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How to Turn an Idea Into $100,000 By Kathleen Gage

Do you ever wonder why some people seem to get all lucky breaks in business while others struggle to barely get by? They seem to be in right place at right time.

Fact is, maybe they’re not at right place at right time; maybe they just know how to make things “happen.”

As a business advisor I often see people begin and end a business before they have given it a chance to grow. For some reason, they seem to think that all they have to do is have a product or service to sell and rest magically takes care of itself.

Nothing could be further from truth. For any business to succeed there are steps that must be taken.

Success in business is actually quite simple. Not always easy, but it is simple.

As top rated home-based business in state of Utah for 2004 I speak from experience. My success is a direct result of actions I have taken on a daily basis.

My success is also a result of having some great mentors over years. Mentors who were willing to share time and knowledge in order that I could grow my business.

My choice with information that was shared was to either use it or not. Fortunately, in many cases I listened and applied what was recommended.

One of basics of all marketing and advertising training is a teaching of “Maslow’s needs pyramid”. This pyramid shows different motivators and needs in a person’s life and how they are built one upon other. Supposedly this is presented to help marketing student understand consumer motivation and thinking. The problem is I’ve never seen it applied, in text books. It’s presented as foundation of human motivation and then it’s dropped.

I’d like to present to you a way to use Maslow’s needs pyramid so that you can get inside consumer’s mind and develop an understanding of what’s truly motivating them as they consider purchasing your product or service.

Maslow’s needs pyramid present human needs such that each need is pursued and met before next level of needs can be considered; they build upon one another. The needs from most basic to most complex are:

– physiological needs: food, shelter, sex – safety needs: clothing, weapons, defense of self – social needs: social acceptance – esteem needs: acceptance of self by self – fulfillment needs: a feeling of having and fulfilling a purpose

So question is, “How do we use this paradigm to get inside consumer’s head?”

Let’s consider a personal fitness training service. Here’s how it works at most basic level. Place yourself in position of consumer and think as if you are considering hiring a personal fitness trainer.

1. How will personal fitness training impact my acquisition and use of food? Of shelter? Of sexual behavior? (Now you see why sex is used in marketing so many products – we react to it instinctually)

2. How will personal fitness training impact my personal safety? – you’ll be in better shape and can run faster from a mugger, perhaps.

3. How will personal fitness training positively impact my standing in society? In my social circle? Access to different social circles?