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Listen to Your Kids...and if You Don't Have any...listen to someone elses!

by Sean A McAlister
23 replies
So my daughter comes into my office the other day...she's 10
...and says

"Hey daddy, did you know that you can go on "Fact Monster" and
research this - that and yadadadada"....
"A lot of kids go on there.."

Obviously, I had no idea what this website was...I mean the internet
wasn't even around when I was in school...lol...but she got on and
showed me.

Then I thought....i wonder what kind of stats this little niche has....
that's Potentially a WHOLE Lotta Kids clicking around on a site...
if you know what I mean!

Quick check at google...90k searches...checked their site ...which shows
me there may be some opportunity for setting up a quick site with cpa or
affiliate stuff....

There needs to be some more research to see if that is worth trying anything
on...but you get my point.

and that was just one conversation we have had over the past 8 years she
has been able to speak.... That's a whole lotta niches.

So ask your kids what the best Kids Commercial is, new shows, toys,
products etc. After all...they are in their own world just like we are in
our own...they only difference is...they don't know how to monetize it
yet.

Spot the niches and go after them.

Get your kids interested and get them blogging (Under strict Adult
supervision) ...inviting all of their school friends to comment on their
new blog about "Fact Monster"........ Bam!

College Tuition Paid!

Anyway, I needed to take a quick break of my regularly scheduled routine
to bring you this public service announcement.....lol.

Havin Fun Today!
Make sure you do Too!

Sean
#anylisten #elses #kidsand #listen
  • Profile picture of the author RGallowitz
    Wow that's a good resource.
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  • Profile picture of the author Sarah Russell
    Very cool thought - I used to work in a middle/high school and now I'm wishing I would have mined that resource a little more while I was there
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    • Profile picture of the author wjtyoung
      Another thing that kids can do is help us see things that we miss. I get locked into a certain way of thinking and its like I am stuck in a funnel and can't see out. Often we spend all our time focused on what we know about the Internet and Internet marketing and we miss important stuff.

      It is not a perfect example of this, but to illustrate how someone can associate two things together that most of us never would here is an example. My daughter, who was six at the time, heard me say something about Albert Einstein. She asked me if he was Frankensteins brother. Now I had never once thought to associate Einstein and Frankenstein, but from her point of view it makes perfect sense. I suppose if there is a moral, it is we need to try to see how others view what we say, our sites and our marketing efforts.
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  • Profile picture of the author John Atkins
    Yeah, you can get a lot of ideas by listening to a kid.

    Good post.
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  • Profile picture of the author Lonely_Cowboy
    Too bad I only have a 17-month old.
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    • Profile picture of the author Sean A McAlister
      Originally Posted by Lonely_Cowboy View Post

      Too bad I only have a 17-month old.

      ....lol start planning now!
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  • Profile picture of the author Maryleena
    After talking to my kids (aged 5 and 3) I have a couple of niches...

    Hello Kitty, Bionicle and Spiderman LOL

    Might be worth a try.
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  • Profile picture of the author TurnKey Internet
    Am I the only one who feels a little uncomfortable with this? So we should use our kids to find ways to make money off other kids? I know I might be a little old-fashioned here, but I'd much rather make money of adults.
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    • Profile picture of the author Lance K
      Originally Posted by TurnKey Internet View Post

      Am I the only one who feels a little uncomfortable with this? So we should use our kids to find ways to make money off other kids? I know I might be a little old-fashioned here, but I'd much rather make money of adults.
      Who do you think is paying for the kids' stuff?
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      "You can have everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want."
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      • Profile picture of the author CaesarSEO
        Originally Posted by Lance K View Post

        Who do you think is paying for the kids' stuff?
        Agreed Lance! Absolutely legit idea since the toys or whatever will be paid by their parents who will pay only if the toy is legit? lol.

        Anyway great insight, thanks for sharing.

        I'd like to take a step into this butttttttt got my own business to settle first so... nevermind.

        Great info again, thank you!
        Everything starts from a nice thought like this!
        Isac
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  • Profile picture of the author TurnKey Internet
    I know, it's a huge industry. I guess it's just my own personal moral compunction. And I know, the adults are paying for the kids' stuff, but the kids are the ones driving the traffic to the kids' sites. Obviously this is a much larger moral issue that I happen to care deeply about. I wish we could all just lay off the hardcore kid advertising and targeting-- the poor things don't understand that they're being victimized by our bloody dog-eat-dog-for-money culture. Can't we wait until they're older to turn them into cash cows?
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    • Profile picture of the author Lance K
      Originally Posted by TurnKey Internet View Post

      I know, it's a huge industry. I guess it's just my own personal moral compunction. And I know, the adults are paying for the kids' stuff, but the kids are the ones driving the traffic to the kids' sites. Obviously this is a much larger moral issue that I happen to care deeply about. I wish we could all just lay off the hardcore kid advertising and targeting-- the poor things don't understand that they're being victimized by our bloody dog-eat-dog-for-money culture. Can't we wait until they're older to turn them into cash cows?

      If you're providing what they want at a price the parents find acceptable...I'd say that's providing value.

      Victimized??? That's a stretch. Try telling the victims of child abusers and pedophiles that their peers are being "victimized" by advertising.
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      "You can have everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want."
      ~ Zig Ziglar
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    • Profile picture of the author FalkonatorsWife
      Originally Posted by TurnKey Internet View Post

      I know, it's a huge industry. I guess it's just my own personal moral compunction. And I know, the adults are paying for the kids' stuff, but the kids are the ones driving the traffic to the kids' sites. Obviously this is a much larger moral issue that I happen to care deeply about. I wish we could all just lay off the hardcore kid advertising and targeting-- the poor things don't understand that they're being victimized by our bloody dog-eat-dog-for-money culture. Can't we wait until they're older to turn them into cash cows?

      who do you think most of the commercials are targeted at - especially at Christmas time???

      those guys intentionally target kids that will then turn to mom and dad and say pleeeeeeeeeeease, i just have to have this. they know the way to an adults heart and they are not afraid to use it.

      not that we should try to influence them wrongly, but don't let a wrong mindset steal some awesome resources from you!
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      • Profile picture of the author shabit87
        The only thing about kids is they can't whip out the credit card, so the money making potential has to be redirected in another way.

        For example. Instead of marketing a free trial offer, you may wanna advertise things like downloadable games and what not (if you're doing CPA type offers).

        So I can def see the value in listening to children, because they're a part of a group that us older folks aren't currently in tune to.

        And if a kid isnt telling you whats hot at the time, they'll usually tell you some things that can be hot. Now I don't have kids (just little cousins that drive me nuts) but they're always interested in telling me why this toy is so hot or why this activity is fun or whatever.

        As annoying as those little gremlins can be, its always nice to know, I'll never be "out of touch."
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        • Profile picture of the author chumpschimps
          It's not only product ideas - you know what they say, 'children make the best sales people'

          These qualities tend to be lost as we get older, but we really can learn so much from our children.

          My 12-year old and 10-year old have more gadgets and gizmos, they know what's cool and they are well informed on the next big products.

          I disagree with the point that listening to them is taking advantage and/or exploiting them. Kids are very expensive hobbies and its certainly where most of my cash goes...

          They want... They sell me the concept and reason they need... I buy - who's the one being taken advantage of???
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  • Profile picture of the author David
    This thread presupposes you're kids are 10 or under... many of us have kids who are in their 20's.

    Here's another reason we, as marketers should pay attention to upcoming trends from the next generation:


    Remember the decades old battle between Coke n Pepsi?

    The only way Pepsi can get on a semi even footing with Coke was to target the teens with "the Pepsi Generation" in the 70's. Pepsi's attempt to gain market share with the "current generation" failed miserably. Pepsi tried to sell out to Coke at some point - Coke ignored them... if I worked at Pepsi's marketing department all I could say is "How do you like me NOW?"

    I'm in the offline business, B2B, I'm trying to pitch social media to local government and small business. They need to know the method of gaining customers/ constituents is going to bear no resemblance what so ever to the way they're currently operating
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    • Profile picture of the author alwaysready
      That is so right and interesting !
      loved these thoughts , i do believe in all what you said , listening and sharing matter of course and this help indeed !
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      • Profile picture of the author DivaOnline
        Can anyone say SILLY BANDZ.....My kid mentioned it quite awhile back...next thing I heard was about them getting banded in schools because all the kids loved them and exchanged them on a daily basis to the point it was distrubing class.
        I wish I would have been paying attention when he told me about them.....I had no idea!
        I could have been filty freakin rich off those things!
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  • Profile picture of the author jamjar919
    Ahh silly bandz - my brother and friends love them

    200th post woot
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  • Profile picture of the author celente
    Great Idea, i guess instead of listening to lots of radio and news and commericals, the kids know what is best. And what the in thing or flavour of the month is at school. ahoy!
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  • Profile picture of the author Sheryl Polomka
    Call of Duty Modern Warfare
    Call of Duty Black Ops
    More Black Ops
    Football
    More Black Ops
    More Football
    And just some more Black Ops to finish off!

    That's about all I get out of my kids
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