Jay Dillon
Latest posts by Jay Dillon (see all)
- Which Social Media Platform Is Best For Your Business? (FB, Twitter, IG?) - February 8, 2016
- The Role of Social Media Manager in 2016 - February 1, 2016
- Why Placing Ads In Blogs Can Be A Negative - January 4, 2016
I keep a list of interesting online business ideas that often hit me at strange times (if you see me at a funeral deep in thought, don’t presume I am musing the wonderful life of the deceased).
When an idea hits me it is customary for me to spend the next 48 hours totally obsessed with the idea and fly into a flurry of research and strategy.
I know myself well enough now to let myself enjoy the rush of a new concept ‘that has never been done before’, before heading back to the here-and-now. I figure that this sort of activity, although no help to my current work load, is good for keeping my mind active and rather than feel guilty about never being able to put these ideas into action, I treat it in the same way someone who enjoys cross-word puzzles might.
The thing is my sporadic research often leaves me with a whole new level of knowledge about a market category that I previously knew nothing about. Considering that as the builder of websites my job involves sitting down with a business from any number of market categories and discussing the needs of their business and the needs of their target market, this can’t be a bad thing.
In fact recently it served me well when I was approached by Global Snow Tours. These guys sell travel packages to the young snowboarding and skiing community. It was not more than 6 months earlier that I had spent quite a few late nights researching the snow travel industry based on an idea that I had that would be perfect for this target market.
The idea itself doesn’t matter (let’s just presume it was brilliant), but to come to the table as someone who knew the industry and the motives and needs of the target market I am sure played a part in our winning the contract to build their 3 sites.
On another occasion I had an idea that I realised would be best promoted through the use of affiliate marketing throughout other websites that were in the same niche.
This sent me on a path of discovery in the world of affiliate marketing which is something I knew little about but now stand confidently in front of clients providing strategic advice on this very subject.
However much my wife may groan at the latest installment of ‘Lets-throw-in-our-jobs-and-get-rich-with-this-idea-that-no-one-has-thought-of’ I stand by the activities that this type of creative thinking creates as a great way to expand ones knowledge and create opportunities.
I would love to hear from others who suffer or enjoy the same affliction. Leave your comments below.
