THINKING OUTSIDE OF THE BOX

My mind is a strange little land where thoughts go off on tangents and venture into realms unknown even to me. If I could predict the wanderings of my own mind, I seriously doubt that it would deliver to me such jewels as this one today.

My mind has always wandered in this way, even before the term "thinking outside of the box" began to get lots of play. I have always thought of it as God's gift to me, although my family might have other thoughts on the matter... "A prophet is not a prophet in his own country." But, that is another issue altogether.

REAL ESTATE IS THE FOUNDATION THAT ECONOMIC GROWTH IS BUILT ON

Even in my own little world of small town America, I have watched the economic growth of my hometown with interest. I have visited other small towns in my region and have watched with the same level of interest the economic growth of the towns being discussed.

Just the other day, I was in a conversation with a friend about his desires to build his own fortune in the area of real estate. His hopes are to buy his first home before his 21st birthday, and build on the base of his first home to create a small fortune by the time he is 40. He desires to retire from real world jobs by his 40th birthday, and then devote the remaining years of his life to traveling and enjoying the world.

Our conversation turned to the visionaries who have gambled and won their millions upon the purchase and development of farm land.

LAND DEVELOPER'S BRING A VISION TO THEIR TASK

Time and again, I have seen developers buy a large tract of land, usually a mile in length on both sides of a roadway. This land will usually reside at the end of a town or just past the end of town.

Within a short time of the original purchase, the first tract will be developed at the end of the property furthest from civilization. In most cases, the first tract of land to be developed with be the home of a shopping center or department store.

Within a few weeks of the breaking of the ground for the first development, signs will go up on the remaining properties which offer the properties for commercial development.

A METHOD TO THE MADNESS

The method is to first develop a property that will bring lots of traffic into the new development area. In doing so, the developer is creating an interest in the area for more development.

After all, ambitious people want to put their new businesses in places where the population is already going. By placing their new business in high traffic locations, they are strengthening the foundation for their business, thus improving their chance for long-term success. With more than 90% of all new businesses failing within the first five years, people will do anything to improve upon their chances for success. A good location is always a primary element in the success of any brick-and-mortar enterprise.

SO, WHAT DOES ANY OF THIS HAVE TO DO WITH ONLINE BUSINESS?

The method is to first develop a property that will bring lots of traffic into the new development area.

Yes, I already said that, but this time I am talking in terms of online commercial development.

As any Internet guru will tell you, the secret to online success is finding and developing a niche that separates your business from the millions of other online businesses.

If you are developing a niche where few businesses excel, then your chance to be seen as the cream of the crop, could very well secure your long-term viability and profit potential.

SPIN-OFFS LEAD TO ADDITIONAL SALES INCOME

Even in my own business, everyday I see ways that I can offer more services to more people, all without straying from my base marketplace.

In the beginning, I was writing promotional articles for clients. As part of my base service, I wrote the articles and then I distributed the articles to as many publishers as I could reach.

Soon, I was able to spin-off a stand-alone article distribution service. Ironically, the distribution service eventually overtook my writing services and then replaced writing as my primary function.

Over the last several years, through my niche marketplace, I have been directly serving writers and indirectly serving publishers and webmasters with content they could use themselves.

Now, as I move into the future, I have other services under development in areas that will continue support my base, while enabling me to provide additional services to publishers and webmasters. The one key element in all of my services will continue to be "content that drives business growth for all of my clients."

BACK TO THE LAND DEVELOPER

In my business, I built up a property out there on the edge of the Internet. With my primary property driving traffic and sales, the ability to develop other properties between my business and the Internet mainstream has created new ways to make even more money.

I have outlasted and outperformed many of the people who have chosen to copy my business model. And there are many who will copy my new products and services. I will outlast them too.

My point is not to suggest that you should try to copy my business. My point is to suggest that you should find your niche, develope your niche, and then locate and build spin-off products and services on the fringes of your primary niche.

By utilizing the methodology of the land developer, you too can find commercial success beyond what your primary niche website will provide for you.