The Joe Miller (Denzel) approach to IM. Or KISS

Thanks max5ty, you wrote:

I think it works that way with a lot of business ideas. Someone will take forever to make sure everything is perfect. Logo, font, images, etc.

Yes, I think it's always good to study about what you want to do. But, at the same time don't get analysis paralysis.

I agree 110%, analysis paralysis and perfectionism is the death of many a good idea venture. AND, I admit to my hypocrisy here at the WF too, where I have harped on Assessment, PLANNING, Execution and Adjustment for years and years. However, at our forum, which is more targeted and far fewer folk in attendance, I have a slightly different take.

I teach and embrace the MVP (Minimum Viable Product) approach to getting things done. So, I will present an example here.

I've focused on Intellectual Properties, mostly proprietary and personal because that suits me well and it is easier to present information from either experience or from close association with those that do.

Lets say a NEW Warrior wants to get started. My MVP solution for this person goes like this: Create a one page, 5 paragraph HOTSHEET or INFORMATION sheet about your subject (one you have experience with), and if you don't have a subject, start with your location...where you are right now, the CITY you live in.

Once you have a one page, short 5 paragraph HOTSHEET, expand each of those paragraps with two more, some details, explanations, even graphics and you will have a 3 to 4 page White Paper on your subject.

Now I have given examples here many times, and frequently point out Warrior Barb Ling and her Cheatsheets, often selling a 1000 of them for around 2.99 in a few days.

My example then; I live in a boring avg. city, Cuyahoga Falls, where our main claim to fame is BLOSSOM MUSIC CENTER, where we get the big name stars to perform. So, I might write about that in my first five paragraphs and maybe include Mary Campbell's Cave, our other semi-famous landmark.

Modeling Barb Ling's cheatsheets, I might include the "insider's guide to the best dining experiences in the FALLS", and simply list those places which have good food, good service, etc. Writing about your city, is maybe a 15 minute idea, and then LIST the local places to see, visit, eat, etc. Is anyone going to BUY this information? NO idea.

It is mostly an exercise to get you started, to overcome the paralysis by analysis. Recently, I began posting in one of our Facebook Groups, You Know You're from Cuyahoga Falls When...and surprisingly my posts have gotten a lot of comments in what is normally a very unused, very seldom seen group. Now, if I wanted to TEST my MVP, I have a group of former residents, some of them have not been here in decades, to offer my HOTSHEET, for a very minimum price to, just to see if there is any interest.

See, what I'm giving you today is a template, substitute your subject with mine, create a very MINIMUM MVP, and like half cooked spaghetti, throw it against a wall to see if it sticks, if it does, it is DONE enough to take to the market, ala Barb Ling, and myself...I've offered scores of HOTSHEETS over the years to build lists, get new customers, and to simply TEST the marketplace with an idea.

If it doesn't have any interest, move on to the next thing, see?

You have to start, where you are at, with what you have at hand, and build from there...so location is as good a GO square as any, and coupled with your knowledge, experience and/or skills, you can quickly find out if your idea has much interest, or any.

So. I love to see Warriors with a well thought out idea (most aren't), which matches their assessments and then gets executed and adjusted to success. But, you can test if it is time to add the meatballs or sauce, simply throw it against the wall and see if it sticks.

That of course is an OLD world way to test if the pasta is cooked, a myth mostly, but relied upon for centuries by many Matriarchs of the old country.

MINIMUM VIABLE PRODUCT, start there if in a hurry, fair enough?

GordonJ

Sir, if I were only a decade or two younger, I'd have at least 10 to 15 newsletters going.

I came on www because of a newsletter (The NPGS Update Hotline, by SCI), and with the modern sites, which you have pointed out, SHEESH, if only there was time...and that is something most, except for us old Boomers, have...and if they heed your 'nagging' about newsletters, and take it to heart (and the bank!), how happy they would be.

My HS class had over 900, in the 56 years since then, an estimated 27000 people have graduated from one of the city's high schools. The popularity of the Facebook groups, which number into the tens of thousands, certainly offer the opportunity to DO exactly as you outline.

Along with that, IFFIN I was me youngin self, I'd publish a CHRISTMAS book (printed) every year and have the alumni, local businesses and local HISTORICAL society provide all the content, no doubt I'd sell all 10,000 copies for 25 bux and postage and handling...as well as 10 pages of ADS too. Could easily live off of this once a year product.

Keep nagging, and maybe someone will have the light bulb turned on in their now dark world, eh?

GordonJ

As the late Professor Irwin Corey would say: "If you don't change directions soon, you will end up where you are going."

You've been a Warrior for some time now, and that is a good sign you are crossing off goals as you achieve them and making new ones (hopefully).

Newbies, many whom are lost and/or desperate, need a MONETARY goal to start, so I picked the 100 an hour goal, although for most, that probably should be 100 dollars a MONTH to start.

So I am all in on PLANNING and goal setting. In the spirit of the thread, if one is taking a long time to PLAN on how to make 100 bux a month, then that Warrior has a bigger problem than needing money.

And as far as objectives, goals, purposes...it is always a good place to start, it just isn't a good idea to sit on GO for a long time shaking the dice without actually throwing them.

GordonJ