How to Get Ideas for Your Own Products

by Marlon Sanders

Awhile back I dropped into Circuit City to buy a couple electronic gizmos.

While there, I noticed they had these totally smoking hot new DVD RECORDERS.

You heard right. These puppies are not just players.

They record!

I felt this big rush of excitement as I thought, "Wow, this makes it brain dead simple to transfer some of my old VHS speeches to DVD. Not to mention the ability to record TV programs straight to DVD.

"What's more, I can plug my video camera right into the front of it using the i-link (firewire) thingy and record video straight to DVD.

How handy.

So I whipped out my debit card and snagged myself one of 'em.

....When I got home, the fun began.

I hooked it up. Pushed record and...

BLAMMO.

All I got was an error message saying I had to take the DVD through set up.

I tried and tried. Couldn't do it. To say it wasn't "intuitive" would be an understatement.

I took a break. Got frustrated. Decided to read the stupid manual.

Of course, I have a cable box. And NONE of the hook up instructions covered how to hook it up if you had cable.

Arrggghhh!

So I go back to the store I bought it from and asked for instructions. I bought a bunch more cords and stuff. Hooked it up like the guy at the store said.

NOTHING.

So I actually went to a DIFFERENT store and bought another one, planning on returning the first one. The second one had the same exact idiot set up screen and manual as the first one.

Different product. Same manual!

Geez Louise.

Now, I'm already missin' more hair in the middle of my head than I'd quite honestly prefer. But I'm pretty sure now I'm missing even more.

'Cause I started pulling it out!

Well, it still doesn't work.

Why am I telling you this story? Because I went to the bookstore and bought a book about hooking up this kind of stuff. Didn't solve my problem.

But what it shows is that when people have a problem causing them aggravation, they'll pay to fix it. And every aggravation you have is an opportunity to make money by selling something that fixes the aggravation.

The other thing I can tell you is that there are only three basic things we sell: Time, money and energy.

Whatever you sell either saves people time, money or energy (for example, eliminating frustration). Or it helps the person have more of those things in some way or the other.

The next time you are about to pull your hair out, here's what I want you to think, "Someone is going to make a fortune by solving this problem."

And sooner or later maybe a problem will come along where YOU decide to be the one who solves it and makes a fortune doing so.

THAT is how you get great ideas for your own products.

Best wishes,

Marlon Sanders

P.S. If you want to get a great deal of insight into creating and selling your own problem-solving info product, I have an inexpensive "gets-you-started" intro crash course.

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Barb's note:
I haven't done this course yet, but I have purchased other products by Marlon Sanders and I know his own infoproducts are VERY well done, with step-by-step material... and no filler or fluff. Here's the link for additional info.

Another resource I like is called Desperate Buyers Only (which I do own). With this e-book, you'll learn how to WRITE the desperately-needed information people want to buy and format it for an e-book. (Includes a 30-minute  phone consultation with the author.)