Way back in 2006 I was a fresh-faced 46-year-old looking to make a quick buck in that crazy game called internet marketing. One of the first things I was told to do was find something I was really passionate about, create a niche around it, and turn that niche into cash. Boy, was I excited! For one thing, I knew exactly what that niche would be: Cartooning. I'd been drawing cartoons my whole life, so it was a no-brainer to turn my hobby into an online business. I figured there must be tens of thousands of cartoonists out there who would be eager to buy whatever I produced.
Boy, was I wrong! As it turned out, I made the same mistake that most beginner marketers make by trying to create a market where none existed. I figured since there was little or no competition in my particular cartoon niche, I had discovered an untapped market, and I was determined to mine it for all it was worth. Only one problem: the reason it was an untapped market was lack of demand. After struggling for months on an ebook, I finally decided to see what kind of interest might exist for my product. Yeah, you guessed it...zilch!
People just weren't searching for what I had to offer. As much as I tried to tweak all the keyword tools in my favor, it still wasn't happening. My niche was dead. Or was it? Most internet marketing gurus tell you that any niche that makes a profit is a good niche. Despite reality slapping me in the face, it was still possible to make money in my little corner of the cartooning world. But I'd probably have to work a lot harder and expect less reward for my efforts.
As it stands right now, I'm still going to get my ebook out there. I enjoy cartooning and I feel I have something to offer other cartoonists. My future niche selection, however, will be approached with a lot more caution. I'll do research before I decide what to sell. I'll find out who the hungry customers are and what they're buying. I'll purchase products and try them out to see if I want to be an affiliate. I'll create websites and test them thoroughly to see what works and what doesn't. I'll work smarter and faster because internet marketing is constantly changing. I'll continue with my cartooning niche, sure, but this time I'll be a little more grounded in what to expect. I won't spend months on something that just isn't going to sell. The one thing I like about internet marketing is that it's very forgiving. If I try an approach that doesn't work, I'll simply try another approach. I may lose out on time, but I won't lose out on a lot of money. And that, my friend, is golden.
John L. Davis is a cartoonist and internet marketer who strongly believes in the virtues of multiple streams of income. For more, check out http://www.autopilotprofitsaffiliate.com
Boy, was I wrong! As it turned out, I made the same mistake that most beginner marketers make by trying to create a market where none existed. I figured since there was little or no competition in my particular cartoon niche, I had discovered an untapped market, and I was determined to mine it for all it was worth. Only one problem: the reason it was an untapped market was lack of demand. After struggling for months on an ebook, I finally decided to see what kind of interest might exist for my product. Yeah, you guessed it...zilch!
People just weren't searching for what I had to offer. As much as I tried to tweak all the keyword tools in my favor, it still wasn't happening. My niche was dead. Or was it? Most internet marketing gurus tell you that any niche that makes a profit is a good niche. Despite reality slapping me in the face, it was still possible to make money in my little corner of the cartooning world. But I'd probably have to work a lot harder and expect less reward for my efforts.
As it stands right now, I'm still going to get my ebook out there. I enjoy cartooning and I feel I have something to offer other cartoonists. My future niche selection, however, will be approached with a lot more caution. I'll do research before I decide what to sell. I'll find out who the hungry customers are and what they're buying. I'll purchase products and try them out to see if I want to be an affiliate. I'll create websites and test them thoroughly to see what works and what doesn't. I'll work smarter and faster because internet marketing is constantly changing. I'll continue with my cartooning niche, sure, but this time I'll be a little more grounded in what to expect. I won't spend months on something that just isn't going to sell. The one thing I like about internet marketing is that it's very forgiving. If I try an approach that doesn't work, I'll simply try another approach. I may lose out on time, but I won't lose out on a lot of money. And that, my friend, is golden.
John L. Davis is a cartoonist and internet marketer who strongly believes in the virtues of multiple streams of income. For more, check out http://www.autopilotprofitsaffiliate.com
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