Wow … how time flies - nearly 2 months since my last post!
I know I haven’t been in touch or updating the blog as much as I would like,
and I apologize for that.
I’ve been busy working with customers, working on my new software, testing
waters in niche markets (non internet marketing related), etc, etc.
Ok, I won’t bore you with details, but today, I want to share something very important.
Amidst all the doom and gloom around us at this moment, there are OPPORTUNITIES -
you just need to look for them - actually, you need to actively seek them out!
There are generally 3 types of people:
1) Those whose pockets are so deep that they are not affected at all by the
economic downturn.
2) Those who have sufficient reserves and cash and are looking for ways to
build/expand their businesses during this tough time.
3) Those who have problems making ends meet.
Regardless of which ‘type’, there are opportunities to make some
serious cash. No joke.
For those in “Type 2″ - they would be actively looking for ways to build their
online business. If they find a product or service which will potentially expand
their business, you can bet their bottom dollar that they will spend the money.
I happen to be in this category. In my country, the bank fixed deposit rate
is 3.5% (max) whereas the inflation rate is 8.5% (as of September 08).
Anyone in their right mind would invest in their online business where the
potential returns are anywhere from 20% - 100% instead of putting their
money in the bank.
If you happen to be in the ‘type 2′ category, now is a good time to seek
bargains - products and services that can help you expand your business.
You only have 24hrs a day and there is only so much you can do. Put the
extra cash to good use!
If you happen to be in the ‘type 3′ category, there are many opportunities
to provide services to those who are in the ‘type 1′ or ‘type 2′ category.
Online Opportunities
* Content. Every online business needs content, fresh content.
If you’re a writer, you will find buyers. But instead of engaging in a price
war (eg. $1 per article) - be different. Select a niche and be an expert writer
in that niche. Offer to write a free sample article for that niche site and
if they like your style of writing, you can charge a slight premium for your writing.
If you’re not a writer, perhaps now is a good time to learn how to write?
* Graphics/e-covers. Every online business needs it. Same principle applies as above.
* Programmer - participate in the various marketing forums -
find out what is the ‘biggest’ and most ‘recurring problems the online businesses
have. Create a solution and sell it. (by the way, this is how I got started online
back in 2002)
* Script Installer - what are the top 5 most popular scripts that online
businesses use? Are they difficult to install and configure? You can be
the ’specialist installer for Script XYZ’.
note: it’s important to choose scripts that are popular because you’ll be
leveraging on the ‘fame’ of these scripts. One very popular script came to mind - AutoresponsePlus. Another is the Amember script. Also, these scripts will
be searched in google as well.
Offline Opportunities
Money and Time - majority of the people will have one and not the other.
Many of the rich folks do not have enough time on their hands - they are so
busy working on the next deal, lunching with clients, attending meetings
after meetings, etc.
If you can help them “solve” their time problem, they will gladly pay you.
Check the neighbourhood convenience stores, check the bulletin/notice
board for ’services wanted’.
For example:
1. Baby sitting - do they have youngsters or toddlers? Can you provide this service?
2. Food/Catering - could you provide delicious, healthy home-cooked meals to
busy executives who would otherwise eat out at fastfood restaurants? This is
a growing trend in my country.
3. Home Tuition - I’m not sure if this is applicable where you live, but over
here in Malaysia, nearly every parent in the middle/upper-middle class are
looking for home tutors for their kids. I can never understand this, but I digress …
4. Birthday Services - could you provide catering/party services in your neighbourhood?
5. Pet Sitting services - last week, I drove past a building with bright neon
lights that says “Pets Hotel” - that was new to me!
Anyway, you get the idea - if you can provide some kind of services that will
make the lives of the rich easier, you can generate some cash for yourself!
Don’t forget to advertise your ’services’ on those bulletin/notice boards as well.
Summary
Hope the above tips will get your creative juices going. If you want to share or
bounce ideas, feel free to post your thoughts below.
How you and your family fare during the recession is 100% up to you.
Decide what you want to do and take action.
Remember, the foundation for some of the greatest fortunes in history were
laid by ordinary people during the Great Depression.
My Best Wishes to You!
15 Comments
adrian, fantastic article, make a move while everyone else hides away!
Hi Adrian
Good to see you back again. These are very relevant comments and you are, of course, 100% correct. We create our own reality. Instead of joining the moaners (and creating the self-fulfilling prophecy the media want - global depression!) we should all simply believe everything is fine. If you do you behave that way and good things come your way.
But, as you say, you have to give the world a hand. Instead of just hoping - get out there and make it happen. Good ideas you’ve listed Adrian.
Wealth and health to you and your family.
P.S. I still love EasyClickMate.
Good to hear from you Peter! How are you keeping?
Mark, glad to hear that (you still love easyclickmate ;-)
btw, I wouldn’t go as far as saying that ‘we should all simply believe everything is fine.’ (just my humble opinion)
Times are tough, but if we put our minds to it, take action and persevere, then we can beat this economic downturn.
There are no magic bullets, one has to put in the effort and time.
Cheers,
Adrian
There’s a saying, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” Not sure how tough I am really, but I’m full of ideas. Personally, I see the opportunities the current condtions offer for people (most of us #1 and #2 types anyway) to live more simply and sustainably.
WOW!!! And I thought it was just Michigan in a slow economy with extreme gas prices… I didn’t realize it was effecting the side of the planet.
Adrian, keep coming up with more ideas for Online Opportunities, I am in a personal & business depression. I’m open for any new ideas.
Rosana, Another way of saying that is…
“…when the going gets tough, the dreamer keeps going…” (Zig Ziglar)
2008 has brought me a relationship breakdown and financial meltdown… However I am trying to stay positive, I can wait for 2009 :)
“JB”
Hi Jeff,
A thought just came to mind - you could ‘marry’ the online opportunities with the offline world.
What does every offline business need? More customers, more exposure, more branding, more leads, etc, etc.
Not all of them are web/internet savvy. Perhaps you could contact them and offer to build a blog for them.
Optionally, charge them a monthly maintenance fee if they want you to maintain their blog for them.
There are many books in amazon that talks about the virtues of having a blog, so the concept of a Blog for their offline business won’t be foreign to them.
Keep your chin up man!
Cheers,
Adrian
ps: feel free to email me if you want to chat. I’ll be offline this weekend, but will check all emails on Monday.
Awesome article Adrian, and my sentiments exactly. I’m in the same group you’re in and I’m going for broke investing in all the suddenly cheap deals that have abounded.
When recessions hits, it’s our duty to pump money into the market so it doesn’t collapse, and since many people panic and discount the kitchen sink, it’s usually a great time to invest.
I am sooo linking to this post from my blog.
= )
Hi Adrian:
As always, your insight and advise are spot on. Sure, these are hard times but this gives us all an opportunity to help people who are in need! When we make it a win-win everybody takes a step back toward prosperity (and I’m not just talking about monetary prosperity). If we all helped somebody out today (like you did in this post) think how much we would all be a little bit better.
Great to hear from you! Hope all is well with you and yours. I miss ya.
Blessings
russell
Some years back I read a comment by (I think it was) Wayne Dyer: “People treat you the way you teach them to treat you.”
As you pointed out, it’s also true of how we interact with the world. When we spend all our time concentrating on how we’re victims of the economy rather than its cause, then that’s what we end up with. We wait around passively for s**t to happen to us, and sure enough it does.
Thanks for the reminder, Adrian. Good advice.
Cheers from warm and smiling Thailand,
Charles
Hi Adrian,
Well, as you would expect, I’m going to give a contrary view
(And it’s not just some American has posted a complaint about ‘gas’ prices which look ridiculously cheap from where I’m posting ;-) )
Your off-line ideas all seem to be based on the idea that there are people out there with spare cash to spend on luxury services. That might be the case in Malaysia but it’s certainly not the case here in the UK. People are cutting out extraneous services - not taking on new ones.
As regards online stuff, I just don’t believe there is any money to be made in selling your writing services. I’ve looked at it closely as I have the odd spare hour and I think that the competition is too severe and that the clients want quantity not quality.
However, the area where I see a tremendous possibility to sell items is in the podcasting and video markets. There is more and more evidence that podcasts and you tube placements are great for boosting your site in the search engines. But most people will be frightened of doing much in those areas because it requires skills and technical ability they don’t have. Provide a bespoke service there and you will make money.
Hi Adrian,
To remark upon your post, may I say it’s refreshing and constructive for all who are encouraged on all sides to look at the trees — and see only the leaves. Downside aplenty is shoved in our faces on all sides — our heads are IN the LEAVES to the extent that the TREE no longer gets a mention! Be assured the mighty TREE exists —- we climb the TREE— not the LEAVES !!
I’m reminded of Shakespeare and the line which went like this :-
“There’s nothing neither good nor bad, until we think about it”.
Were the media to get behind the opportunities, rather than the gloom,we’d all be jumping out of our skins.
More power to you Adrian,
and best wishes,from
“Doug Down Under”.
Ask and you will receive. Seek and you will find. Great post by Adrian on opening our minds towards opportunities around us.
Opportunities are a plenty too as a ‘finder’ in times of recession. Being a finder involves matching both the seller and buyer together. A good friend of mine, JF Straw has written a short article on how you can start and benefit as a finder. You can read it at http://www.sunnytung.com/finders.html
I think the “opportunity” is in the fact that the “lazy” marketers will quit because selling now IS more difficult.
After the shakeout, the persistent, well-branded, quality, honest marketers will still be around, with a wide-open market.
Neil.
@ Michael,
Take it easy on the ‘going for broke investing in cheap deals’ ;-) Remember to ask yourself - “will I be able to use this within the next 30 days? If not, you might want to give it skip unless of course the deal is simply irresistable ;-)
@ Russell,
Good to hear from you again my friend! How are you keeping?
@ Charles,
Hey, I didn’t know you’ve moved to Thailand? Last time we corresponded, you were in Japan right?
@ Doug,
Thanks for your kind words, appreciate it :-)
@ Thanks Sunny!
@ Neil,
lol … my sentiment exactly! btw, have you seen Michael Campbell’s latest release (podcasts)? Awesome stuff.
@ Pearson,
I just love your comment :-) Seriously. My offline ideas are based on what I see around me - i.e. what are they (the folks in my neighbourhood) looking for? And how can I provide a service that is of value to them?
It will be different from each country, state or county … which is actually a good thing because one won’t be competing against the horde of IM crazy folks ;-)
Let me expand my ’selling your writing services’ idea a little bit more. Instead of just writing a bunch of articles or ‘going niche’ in your writing, one could offer extra value added service, i.e. one could offer to post the articles for the buyer on various article directories, or even post to the buyer’s blog. Perhaps offer a subscription service, where the buyer pays $x dollars for Z number of posts, over Y number of weeks.
If the articles are of high quality and original writing, and the price is reasonable, I would subscribe!
The principle is simple - offer something that is of REAL value to your target market and they will buy.
Be different, Add Value.
btw, yes, I do agree with you that videos and podcasts are getting more popular! Check out Michael Campbell’s latest podcast if you haven’t done so.
http://www.dynamicmedia.com
Good stuff, and that’s a direct link, not my affiliate link :-)
Cheers,
Adrian
@Pearson - I’ve also seen the bargain basement article prices being touted to/by IM folks in multiple niche markets.
However, I doubt if many of these “in-bulk” bottom feeders will go for building a relationship with a blogger by commenting, guest posting - and then offering to ghost write posts for payment.
That’s a path I’m actively exploring now - and well outside the IM market.
I think you may be on to something with the video/podcast service. A lot of folks are intimidated by the tech involved to do it.
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