Guest post by Joshua Noerr
There will come a time in every business, or in the life of every entrepreneur, where something needs to change. Things may be going along fairly well, and you want to add an accelerator to your results. Or perhaps you just have no idea where to start—you want to get a business off the ground, but you can’t think of one. What I am going to share with you will seem counter intuitive at first read, but stick with me.
You want to find your million dollar idea? Time to listen to complaints.
The Complaint Department
When was the last time you were frustrated with something? Have you ever said to yourself, “Somebody should do something about that,” or, “Why isn’t there a service to take care of that problem?”
Well, the reason there is not a service to take care of that problem is because you haven’t developed it yet.
Your complaints, and the complaints of others around you can hide the idea you have been waiting for. Don’t make things more difficult than they have to be, a million dollar idea really can be as simple as that. Find a problem that you have, solve it, and charge for the solution.
Please don’t think that you are the only one with a given problem, and that if you do come up with a solution no one will buy it. If you have a problem, someone else has the same problem. When I do public speaking engagements, I usually go for a round of question and answer at the end. If things are slow to get started, I remind the audience that if they have a question, don’t be afraid to ask, because someone else in the room also has that, or a similar question.
Business is the same way. Every time you hear a complaint about something, cash registers should start going off in your head.
Examples From History
There is a guy who lived a while back, and maybe you have heard of him. He didn’t invent the car, he just invented a more efficient way to get them made. His name is Henry Ford.
Ford saw a problem, cars where cool, they could change the way people lived and did business, but they took forever to make. He said, “Someone should invent a way for the work to come to the workers, not the other way around.”
He also decided to be that someone, and the assembly line was born. It seems like such a basic concept now, but it revolutionized industry as we know it today.
Perhaps you’ve heard of a little company out there called eBay. The story famously goes that Pierre Omidyar invented eBay originally as a way for his girlfriend to be able to trade Pez dispensers, which she collected.
Well, I’m sorry to tell you that this story is false, and has been confirmed as false by eBay. While it makes a great story, the true story of eBay is even better. The first product ever purchased on eBay was a broken laser pointer for $14.83. Omidyar was blown away, so he emailed the buyer to make sure he knew it was broken.
“I know, I collect broken laser pointers,” the buyer responded.
Holy cow, did you know people collected that stuff? I didn’t.
This is the same concept that prompted a friend of mine named Mary McKay to create a program that helps people market themselves as public speakers.
This is the same concept that lead Brian Clark develop the Genesis WordPress theme.
Acres Of Diamonds
There is an old personal development book called Acres Of Diamonds by a man named Russel Conwell. It doesn’t get enough credit for what it is, and many people have forgotten it.
He talks about not needing to go far and wide to discover Acres of Diamonds, that they are right in your backyard. I contend that the diamonds are anywhere a complaint exists that does not have a sufficient resolution. Solve the problem, charge fairly for it, and you change your financial destiny.
To solve a problem with your product or service is probably the highest form of expression in business. Charging fairly for something that genuinely makes someone’s life better will not only make you successful, but also establish a legacy that will stand long after you are gone.
Once you have identified the complaint you are going to solve, there is only one thing to do. Take inspired action! Do NOT sit around and wait for the right time. The time will never be just right so get started today. Don’t wait to see your idea packaged and sold by someone else. Get moving, or nothing changes.
I would love to hear what you think! Is there something in your mind just waiting to get out? Have you already solved a problem with a product or service and now that is a part of your business? Let’s talk about it in the comments.
Bio: Joshua Noerr is a former competitive fighter turned blogger. How owns or is partnered in several blogs in different niches, including personal development and fly fishing. His one driving goal with all of his work is to change the world.
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More excellent information and ideas Mark. For most Local Businesses they have discovered the need that people have and are lost amongst their competitors. The next step is to identify and promote a Unique Selling Proposition. Something that your competitors do not promote even though they may be in a similar business. This is where Local Business SEO comes into play where you market your USP and capture that business.