You should be passionate about your niche.. WRONG?

53 replies
Every single topic about "choosing a niche" i see alot of people saying that you should be passionate about your niche. Is that right? i don't think so. And if that was right, no one would be making money.

There are alot of things i'm passionate about, but not profitable, so, i should quit IM? Absolutely not. I'm not expert in this business, but, i think this myth is wrong.


What do you think guys? ARE YOU REALLY PASSIONATE ABOUT EVERY NICHE YOU ARE IN?
#niche #passionate #wrong
  • Profile picture of the author miklanderson2
    I'm not entirely sold on the whole being passionate about your niche thing. I'm in niches I'm not all that passionate about and they're very profitable. You know what I'm passionate about? Making money...As long as I'm turning a profit in a niche, I'm motivated to keep working on it.
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    • Profile picture of the author agmccall
      I once watched an interview with Mark Ling from affilorama and he was asked if you had to be passionate about your niches (paraphrasing) his reply was that if he thought there was good profit to be made then he would become passionate.

      al
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    • Profile picture of the author WPThemeGuru
      I am totally agree with you. i have made a website in acne niche in the past and believe me... i am not passionate about it but still i made decent money in that niche. I think, whatever niche you choose just be consistent about it and you are good to go.
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    • Profile picture of the author markeeter
      I think you can do good in any niche whether you're passionate about it or not, it all depends upon how skilled you are; However, if you work on the niche you're passionate about, you won't just be successful. you'll enjoy it too!
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  • Profile picture of the author datingworld
    You need to have at least some interest in the niche you are going into.
    If you don't have any interest in something, it's gona be difficult to make it profitable.

    "You are what you do. If you do boring, stupid, monotonous work, chances 
are you’ll end up boring, stupid, and monotonous" Bob Black
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  • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
    Banned
    Originally Posted by Oliver13 View Post

    Every single topic about "choosing a niche" i see alot of people saying that you should be passionate about your niche. Is that right? i don't think so. And if that was right, no one would be making money.
    Why would "no-one" be making money?! Loads of people are passionate about their niches. Loads of people started with the "passion" and developed the marketing skills to monetize it as they went along.

    It's not so good if you're passionate about a niche that doesn't have a real market, though, or one that doesn't have suitable products to promote.

    There's often a compromise involved, in niche-selection.

    Passion is good, but not necessary. Some kind of enthusiasm (for most people) is very desirable indeed, even if not absolutely necessary. But it has to be monetizable, too.

    The reality is that for most people, most of the time, the more interest they have in their niches, the better they're going to do with them. The reasons are fairly apparent, I think?

    Originally Posted by Oliver13 View Post

    ARE YOU REALLY PASSIONATE ABOUT EVERY NICHE YOU ARE IN?
    No. But they're all niches which I was passionate about to start with, or very interested in to start with, or at least could foresee that I could very easily become interested enough to be willing to learn about them relatively quickly and develop some expertise and an authentic voice in discussing them. There's no money for me, without that.

    It tends to get harder to choose them, as you go along, if you keep adding extra niches. I have 9 niches now, and have run out of "passions" that overlap with "real monetizable markets", so I'm gradually compromising more and more - through necessity. But I've also learned more marketing skills, doing this stuff, over the last 6 years, and I'm more willing to compromise, now. So it doesn't matter all that much.

    I hear you that "passion" isn't an absolute necessity, but some "enthusiasm", at least, is clearly a huge advantage.

    Originally Posted by miklanderson2 View Post

    You know what I'm passionate about? Making money...As long as I'm turning a profit in a niche, I'm motivated to keep working on it.
    Good point.

    I think this is true for many people.

    The more experienced you are (at successful affiliate marketing, or whatever), the more likely you are to turn a profit, and therefore "become passionate"?

    The people for whom this is a big and important issue, and a potential problem, are the people choosing their first niche, when they typically don't have many IM skills. Their chances of making money are far, far lower. So they really need all the passion they can get, to try to avoid disillusion and disappointment and keep going with it?

    Originally Posted by Oliver13 View Post

    You should be passionate about your niche.. WRONG?
    Nope. Not wrong. Right: you "should" be, if you can. It puts the odds in your favor, instead of against you.

    .
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    • Profile picture of the author Lucian Lada
      Originally Posted by Alexa Smith View Post

      willing to learn about them relatively quickly and develop some expertise and an authentic voice in discussing them. There's no money for me, without that.
      Easily overlooked, even by people who are "passionate" about their niche. They just regurgitate the same stuff, rarely put their spin on it, and even when they do... their content still looks like everyone else's.

      But this is difficult, to be honest, especially in popular niches where most people go with the flow, and the real experts are buried deep down, under piles of crappy best-sellers.
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  • Profile picture of the author discrat
    Originally Posted by Oliver13 View Post

    Every single topic about "choosing a niche" i see alot of people saying that you should be passionate about your niche. Is that right? i don't think so. And if that was right, no one would be making money.

    There are alot of things i'm passionate about, but not profitable, so, i should quit IM? Absolutely not. I'm not expert in this business, but, i think this myth is wrong.


    What do you think guys? ARE YOU REALLY PASSIONATE ABOUT EVERY NICHE YOU ARE IN?
    Hey Oliver,
    Of course it only will help you if you are passionate about the Niche you pursue ( if and only if it can be profitably monetized)

    But it is NOT a prerequisite.

    I heard this myself over and over starting out.

    To me you can enter a Niche that you have some interest in ( not passionate though) and simply find huge passion in the process of running your Online business within that Niche


    - Robert Andrew


    P.S. I am sure there are a number of people in niches like Car Insurance or Banking that are making a killing but have no huge passion for that specific niche
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    • Profile picture of the author Oliver13
      Originally Posted by discrat View Post

      P.S. I am sure there are a number of people in niches like Car Insurance or Banking that are making a killing but have no huge passion for that specific niche
      These are the type of comments i would like to see.
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      • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
        Banned
        Originally Posted by Oliver13 View Post

        These are the type of comments i would like to see.
        You want only comments that tell you that people can become very successful without any passion? That would be a one-sided discussion, wouldn't it?

        Robert's unquestionably right (as ever) that there are people "cleaning up" from niches like insurance when they have no "passion" for it. But be aware that they're a small minority and they're highly skilled marketers, too. There are a lot more people making some steady income in niches for which they have great enthusiasm. And of course there are reasons for that. They're real and valid and logical reasons that apply to most marketers, most of the time, too.

        Sorry that it's evidently not "the type of comment you'd like to see", but that doesn't actually detract from the fact that it's also true. Nothing is impossible, but like so many decisions people have to make in internet marketing businesses, these things relate partly to whether you want to get the odds in your favor or against you.

        .
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        • Profile picture of the author Oliver13
          Originally Posted by Alexa Smith View Post

          You want only comments that tell you that people can become very successful without any passion? That would be a one-sided discussion, wouldn't it?
          .
          I just want to make sure that, there are people saying something different than " you should be passionate, you should passionate.." Ever since i joined the WF, and everyone saying the same thing.
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          • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
            Banned
            Originally Posted by Oliver13 View Post

            I just want to make sure that, there are people saying something different than " you should be passionate, you should passionate.." Ever since i joined the WF, and everyone saying the same thing.
            I hear ya'.

            And I think we agree that the combination of "must" and "passionate" can add up to an exaggeration, to some extent. "Must" is putting it strongly (though it's undoubtedly a huge advantage), and "passionate" is also perhaps putting it a little strongly ("enthusiastic" will often do).

            It's like a lot of these things: it easily gets overstated, when lots of people repeat it. However, it's certainly based on something very realistic that's very closely correlated with most people's income-prospects.

            .
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    • Profile picture of the author Steve B
      No, it is not absolutely necessary as evidenced by the many people who make money in markets in which they have no interest.

      But there are sound and logical reasons why marketers often suggest you begin looking for a niche in which you have passion.

      1 If you have passion for a subject you often have some expertise in that subject that others won't have. Credibility and authority often go hand in hand with passion and real engagement in a topic.

      2 When you have passion and let it shine through in your personality you are in a good position to be able to share your passion (via your business) with others. People pay to enjoy or experience the passion in others, often wanting to find that same passion for themselves.

      3 Most often online business requires consistency and commitment over the long haul. If you lack passion for the subject of your business, it stands to reason that it will be more difficult for you to get through the early lean months or years while the profits build. Passion keeps you interested and engaged.

      4 Passion is contagious. Prospects and customers can feel it in your writing, your products (if you create them) and your communications. People respond more readily, IMO, to advice, offers, and the influence of folks passionate about their subject.

      5 Passion sells. IMO, people with passion for a product, service, or niche will outsell those who obviously aren't passionate. The psychology of selling is largely about emotion, feeling, and desire. People who are passionate appeal to those who want to be passionate.

      I'm sure there are other reasons to go into markets for which you have passion - but it is not absolutely necessary. It all depends upon the marketer and how disciplined and consistent that person might be.

      Steve
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  • Profile picture of the author Doug
    Passionate about my niche(s), hmm. Someone said above they are passionate about making money and not so much about their niche. I understand completely.

    A better question, IMO, would be something to the effect, "are you committed to your success?"

    I guess it's because I'm old enough now to realize passion disappears nearly completely in most everything. Yet there are things in life that have great meaning to me, and it's the commitment I recognize I have that makes it all meaningful for me.

    Doug
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  • Profile picture of the author JNano
    Be passionate about growing yourself, your business and improving your process. This assuming your not just doing this for an extra 2-3k a month, then yes having a passion for that market will be a lot more helpful.

    For me personally, it's not about the market, that's just a playground. It's about having freedom, being the best I can be, taking a new business to the top of a new market...those are the things that give me passion.
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    • Profile picture of the author Oliver13
      Originally Posted by JNano View Post

      Be passionate about growing yourself, your business and improving your process. This assuming your not just doing this for an extra 2-3k a month, then yes having a passion for that market will be a lot more helpful.

      For me personally, it's not about the market, that's just a playground. It's about having freedom, being the best I can be, taking a new business to the top of a new market...those are the things that give me passion.
      Sure i love this business, and passionate about it. My point is the niches.
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  • Profile picture of the author travlinguy
    Picking a market solely based on profitability is a mistake for many, if not most new marketers. Why? Because when you're starting out you are going to need to be very intimate with the product, the target market (customers) and everything else about what you're doing. If you're not, you're going to soon end up hating what you're doing. You're going to be wandering away from the task at hand and checking your email every five minutes and Facebook and whatever else your favorite distractions are.

    You end up unconsciously avoiding the tasks that will make you successful. There are thousands of threads and posts here that confirm this. And yes, there are exceptions. There are a few people that have the discipline to stay the course with something they don't have passion for.

    I speak from experience when I say this. When I got started I sold a couple of products I had almost no connection to. And I wasted a lot of time because I didn't enjoy what I was doing. Fast forward to today and there aren't enough hours in the day because what I do now I don't consider work. I love it.

    And for those who say that there's no way to monetize your particular passion I say baloney. There are plenty of ways to monetize just about anything. You may have to get creative to do it but it can be done.

    I'd say that when starting out it will be much easier to go with something you at least have some interest in. In fact, the more the better. Then when you've learned the marketing ropes and you know what you're doing you can get into niches completely based on profitability.
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    • Profile picture of the author kilgore
      I think passion is essential to success -- in business and in life -- but that it doesn't necessarily have to be a passion for your niche or topic area. What you absolutely must have, however, is a passion for what you do.

      For instance, back when I was doing web development full time, I was employee #1 at a startup that was trying to be the next Monster.com. Topically, it really wasn't that interesting to me -- but the work was. We used cutting-edge technologies and because I got in so early I also had a great deal of influence on all of the tech decisions we made. I also learned a ton about starting a business, both what to do and what not to do (though since the site ultimately failed, probably more of the latter than the former!) The point is that while it wasn't the topic I was most interested in, the work was very rewarding and so yes, I was passionate about what I was doing.

      That said, there are certain niches where I do think passion is necessary and in these (as Alexa stated above), authenticity is extremely important. My current business is one of these. We're a social enterprise so we are not only trying to make a profit, but we are trying to make the world a better place. In our case I'm 100% certain that if we weren't passionate about equal rights for South American polar bears, we'd be nowhere near as successful as we are today (OK, that's not really our issue -- but you get the idea.) Our customers would know if we were faking it and we'd suffer.

      So yes, you need passion, but no it doesn't necessarily need to be about your niche. You just need to be passionate about what you're doing. That said, it's much easier to be passionate about what you're doing if you're already passionate about the subject area. But different people are motivated by different things and maybe your subject area isn't what gets you up in the morning.

      Even so as Steve rightly points out, passion for a subject -- even if it's not 100% necessary -- is certainly beneficial in many, many ways. At the very least it's a competitive advantage. And moreover, in some niches, the only way to be successful is to be passionate about your niche.
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  • Profile picture of the author Slazengeer
    I think when money starts to roll in, the niche will become passionate.
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  • Profile picture of the author Work1099
    Originally Posted by Oliver13 View Post

    Every single topic about "choosing a niche" i see alot of people saying that you should be passionate about your niche. Is that right? i don't think so. And if that was right, no one would be making money.

    There are alot of things i'm passionate about, but not profitable, so, i should quit IM? Absolutely not. I'm not expert in this business, but, i think this myth is wrong.


    What do you think guys? ARE YOU REALLY PASSIONATE ABOUT EVERY NICHE YOU ARE IN?
    This premise is easily defeated simply by giving it a quick glance. Many businesses have succeeded wildly despite the owner/founder/entrepreneur not being passionate about it. So, it's clear it isn't a requirement.

    The best that can be said about it is perhaps it is advantageous even if not required. If you struggle with being motivated enough to do the work, perhaps you'll want to take that route. Certainly not everyone will be willing to lower profits in exchange for doing something they are "passionate" about, however.
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  • Profile picture of the author jbsmith
    The right answer is that you have to be passionate about some aspect of your business.

    For some people, it is definitely about the niche - the customers they serve, the problems they solve, the transformations they enable, the benefit of the products they sell.

    For others, it is the delivery method - Ex writers who are passionate about writing can write about different niches and still make very good money. Video producers who are passionate about producing videos can pick different niches they are not as passionate about and still do well

    Still others, it is the mode or role they play in their business that they are passionate about - Ex. sales people are passionate about selling...they may need to fully believe in what they are selling but not necessarily have a passion for it. What they love is the entire process of selling and may be very good at it.

    What I can say WON'T work...copying a business, market and product that you think will be successful for you because it worked for someone else where you haven't yet found your passion...there is no way you will have the drive, determination, insight and empathy for your market to really succeed long-term unless you find a burning passion around some aspect of that business.

    Oh, by the way, I can give you MANY more examples of very large businesses where the founders WERE passionate about their niche than the opposite - so don't fully agree with your stand on that.

    Jeff
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  • Profile picture of the author onSubie
    You don't "need" to be passionate but that is a guideline for new marketers because most fail because they quit prematurely.

    How long could you work in a niche/market without making any money while maintaining enthusiasm?

    If you just LOVED remote control cars you would build sites and promote on Twitter and make videos and babble endlessly to others with the same interest.

    You could do that for months without even noticing that you aren't making money because you are having so much fun learning about blogs, and WordPress and SEO while pursing your passion.

    If you are learning (and failing along the way) in a niche you have no passion about then you are much more likely to start struggling and questioning your success if you are a new marketer.

    It is much easier to "get passionate" about something you are not interested in if you know that building a blog, squeezepage and facebook fanpage are no problem and driving traffic with YouTube, Twitter and Pinterest will bring easy conversions.

    So no you don't need to be passionate- but it helps if you have little experience and need something you can slog along with for months until you "learn the ropes" and start seeing your efforts pay off.
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    • Profile picture of the author travlinguy
      Originally Posted by onSubie View Post

      You don't "need" to be passionate but that is a guideline for new marketers because most fail because they quit prematurely.

      How long could you work in a niche/market without making any money while maintaining enthusiasm?

      If you just LOVED remote control cars you would build sites and promote on Twitter and make videos and babble endlessly to others with the same interest.

      You could do that for months without even noticing that you aren't making money because you are having so much fun learning about blogs, and WordPress and SEO while pursing your passion.

      If you are learning (and failing along the way) in a niche you have no passion about then you are much more likely to start struggling and questioning your success if you are a new marketer.

      It is much easier to "get passionate" about something you are not interested in if you know that building a blog, squeezepage and facebook fanpage are no problem and driving traffic with YouTube, Twitter and Pinterest will bring easy conversions.

      So no you don't need to be passionate- but it helps if you have little experience and need something you can slog along with for month until you "learn the ropes" and start seeing your efforts pay off.
      Thank you. Very well put.
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  • Profile picture of the author Malteaser
    Originally Posted by Oliver13 View Post

    Every single topic about "choosing a niche" i see alot of people saying that you should be passionate about your niche. Is that right? i don't think so. And if that was right, no one would be making money.

    There are alot of things i'm passionate about, but not profitable, so, i should quit IM? Absolutely not. I'm not expert in this business, but, i think this myth is wrong.

    What do you think guys? ARE YOU REALLY PASSIONATE ABOUT EVERY NICHE YOU ARE IN?
    I don't believe it is necessary - I am personally passionate about traveling but I am not in that niche because I see more potential in the make money online niche.

    The niche is broader, it's easier to become an authority and I can make a lot more money in this niche.

    It doesn't bother me at all and actually I don't intend on moving away from this niche.
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    • Profile picture of the author jonb
      If you can't be passionate about your subject matter, be passionate about the END RESULT of what you're selling.

      * Selling insurance but don't really care about insurance? Think about the peace of mind you're offering. Think about a widow who can afford to live a good life because her husband got in touch with you before he passed.

      * Selling wallpaper, but don't really care about wallpaper? Think of the pride a customer will have when he or she shows off a colorful new kitchen, and how great they'll feel.

      In other words, look a few levels up from the actual product or service you're selling to find the human need that you're helping to fulfill. Finding the BIG purpose of what you sell will help you gain passion for what you're doing.
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      • Profile picture of the author JakeStatler
        Originally Posted by jonb View Post

        If you can't be passionate about your subject matter, be passionate about the END RESULT of what you're selling.

        * Selling insurance but don't really care about insurance? Think about the peace of mind you're offering. Think about a widow who can afford to live a good life because her husband got in touch with you before he passed.

        * Selling wallpaper, but don't really care about wallpaper? Think of the pride a customer will have when he or she shows off a colorful new kitchen, and how great they'll feel.

        In other words, look a few levels up from the actual product or service you're selling to find the human need that you're helping to fulfill. Finding the BIG purpose of what you sell will help you gain passion for what you're doing.
        This is a golden nugget. Really puts the whole concept of niche marketing into perspective..

        Thanks for the awesome share
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  • Profile picture of the author melvinsh
    I agree 100% I have one niche that interested me in the beginning and I built it up to consistently make almost 1k per month but I find myself not wanting to do the work sometimes getting lazy. So if you get lazy then you aren't passionate.
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  • Profile picture of the author skyro
    I think your rigth in a way but the thing is when you are really passionate about what you are doing it doesn't feel like work and you push harder to see results. You just basically doing what you like doing and your not watching time where as if your not passionate you tend to get bored at times and sometimes you see that you have to actually push and force yourself to do things.
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    • Profile picture of the author Andrew Pherra
      This is just my humble opinion of course, but being passionate about your topic makes your content incredibly more endearing. Content marketing is the cornerstone of any online marketing campaign, and most people want to read content from people that are passionate.

      Of course, you can feign passion, but for how long?

      I'm not saying you can't be successful or profitable in a niche you're not passionate about, but being passionate about your niche makes it that much easier to create life-long fans for your brand.

      I know that this is what others are saying too, but I just want to hit this point home. Think about something you're passionate about, and then think about the content you're introduced to regarding that passion on a daily basis. For me personally, I can sniff out insincere content super quick, and if it feels wrong, I'm bouncing.
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  • Profile picture of the author Rod Cortez
    Originally Posted by Oliver13 View Post

    Every single topic about "choosing a niche" i see alot of people saying that you should be passionate about your niche. Is that right? i don't think so. And if that was right, no one would be making money.

    There are alot of things i'm passionate about, but not profitable, so, i should quit IM? Absolutely not. I'm not expert in this business, but, i think this myth is wrong.


    What do you think guys? ARE YOU REALLY PASSIONATE ABOUT EVERY NICHE YOU ARE IN?
    There are basically three types of people when it comes to niches:

    1. Being passionate about the niche / topic you're involved in.

    2. Being passionate about the business you build around whatever niche you decide to jump in.

    3. Having no passion about anything.

    And, of course, it's possible to be both #1 and #2.

    The very first niche I was in was wedding planning on a budget. I had some interest in it but I definitely did NOT have a passion for it. However, the more I learned about it from my outsourced expert, the more I became interested.

    However, 99% of that business was eventually outsourced, but I DID have a fiery passion about my customers and the business I built in that niche.

    It all depends on what kind of values / beliefs that you have.

    I've been doing this a long time and I find that if you are passionate in area #1 or #2, your chances of succeeding go way high.

    RoD
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  • Yes, you need to be passionate about your niche because, in this time and age, you must utterly EXCEL at what you do in order to succeed in the ultra competitive online world. And, let's be honest: you wont EXCEL at anything if you dont push the envelop if you don't dig what you do beyond the monetary reward.
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    • Profile picture of the author myob
      As a marketer in dozens of unrelated niches, I disagree with the widely held belief that being "passionate" about a niche is a prerequisite or even that this should be the primary basis for making a choice. The fact is, most people fail precisely because of this poor advice. If passion is the primary driver, then your judgement may become clouded for making sound business decisions.

      Passion and even dedication are typically not enough. According to some reports I've read, 80 percent of new businesses fail within the first five years primarily because of this "feel-good culture". A fundamental mistake for those who "follow their passion" is often assuming the market demand is there when it's not. There is nothing wrong with pursuing your dream, but you also need to do a reality check and find out if the dream is worth pursuing in the first place.
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      • Profile picture of the author The Niche Man
        Hmm! ... I wonder what these guys say. They look like they may know a thing or two about making money, achieving success and creating niche products people want to buy.


        Interesting comments so far. But I fall on the side of passion. Sorry to be the boring one. However, if you can hop on a trend and make money from it more power to you. But that's not most people's testimony, certainly not mine.

        In most cases it takes persistence, time, bone-head mistakes, do-overs and often a dose of luck. All while making little or no money in the beginning. That's most people's experience who start a business. And that's even harder to do if you're bored, hate, or annoyed by what you do.

        I've heard many people say if they can make money at it, they'd be passionate about it. I tend to agree, but that scenario is not the norm. Usually, the scenario is in the second paragraph above. Diddo if you're a - starting from scratch newbie.

        Personally speaking, it's just more fun to buy from and do business with people who have a passion for what they do, doesn't it? Looking back, some of my worst buying experiences came from people who didn't have passion (or pride) in what they did.

        Sure, you can make money in a niche without having passion, this industry is running over with people like that - can't you tell? But, I think you're doing a disservice to your prospects and customers if you don't have it, I.M.O.

        Would you want a surgeon, lawyer defending you, or even a car mechanic fixing your brakes who didn't have passion? Or someone who was just in for a quick profit? "Just askin".
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        • Profile picture of the author Cali16
          QUOTE=The Niche Man;9654135]
          Would you want a surgeon, lawyer defending you, or even a car mechanic fixing your brakes who didn't have passion? [/QUOTE]

          I don't care how passionate a surgeon, lawyer, or mechanic is about what he or she does. What I do care about is their training, expertise, skill level, integrity, reputation, and ability to get the job done right the first time. If they're lacking in any of those areas, I don't care how passionate they are.

          There are tons of people who are passionate about what they do, yet fail to have success. And tons of people who are highly successful, but not necessarily passionate about what they do. Passion doesn't automatically lead to success, and lack of it doesn't automatically lead to failure.
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          • Profile picture of the author The Niche Man
            Originally Posted by The Niche Man View Post

            Would you want a surgeon, lawyer defending you, or even a car mechanic fixing your brakes who didn't have passion?
            Originally Posted by Cali16;9654508
            I don't care how passionate a surgeon, lawyer, or mechanic is about what he or she does. What I [I

            do[/I] care about is their training, expertise, skill level, integrity, reputation, and ability to get the job done right the first time. If they're lacking in any of those areas, I don't care how passionate they are.

            There are tons of people who are passionate about what they do, yet fail to have success. And tons of people who are highly successful, but not necessarily passionate about what they do. Passion doesn't automatically lead to success, and lack of it doesn't automatically lead to failure.


            I think you missed the point, I or no one has ever said passion is "all you need" or it's the "be all - end all".

            But it's an important ingredient to have ... than not have. You said there are tons of people who succeed without passion. Could you name one famous person at the top of their game who would quote that? I'd like to read it.
            I'll wait right here.
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            • Profile picture of the author myob
              Originally Posted by The Niche Man View Post

              You said there are tons of people who succeed without passion. Could you name one famous person at the top of their game who would quote that? I'd like to read it.
              "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. Then quit. There's no point in being a damn fool about it."
              - William Claude Dukenfield, world-famous writer, actor, marketer in a variety of niches.
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              • Profile picture of the author The Niche Man
                Originally Posted by myob View Post

                "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. Then quit. There's no point in being a damn fool about it."
                - William Claude Dukenfield, world-famous writer, actor, marketer in a variety of niches.
                MYOB:
                Thanks for the laugh this morning. I needed that my friend. But I'm still waiting for someone to point out a famous person at the top of their game whose said "passion is not important". A business tycoon, movie star, athlete, trailblazer, rock star, rapper, record holder, historical figure, inspirational figure, humanitarian, anybody? I'll wait here for your reply.
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                • Profile picture of the author myob
                  Seriously, Niche Man, I am quite certain that if you look closely at very successful people you will find that their "passion" was forged through hardship and failure. No business person or business owner has ever made it by following their passion. By far, a much stronger motivator is hunger.

                  The feel good "follow your passion" is crappy advice regurgitated by misguided "success gurus" who keep chanting such impractical nonsense just to make a buck. Despite wide appeal of easy and simple mantras, the reality is very few people can earn a living in fields in which they feel passionate.

                  In my not so humble opinion, following Steve Jobs' "Advice For Entrepreneurs" is just as misdirected. Perhaps I may be emotionally challenged, but I never felt "passionate" when first entering into any of the 80 or so niches in which I marketed over the last 16 years, yet I enjoyed considerable success. I’m not convinced that the emphasis on "following your passion" is either important or logical.

                  Even Steve Jobs' first passion had nothing to do with computers, nor did "passion" have anything to do with the origins of Apple. And any entrepreneur six months into his/her business, not making the revenue projected/expected, would tell you passion isn't the fuel that is helping them drive the business.

                  For example, if you go back into the details of Steve Jobs' biography, you'll see that he did not "follow his passion" as was perhaps portrayed in the video above. What happened was he actually stumbled into Apple computer (with Steve Wozniak in a scheme to make a quick $1,000) at a time when Jobs was "passionate" about eastern mysticism.

                  The Apple I was a dud, and he never made money from his consuming passion for Zen or Buddhism either. But Steve Jobs was open to opportunity. He cultivated passion and vision through numerous other project failures and some very costly mistakes.

                  So when a business tycoon, movie star, athlete, trailblazer, rock star, rapper, record holder, historical figure, inspirational figure, humanitarian, or anybody attributes their success to "following their passion", that is in reality not true or an insignificant part of the full story. What generally happens in these high profile examples is that passion follows success.

                  Of course, no one who has achieved a high level of success would say passion is not important. But passion is best cultivated through a disciplined mindset tempered by experience. And it can be cultivated in many, many different fields. However, "following your passion" for choosing a niche is a deeply flawed concept, which nearly always results in failure.
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                  • Profile picture of the author The Niche Man
                    I'm not going to try and second guess what someone meant when they make a direct comment. I'm not even trying to convince anyone or change their mind.

                    Just trying to give another angle to the debate with evidence from credible people everyone can relate to.

                    Bottom line, if not having passion for what you do works, do it.
                    If following your passion works for you do that.
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      • Profile picture of the author discrat
        Originally Posted by myob View Post

        As a marketer in dozens of unrelated niches, I disagree with the widely held belief that being "passionate" about a niche is a prerequisite or even that this should be the primary basis for making a choice. The fact is, most people fail precisely because of this poor advice. If passion is the primary driver, then your judgement may become clouded for making sound business decisions.

        Passion and even dedication are typically not enough. According to some reports I've read, 80 percent of new businesses fail within the first five years primarily because of this "feel-good culture". A fundamental mistake for those who "follow their passion" is often assuming the market demand is there when it's not. There is nothing wrong with pursuing your dream, but you also need to do a reality check and find out if the dream is worth pursuing in the first place.
        Bingo we have a winner

        Here is the thing, Passions ( having them ) are priceless. Once you start mixing Passions with Monetary elements you tend to dilute the intrinsic value of that Passion. The Passion becomes less of a "passion" and it becomes work and many times drudgery. I have seen it happen so many times before.
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        Nothing to see here including a Sig so just move on :)

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  • Profile picture of the author gluckspilz
    haha. Screw the niche stuff! Do anything that makes money! Simple
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  • Profile picture of the author Brent Stangel
    Do anything that makes money!
    Like hitman, producing kiddie porn, robbing old people??

    Yep, anything that makes money!!
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  • Profile picture of the author Jack Sarlo
    Originally Posted by Oliver13 View Post

    Every single topic about "choosing a niche" i see alot of people saying that you should be passionate about your niche. Is that right? i don't think so.

    What do you think guys? ARE YOU REALLY PASSIONATE ABOUT EVERY NICHE YOU ARE IN?
    IMO here's how it goes: choosing a niche you're passionate about is just one way to choose a niche - it's an advantage.

    I chose the anti spyware niche once, I'm not passionate about it it's just good enough (it's not something I dislike like fishing for instance - that's what I never choose).

    So no you don't have to be passionate, just that if you do it's a BONUS... the only thing you shouldn't do is pick a niche you hate cuz that makes no sense.
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    • Profile picture of the author Oliver13
      Originally Posted by Jack Sarlo View Post

      that if you do it's a BONUS...
      Good point.
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  • Profile picture of the author Edwin Torres
    I think they say you should be passionate about your niche because you'll come across more authentic. You'll know the words and the way your market speaks. You'll understand their biggest problems, questions, frustrations, etc.

    Also, when the going gets rough you're more likely to quit a niche you're absolutely bored in than you would with one you love.
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  • Profile picture of the author cyberzolo
    Some people's passions are not a niche that can make any money, if your passion is dog walking, you could never make money in that niche.
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    • Profile picture of the author The Niche Man
      Originally Posted by cyberzolo View Post

      Some people's passions are not a niche that can make any money, if your passion is dog walking, you could never make money in that niche.
      I understand your point in principle. But it's a bad example, thousands of people get paid good money walking people's dogs. Google it.

      Originally Posted by WillR View Post

      Passion helps.

      But I don't think people mean you can't market unless you are passionate about something.

      Passion is hard to fake. So you are always going to have a slight edge when you are passionate about something.
      Those are good points. Being passionate gives you a decisive edge in many ways. I can't imagine why someone would "want" to do something they're not passionate about, especially a business. If not, you might as well get any job that pays good money, IMO.
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  • Profile picture of the author IM Phoenix
    Interesting question and some great comments too.

    I agree that passion is a very powerful force that can help your business in so many ways. If you can profitably make it your main focus as the niche you choose that's great.

    If not then you can infuse it into the foundation of your business in some way like work ethic, perseverance, and focus.

    As long as you can use passion in some way within your business it will only help.
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  • Profile picture of the author WillR
    Passion helps.

    But I don't think people mean you can't market unless you are passionate about something.

    Passion is hard to fake. So you are always going to have a slight edge when you are passionate about something.
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  • Profile picture of the author jbsmith
    Anyone who has EVER created a successful business that allows them to live off of that business and employ others realizes that passion plays a role. Is it always passion for the product or niche - often it is, but not necessarily. Sometimes it is a passion for an end goal or passion for the role they play in the business (ex top sales people have a passion for selling...) - but passion must come into play.

    There is no way you are going to consistently stick to 16-hour days, setback after setback, criticism after criticism, placing your business over ANYTHING else in your life long enough to really build a top business without passion...anyone who says otherwise hasn't done it.

    Jeff
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    • Profile picture of the author The Niche Man
      Originally Posted by jbsmith View Post

      There is no way you are going to consistently stick to 16-hour days, setback after setback, criticism after criticism, placing your business over ANYTHING else in your life long enough to really build a top business without passion...anyone who says otherwise hasn't done it.
      Jeff
      Jeff, I think the assumption many ('passion is not important') people have is ...

      #1. They won't have to go through any of those things you mentioned.
      - Or
      #2. If they do, they'll be making so much money it (having passion) won't matter.
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  • Profile picture of the author collison
    Richard Branson knows nothing about the Internet but runs an Internet company.
    Richard Branson can't pilot an airliner, but runs an airline
    Ricahrd Branson can't drive a train but runs train services.

    Richard Branson is worth £1.5 billion. What Richard Branson does know about, is how to build and project the Virgin brand, and then leverage that exposure and branding to make money. Using the power of the Virgin brand.
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