By Gary Durkin

(c) Copyright 2005 - All Rights Reserved worldwide.

We have all seen some fantastic products, services or systems, which are incredibly hot profitable money-spinners, and many of us have often wished we had thought of it first.

However, just where do the ideas come from? How do the creators come up with the products and concepts?

Surely, it is based on massive research and development, huge capital investment, public scrutiny, market assessment -for starters.

WRONG! While the above may be true of some products, services, systems, ideas, and so on, the absolute best do not involve such in-depth planning - far from it.

Let me reveal to you the secret of how some of the hottest, biggest, and best, ideas are conceived, and how some of the most successful ever product ideas, were positively the simplest.

Do not get me wrong, product testing and market analysis is still very important, but completely pointless until you have clambered over the initial hurdle of 'thinking up' a product.

Let us look at a couple of brilliant examples of a product, which is a worldwide name and multi-million dollar profit centers,

First, everyone knows about Duracell Batteries. How they came from nowhere, and trounced the competition, virtually overnight.

Was it because their batteries were better than the competition? No, not really; not in general terms. The marketing people behind Duracell came up with not one, but TWO pieces of absolute sales and marketing brilliance.

First, they looked at the competition, the market place, the mode and method of battery sales then compared their product side-by-side with other leading batteries. It seemed their battery was just as good as the rest, or at least as good as the market leader.

In the marketing world, trying to sell a product based on "It's just as good as the rest" - does not really work.

They needed an EDGE.

During comparative product testing, it revealed the Duracell was in fact, better than the leading battery, in a particular way. They had discovered that Duracell batteries lasted longer, much longer than the others... during 'continuous use'.
EUREKA! That was it! They had found their edge, the marketing angle, the secret weapon.

So now, we all know that .... "Duracell lasts longer any other battery during continuous use "...

They had found a NICHE in the battery market... 'Continuous use'.

Why is this so important? Simple, most people who use products which require batteries, seldom actually use the product (and therefore the battery) for long periods, i.e. continuous use - but rather use them in shorter, regular periods - like flash-lights, electric door-bells etc.

That was of little importance - they marketed heavily on the 'lasts longer' concept - with the funky little Duracell Bunny going on, and on, and on... and on...

Duracell was misleading no one - they were completely truthful in their advertising, and with it, became a virtual household name overnight.

HOWEVER - they also wanted a second scoop of the market, and devised yet another unbelievably simple, but very effective concept... of gigantic proportions. What was it? Sell the batteries in PACKS! Simple and Brilliant!

Many readers may not recall, but before today's multi-packs, batteries sold loosely, separately, and individually. If you wanted just one - you went to the local store, and purchased just a single battery.

Now, Duracell decided to sell in multi-packs. It was the only way to buy their new batteries. No singles, period! Instead of selling one at a time, they sold FOUR at a time. Battery for battery, against the competition, they blew them away.

The multi-packs have another great result. Some products, which require batteries, needed perhaps just one, or maybe three batteries, leaving an odd number of batteries left in the pack for future use. Next time the consumer needed to replace the used batteries in the product, they went to the drawer, and noticed perhaps there were 'some' Duracell batteries left, but not enough. Therefore, the consumer had to purchase more, and if they had already looked at Duracell's, and had some Duracell's left to use up, what are they likely to buy?

You get the idea.

This is a perfect example of taking something which already exists, and remodeling it, re-branding it, re-marketing it, finding a niche for it - and away you go.

Look at the music industry. It is rife with similar concepts, which make millions. Bands, groups, singers, performers.... often do 'cover versions' - that is they will copy a song or track previously done by another artist.

Sometimes music is a 'fusion' - a mix of existing styles, but blended together to create something new. What about the concept of 'sampling' for example; you take a beat, rift, chord, chorus, few lines, track, from another artist, and remix it to create something different.

All they have done is to use something that already exists, make a few changes, amendments, alterations, improvements - and RESELL IT.

Unless you can reinvent the wheel, or perfect 'cold fusion' - the World is jam packed full of existing markets, products, systems, services, concepts, ideas and customers - all of which can be used as your drawing board to get started.

First, where do you locate great concepts?

Look around. What do you like? What do you dislike? Can you take a hot product and improve it? Can you take a mediocre product and develop it? Can you take a useless product, and turn it in something better? Listen to what others say.

Can you re-package something, bundle it, deliver it differently, and Re-brand it? Find a different, untapped market for a product, which already exists, and must focus on a different customer-base.

Can you add more value, more options, better support, or service?

Do you use a product and think to yourself.... "Wow.... That's great... but if only it did this too...."

Here are the vital tools and tips which you will need to start you creating your own Million Dollar Ideas.

1. Your Eyes - seems obvious, but always be aware and on the 'look-out'.
2. Your Ears - keep them open, listen to people, those around you, what they say about products, especially the things they dislike, as this could be a great start for you, if you can remove the problem with an existing product, you may just have a seller.
3. Your Mind- keep this open, too, and try to think 'laterally'.
4. A notebook and a pen / pencil (write your ideas down - do not forget them!)
5. Go back to number 3 and remember to do this!
6. A 'sounding board' - a way of discussing your ideas with a few trusted others.
7. Patience- it may take a little time, the best ideas do not necessarily come instantly -stick with it.
8. Don't get down heartened. If some of your ideas do not pan out, just start again.
9. Don't' spend too much time over ideas. Give yourself 60 seconds (no more) to think of a product, service, and system, etc., Then Stop. Then spend 9 minutes writing down as much as you can, all the pros and cons of the 'idea', how it can be improved, simplified, delivered - just write as much as you can in those 9 minutes. Then STOP. Take a break. A good break. In fact, put your notes away until the next day. Then review them.

When you do finally come up with a hot idea for a product, service, system etc., do not tell the World until you have taken a few steps to protect yourself! Get advice from experts - Lawyers, Business Professionals, Patents, and Copyrights... It is important to get these rights, or else someone may steal your idea, register it first, and make HIS/HER fortune from YOU!

That leads me on to the last area. Do not outright steal someone else's idea, product, etc. Breach of Copyright can be serious, Patents are relatively easy to register, but a little care is necessary. - Plagiarism is just downright nasty!

In summary, you find Million Dollar Ideas in TWO PLACES:

1. Everywhere in the outside world, and
2. Inside YOU.

It is just a case of putting them together. Some of the best ideas really are the simplest.

An article by Gary Durkin, Founder of the Internet Advice Center(r) http://www.InternetAdviceCenter.comGary has more than a decade of offline international business success behind him - each day controlling millions of dollars of investments world-wide, and has been doing business online for 6 years. (c) Copyright 2005 - All Rights Reserved worldwide. You are free to distribute this article, providing it remains unchanged and with the resource / bio box attached.