So far in the Blog Expert Series, we’ve explored:
how to give your blog the X Factor
Today I’m going to explore how to find gaps in the market to fulfill your potential when it comes to developing your online business and generating revenue.
If you have ever watched the television programme ‘The Dragon’s Den’, you’ll see an example of how innovative thinkers examine their everyday world, and come up with ideas to slot in to the gaps in their lives.
What I mean by this, is that people who invent, create and produce new products are examining their environment every day and coming up with new, useful or interesting ideas to fill the gaps which they perceive to be available in their world.
Gaps have limitless potential.
Alexander Fleming stumbled upon a gap when he watched penicillin growing in a petri dish.
Henry Ford discovered a gap when he produced his cars.
Simon Cowell found a gap when he decided to bring reality television and the common talent show to audiences globally and create a new genre of entertainment.
The humble gap, by its very omission, can show us everything we need to know when it comes to inventing, creating, producing and ultimately discovering a way to make money online.
Reading between the lines
When I studied drawing at school, the art teacher piled up a load of chairs in the center of the floor and told us to draw them. Instead of drawing the shapes, he said, draw the spaces between the shapes. That way, you end up looking at the world before you in a different way, helping you to produce a unique and insightful picture.
Hunting out gaps in our world operates in the same way.
Instead of looking at what is already out there (which can be discouraging for people with online businesses), try looking at what isn’t there. By this, I mean standing back from the mass of sites offering all manner of services and products, and going back to basics.
Rene Descartes, the father of modern philosophy, discovered that he wouldn’t be able to advance modern thought unless he stripped it all back to the beginning. Instead of following conventional ideas about what it meant to be alive, he started from scratch. He built up a series of premises to decide what facts he could, and couldn’t, rely upon.
This is how he came up with “I think, therefore I am.”
Descartes realized that the first thing he could rely upon when it came to thinking about life, was the fact that he was actually thinking. About life. He went on from there. Descartes found a gap, by turning away from everything he supposed to be true and deciding to build up from the beginning.
How to mind the gap as a blog owner
As blog owners, we can learn from the way Descartes thought.
Instead of becoming despondent about the amount of information online, and thinking “Oh, I can’t compete.” Or, “I’ll never find a way of providing a service as good as that,” we need to think a little differently.
What do you look for when you go online?
Do you always find what you need?
If not, how do you make sure that you can provide it for other people?
This ‘gap analysis’ will be the catalyst you need for hunting out the perfect business idea.
Looking backwards, looking forwards
Life changes every day. New inventions come along, new books are written, new people come and go. With all this change going on, it’s an ideal environment to come up with something different.
Take software as an example…people develop on top of existing platforms and ideas, creating brand new products. If you can’t find your killer idea from stripping things back, look ahead and anticipate what your customers may want next month or next year.
Where are the gaps?
How could you fill them?
There is a you-shaped gap in the blogosphere right now, waiting for you to fit in to.
In the next Blog Expert Series we shall discuss writing for your blog.
Here’s the links to the previous Blog Expert Series posts:
Blog Expert Series: The Surprising Decision 77% Of Bloggers Get Wrong
Blog Expert Series: Be The Blog Every Blogger Envies
Blog Expert Series: Give Your Blog The X Factor
Blog Expert Series: Ridiculous or Outrageous?
P.S. Did you like the image of the dog?
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Great post.. but Descartes got it all wrong. It’s not that I think, therefore I am.. it’s I am, therefore I think. Being comes before thinking =)
Well said Andrew
I am hoping I have found the gap in my niche and some of my readers say that my blog is unique so now I am working on presenting my products in a unique way too. They should be up on my site in less than 2 weeks now. Thanks for sharing your insights on this important topic.
Patricia Perth Australia
Patricia
You must be excited…I can’t wait to see what you have planned.
Andrew
That’s a neat way of reverse-engineering one’s thinking! I think alot of blogs miss out on the “Here’s your benefits from spending your time with me” aspect, so I’m trying to tailor my site to meet that.
Time will tell if I’m successful or not.
Barbara
It does take time and it takes confidence to try different things.
From what I have seen on your blog…you will be successful.
Andrew
Are you suggesting that I’m a puzzle piece? A shiny unique oddly-shaped member of society? Someone that can offer the solution to something like no one else can?
Awesome. 😉
YES! (if you want to be).
Andrew
begging is a good word !! loved the whole post , it’s interesting , actually experience insure all the time that content is the most important thing to make people want more , the originality and creativity will surely make readers sure who they’re dealing with ! your points were very interesting !! well done 🙂
Thanks, Rahul.
We hear it all the time – content is king, publish quality content…but so many bloggers just publish any old rubbish and think it will do.
There are too many excellent blogs around now and your content is getting more and more important…if you want blogging success.
Andrew
Nicely written post, Andrew. Sometimes when I search for something online, I don’t get the information I need. A few minutes to one hour, after replacing some words I use to search, then I get the information I need. I guess those are the ones who think and fill the gap that you’re talking about. 🙂
Great mind of you Andrew! Two thumbs up! I am totally impressed that you planted a lot of learning in this post. I strongly agree with this statement “Instead of becoming despondent about the amount of information online, and thinking “Oh, I can’t compete.” Or, “I’ll never find a way of providing a service as good as that,” we need to think a little differently.” Don’t take writing as a competition you’ll feel pressured. Take it as a fun activity because it will create you more idea to write on and unnoticeable, you’re competing in a positive way.:)
…Or don’t write at all. Do a video or audio or something else?
Andrew
Its a good attraction trick of getting your readers begging or asking for more of your post. It only shows that they valued you post as an informative and relevant one. Their questions are being answered by your blogs and they can look further more with your page. So its indeed great to find ways which can beg you visitors to ask for more. 🙂
This post has invited us towards positive thinking and inviting ourselves that we can do everything if hard work is our friend.Every achievement is possible if you have power to overcome your fears.
Great idea to survey a market’s problems and write solutions around that. Really enjoyed this article.
Dwight Anthony
Financially Elite Blog dot Com