If you’re interested in leveraging online technology to provide value to the masses, you may be wondering where to start and what type of product or service to offer. As a digital entrepreneur, I’ve spent years fine-tuning my approach to discovering what to provide as a product or service online. In this blog post, I’ll share my thoughts and journey so far.
Here are the steps I currently recommend:
1. Find your purpose: Take 15 minutes of your time and journal your reflections. Start by considering what you’re passionate about and what you enjoy doing. This will help you narrow down your options and find your niche.
2. List your skills: Write down 8 to 10 skills that you currently have. These could be things you learned at school, degrees that you have, skills that you learned in various careers, or anything that sets you apart from others. Don’t leave any skills out, no matter how basic they may seem.
3. Research online: Find the top 5 to 8 areas that have demand that you’re interested in. Use online resources such as Google Trends or industry reports to determine which areas are growing and have a high demand.
4. Compare lists: Now compare the list of your skills to the list of areas of need in our society today. Identify any areas where your skills and interests intersect with areas of demand.
5. Pick a topic and start: Once you’ve identified an area of need where you have skills and interests, start by creating a basic website and writing about what you know and enjoy about that topic.
6. Commit to writing: Start by committing to writing one blog post a week for at least three months. This will give you a platform to write about what you love and an area where there is a need in our society today.
7. Develop a following: Since you’re genuinely passionate about this topic, you’ll be able to come up with a series of blog posts. This will give you a forum to share your ideas and for others to get to know who you are and the skills you have. Slowly, you’ll develop a following online.
Starting a new online venture can be challenging, but by following these steps, you’ll be well on your way to discovering what to provide as a product or service online. Remember to stay committed and keep learning as you go along. In the next post, we’ll discuss how to start an email newsletter to communicate with your audience regularly.