approach that others haven't exploited.

      In addition, there is always room in any niche for thoughtful commentary, new products that actually work, and new ways to save people time and money.

      Good luck to you,

      Steve
      Signature

      Steve Browne, online business strategies, tips, guidance, and resources
      SteveBrowneDirect

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      • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
        Banned
        Originally Posted by Steve B View Post

        I think suggesting the IM niche to a newbie is marketing suicide.
        This.

        It's probably the commonest single reason for failure, among beginning marketers.
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  • Profile picture of the author IMSue
    Thanks this gives me some food for thought!
    Signature

    Thanks,

    Susan

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  • Profile picture of the author Social App Zone
    One suggestion I see alot is looking at popular magazines for ideas. I like that idea as you are taking advantage of their market research and readership statistics.
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    • Profile picture of the author MKCookins
      Originally Posted by Social App Zone View Post

      One suggestion I see alot is looking at popular magazines for ideas. I like that idea as you are taking advantage of their market research and readership statistics.
      This is what I recommend everyone who is having trouble with niche selection to do. It is very easy and you know for sure you are entering a profitable market.

      As stated though you want to be as specific as possible when selecting your niche. The more specific the better.
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  • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
    Banned
    I feel a long post coming on.

    Originally Posted by IMSue View Post

    everything I research is over saturated or has no interest.
    Well, "no interest" certainly isn't a great sign. I like niches that have enough interest for some people to read articles/magazines/books/information about the subject, to know that there's some "market" there for me. (I sometimes judge that a little according to whether people are spending money on AdWords, too. It's maybe not a great sign, if they're not?)

    I don't think I believe in "saturation", really. (How many households in the US have one or more TV sets already, and how many will be sold during 2013?).

    Originally Posted by IMSue View Post

    I am beginning to think that Niche selection is so hard and I may never get past this simple starting point (not so simple).
    "Not so simple" is right, I think.

    It's hugely important, of course.

    I think part of the reason the overall success-rates in IM are so low (if you'll accept that as "factual" without any evidence or discussion?) is that so many people choose bad niches.

    I think there are common reasons for that, too. To use a metaphor/analogy which has come up here in a couple of other threads, most people want to sell jeans rather than skating videos. And most people are wrong. Explained here (and in the links inside this post): http://www.warriorforum.com/main-int...ml#post8156938

    Originally Posted by IMSue View Post

    I do not want specific ideas, rather do you Warriors have new niche ideas rolling around in your head all the time?
    I do. I research all the time. I try to spend 20-25 minutes per day researching niches and products. Over nearly 5 years, that adds up to a huge amount of time, but I can neither avoid it nor outsource it. (And believe me, I'd really like to outsource it!).

    I don't even know whether I'd be making a living at all, without having done that. (And continuing to do it, too).

    Originally Posted by IMSue View Post

    Is the Internet Marketing Niche over saturated at this point in time or is there room for one more?
    I don't know, or care, to be honest. I wouldn't touch it, myself, regardless of that aspect of it. (That's partly because I like selling ClickBank products, and it would be as questionable a decision as you could ever find to try to sell them in those niches! So many of their potential customers are already ClickBank affiliates that they wouldn't buy through my affiliate link anyway: they'd buy through their own, since ClickBank allows that. So finding the customers is one thing, but earning the money and getting paid is obviously a totally different proposition! :p ).

    Of course one doesn't have to sell those products from ClickBank, and I'm referring to a ClickBank-specific problem, there.

    But I stay well away from IM-related products, myself, for a whole bunch of other reasons, too. Just my perspective.

    I'm sure there's "room for one more", though. But the one more is not going to be me.

    Originally Posted by IMSue View Post

    Any suggestions or real advice will be GREATLY APPRECIATED!!!!!!
    Skating videos.

    Seriously.

    Not necessarily literally "skating videos", obviously (I have no idea whether there is even such a niche?). But metaphorically. Cauliflower soup recipes. Desalination technology. Children's bedroom ceiling decoration. These are the niches in which the odds (of "earning good money") are tenfold or even a hundredfold more in your favor than they are in "IM niches". In my favor, anyway. And I mean it more seriously than you might guess from my semi-facetious tone.
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  • Profile picture of the author MKCookins
    As Alexa, Steve, and I mentioned earlier I think the "Internet Marketing Niche" is too big for beginners or experienced marketers -- due to the simple fact it is too broad!

    You need to get drilling down into your niche to find one speicic area people are having trouble with and become an expert at it.

    For example it can go something like this :
    Market = Wealth
    Niche = Internet Marketing
    Sub Niche = Generating Traffic
    Super Niche = Generating Traffic through Facebook

    The niche Generating Traffic through Facebook is the type of niche you are looking for due to the fact it is profitable and very highly targeted.
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    • Profile picture of the author Stuart Walker
      Originally Posted by MKCookins View Post

      As Alexa, Steve, and I mentioned earlier I think the "Internet Marketing Niche" is too big for beginners or experienced marketers -- due to the simple fact it is too broad!

      You need to get drilling down into your niche to find one speicic area people are having trouble with and become an expert at it.

      For example it can go something like this :
      Market = Wealth
      Niche = Internet Marketing
      Sub Niche = Generating Traffic
      Super Niche = Generating Traffic through Facebook

      The niche Generating Traffic through Facebook is the type of niche you are looking for due to the fact it is profitable and very highly targeted.
      I think you are missing the point. The reason the IM niche is a bad one for newbies has nothing to do with it being 'too broad' but due to the fact how can someone who is a newbie and has never made any money online teach others how to make money online?

      You see why that doesn't make any sense? Many people don't get it.

      We get posts here all the time that make it obvious that lots of people do not understand why they as a newbie should not be trying to enter the internet marketing niche.
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      • Profile picture of the author bigmacca
        Originally Posted by RockingLastsForever View Post

        I think you are missing the point. The reason the IM niche is a bad one for newbies has nothing to do with it being 'too broad' but due to the fact how can someone who is a newbie and has never made any money online teach others how to make money online?
        While I'm very new to IM game I think IM niche to me is extremely saturated. I think that people are starting to wise up to this niche, there is alot of junk online in this niche and I think people are looking for advice from people who actually make a living online.

        But if you're doing exceptionally well in IM you have good advice the niche can work for you. I would sign up J
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    • Profile picture of the author downr
      Very nice advice from MKCookins that I as a begginer will most def use in my future. Thanks!
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    • Profile picture of the author hsbinmarket
      We are here in the forum to help u, Susan, not to decide about ur life. We are like a tourist guide (without payment !).

      You should decide in which country u will visit. Then we can help u about how u can complete the visit with minimum cost and maximum pleasure.

      Hope u got the point.
      Signature

      Do not put the links to a malware-infected site back in your signature

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    • Profile picture of the author hsbinmarket
      We are here in the forum to help u, Susan, not to decide about ur life. We r almost like a tourist guide (without payment).

      You should decide in which country u will visit. Then we can help u about how u can complete the visit with minimum cost and maximum pleasure.

      Hope u got the point.
      Signature

      Do not put the links to a malware-infected site back in your signature

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  • Profile picture of the author shawnlebrun
    Sue,

    Anytime I'm looking at new markets to enter, I go through a
    "checklist" that I've developed for myself over the years.

    First, I try to focus on markets where people have problems
    they want solved.

    Problems ARE markets. No problem usually means no sale.

    So... my first criteria is there must be a large problem or
    big desire there.

    Then, I want to make sure i have some interest/passion in the topic.

    Let's face it, it can be tough times to get a new product/biz up and
    running... and passion can often times carry you through those lean
    times.

    Without passion... you won't want to put in the long days/hours that
    it can take to be successful when first starting.

    And then... I want to make sure there are products that are selling
    well in that market. I don't want to be a pioneer who spends my
    life savings just testing out an idea to find out it didn't work.

    You're better off going with a market that people are actively LOOKING
    to buy products in... where a lot of money is already being made.

    Then, you just have to make your product different/better/unique.

    Make it faster/cheaper/less expensive/better quality/etc....

    In other words... piggy back on what's already selling and just
    try to make it better.

    Match.com was working just fine and then Eharmony.com came
    along and made a better product because they had their 19-point
    checklist/criteria they had for finding the perfect match for you.

    So, look for markets where there are large problems that people
    are actively looking to solve, they are spending money to solve them,
    and find a way to make something better/different/unique.

    And make sure you're interested enough to keep at it.

    Either way, think of markets as problems. What can you help
    others with? How you can solve a markets problems or help them
    fulfill their desires?

    But by all means, don't just follow your passion, you MUST make
    sure you're also choosing a niche where people are buying stuff.
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  • Profile picture of the author KenThompson
    Here's an inexpensive WSO, not from me, that looks pretty good for niche selection and profitability assessment.

    http://www.warriorforum.com/warrior-...ng-weapon.html
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  • Profile picture of the author IMSue
    Thanks for all the great advice.

    I was not looking for specific niche ideas ir wanting to use IM.

    "Dig Deeper" is the answer.

    Thanks all!!!!
    Signature

    Thanks,

    Susan

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  • Profile picture of the author Gary Ning Lo
    Don't complicate things..

    Choose something in health, relationship or money..

    Find something that you are interested in..

    Cheers,

    Gary
    Signature
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  • Profile picture of the author nicholasb
    seriously just draw from a hat, I can't understand why niche selection is such an issue.
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    • Profile picture of the author Stuart Walker
      Originally Posted by nicholasb View Post

      seriously just draw from a hat, I can't understand why niche selection is such an issue.
      I don't recommend doing that. You do have to pick something you feel you'll be able to stick at, do well, and compete in.

      I think the problem stems from most newbies thinking they have to find some really new or undiscovered niche that no one else is doing when actually that's not the best way to go for a newbie at all because it would be a real uphill struggle for them.

      Better to stick to proven markets, find a sub niche, something with plenty of competition, buyers and products on sale.
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    • Profile picture of the author Brent Stangel
      Originally Posted by nicholasb View Post

      seriously just draw from a hat, I can't understand why niche selection is such an issue.
      Sometimes the things I see posted on this forum as "advice" are simply horrendous.

      Just open the CB marketplace on your computer. Stand across the room. Throw a dart at the screen. Whatever niche you hit is the one.

      Problem solved!
      Signature
      Get Off The Warrior Forum Now & Don't Come Back If You Want To Succeed!
      All The Real Marketers Are Gone. There's Nothing Left But Weak, Sniveling Wanna-Bees!
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  • Profile picture of the author travlinguy
    I've got one you and you can make a fortune with it. And it's not over saturated. You'll need some skill as a writer or the ability to outsource to good writers.

    Rewrite technical manuals as most of them seem to be written for the people with engineering degrees. Right now there's an electronic gadget explosion like never before. New products are coming out every day and are replacing products that have only been available for a few months.

    Some people just have a knack for getting the most from these things while others struggle. Pick your demographic. If I were to do this I'd target baby boomers. Many of them want to have the latest electronic stuff but are clueless as to how to get the most from it.

    Help them. Figure out the most popular and desired features of a device and then explain it so your old gray haired granny can use it. Create a PDF as well as a short video and sell them. You might even make a membership site for this.

    I swear, this could be huge if done properly. You could make it an offline business as well by holding little hour-long classes for people needing hands-on training. I'd easily pay $50 to get the fast track to learning something I wanted or needed to know. Let them repeat the class for free if they feel the need. You'd have word of mouth wildfire going with people signing up left and right if you were good.

    Obviously, you need to have the knack to figure out popular electronic devices and know how to explain their functionality so regular, non-technical people can understand. It's not for everyone but for the right person(s) this could easily become a million dollar business.
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  • Profile picture of the author Ian Jackson
    Originally Posted by IMSue View Post

    I really want to find a new niche for information products that I am interested in but everything I research is over saturated or has no interest.

    I am beginning to think that Niche selection is so hard and I may never get past this simple starting point (not so simple).

    I do not want specific ideas, rather do you Warriors have new niche ideas rolling around in your head all the time?

    Is the Internet Marketing Niche over saturated at this point in time or is there room for one more?

    Any suggestions or real advice will be GREATLY APPRECIATED!!!!!!

    Susan
    "That I am interested in"

    Susan, you're better to find a niche that other people (potential buyers) are interested in
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