Idea Generation

If you are starting a new business or wish to expand your existing range of offerings you are probably looking for new ideas, maybe thinking about what kind of products can be sold most successfully on the web, maybe interested to know what others who have been through the same process have done, maybe interested in idea generation techniques. This page is for you.

Here are a few techniques which may help generate ideas:

* Interviews -
these can be as formal or informal as you like. A recommendation to simply ask people what they would buy or what they think of your new idea you have may not strike you as inspired advice.. However, keep in mind that there are no mysteries to marketing. Much of it is straightforward, humdrum legwork and, although it might not seem enough like rocket science to be satisfying, the fact remains that the best way to get an answer is to ask a question!

* Brainstorming.
Not as chaotic as it may sound, brainstorming if properly conducted can be a very useful method of letting creativity flow. It's used in all the best places from NASA to Artefact's favourite pub. There are techniques and 'rules' for effective brainstorming. Study them.

* Cluster Diagrams -
a kind of brainstorming/association of ideas on paper.

* The web is a rich source.
There's lots of software about to help with creativity and idea generation.

* I-Sales.
One of the best e-mail discussion groups on the web is I-Sales, moderated by John Audette. It is a good source of ideas and highly informative on many aspects of online marketing