As you know the marketing aspect of the Internet is changing every few months. As such keeping on top is really tough, but how about those aspects that haven’t changed since online marketing began.

One of those aspects that have not changed is the way your business interacts with the different forums and discussion groups. Have you ever needed to know whether or not a new product or service would succeed? Of course we all do. Have you ever wondered what your customers really want? I know I do. Have you ever run out of ideas for products or services to offer to your existing and future clientele?

Forums and discussion groups provide the answers for these questions quite nicely. Yet, for some reason, they often get left behind in the marketing mix. Let’s take an example. Let’s say you have a new product that you want to see if it’s a winner.Go to a forum that targets your niche and join it. After a couple of days (to find out their posting rules) announce that you have a new product idea and was wondering what people thought about it.

Remember these people are your potential customers.If they like your product idea, chances are, your going to have a big hit on your hands. The best part is your customers told you it would be even before you even start making it! Can you think of anything more powerful then that? How about needing a new product idea? If you’re fresh out of ideas then forums are a wonderful place to recharge your creative batteries.

All you have to do is use the same techniques as before and add one more thing. Simply go to a forum or discussion group that targets your niche and check out what questions keep being asked and what problems they keep running into. Either one will work; the main thing is to find the most common problems or questions that turn up. Then simply create a product or service that solves those problems and/or answers those questions. Once again since people are asking for this stuff it’s guaranteed to be a hit.

Forums can also help you in other ways as well. How about getting people who are most likely to buy you product test it out? Since these people are your customers, or potential customers, they will use your product as they feel it should be used. This way you find all the flaws early. The way they want to use it may be different then what you had in mind. That’s OK. After all, the customer is always right.

So what happens when you get done are you have a custom tailored product that fits exactly to your customer’s specifications. It fits their needs to a T. We also can’t forget that forums and discussion groups are great places to find Joint Venture partners. So why do so many people in business often either, completely ignore them, or give them a token try? If your one of these people take a closer look at these forgotten gems, don’t ignore them anymore. It’s costing you a fortune in lost revenue as well as exposure to your customers.

As you can see forums and discussion groups are excellent for most aspects of Internet marketing, and will continue to be so for as long as people get together to discuss common interest.

Jason has been in direct sales marketing since 1991. Four years ago he
turned his attention to the growing potential for the Internet, quickly
making a name for himself. He is listed in the National Register’s Who’s Who
for Executives and Professionals for Internet Marketing, he is only the
third to do so. http://www.sellingmania.com jasonb@sellingmania.com