10 Trends That Can
Make You Rich
If you're trying to figure out a
great business to start that has a ready-made audience and lots of
potential, consider the different aspects of these cultural trends,
from popular futurist and consultant Faith Popcorn (www.faithpopcorn.com):
1. By 2010, Faith Predicts That
90% Of All Consumer Goods Will Be Home Delivered.
You can already see this trend in
action as more and more people turn to mail order, infomercials, and
the Internet for routine purchases. It's fast, easy, and
convenient-and a great opportunity if you're intrigued by direct
response. Find a niche and fill it. I'll list some more ideas in a moment.
If direct response isn't precisely
what you're looking for, you can still cash in on this trend by
starting a direct response support business, like copywriting, letter
shop, telephone ordering, fulfillment, and shipping.
2. Time Is The New Money: People
Would Rather Spend Money Than Time
From shopping to cleaning to mowing
the lawn, people routinely pay others to do "the dirty
work." This has always been true, but the strong economy has put
these types of "little luxuries" within reach of a larger audience.
Start an errand, house cleaning, or
yard keeping business. If these ideas don't appeal to you, try party
planning, wait-for-the-repair-guy, taxi-the-kids, or
handle-the-moving-details business. In truth, the list is
endless-just put on your thinking cap. Give people time, and they'll
reward you with their money.
3. Home Meal Replacement Is Now
A $100 Billion Business
Nowadays, a good, old-fashioned
home cooked meal is a luxury. Dine in, carry out, fast food, pre
packaged and home delivery rule the day. There are LOTS of ways you
can cash in on this trend:
Start a restaurant, catering, lunch
kiosk or prepared meal business. Offer pre packaged, specialty, or
special occasion meals by mail. Create customized menu plans, with
quick cook recipes and a complete grocery list. Produce a syndicated
column or television show dedicated to "meals in minutes."
In short, either cook for others or show them how to cook quickly and
easily, with common ingredients and little clean up.
4. 72% Of People Pray Every Day
Faith refers to this as
"anchoring"-reaching back to our spiritual roots-and it
encompasses such things as religion, spirituality, healing, and
family genealogy.
So how can you profit from this
trend? Write books, articles, or "how to" information about
your religious or cultural customs. Start workshops or classes
centered around these themes. Create biblical crafts, drawings,
paintings, sculptures, etc., for sale at different holidays. Offer
christening, first communion, Bar Mitzvah, wedding, or other
celebratory items by mail. Conduct genealogy searches or offer tours
to ancestral lands.
5. Stressed-Out Consumers Want
To Indulge In Affordable Luxuries And Seek Ways To Reward Themselves
Think gourmet coffee, imported
chocolate, luxurious sheets. A "step up" from the ordinary
on everyday types of things. The market is wide open here, so you can
really take your pick.
Are you a big tea drinker? Why not
offer specialty blends or beautiful tea sets by mail or online? Have
a passion for perfume? Create individual scents for your clients.
Thinking about catering? Why not specialize in intimate dinners for
two (engagements, anniversaries, etc.)?
Faith calls this trend "small
indulgences" and sites sunglasses, whitening toothpastes,
specialty razors, and other premium priced packaged goods as
"high growth." Come up with a winner, and your bank account
could see some "high growth" of its own!
6. Awareness That Good Health
Extends Longevity And Leads To A New Way Of Life
This trend has been going on for a
while and will continue to do so as baby boomers age. Areas of
highest growth: organic products, herbal additives, fitness club
memberships, and alternative treatments (like acupuncture, magnets,
and meditation).
If you're into health and fitness,
this could be your best bet. Grow and sell organic products to local
markets, by mail, and online. Write articles or "how to"
information about herbal additives; supplement your income by selling
them by mail and online. Become a fitness instructor or personal
trainer. Develop easy-to-use/fast results exercise equipment. Produce
a syndicated column or television show about healthy eating or simple exercises.
7. Fantasy Adventures Whet Our
Appetites For Roads Untaken
We like to do fun and unusual
things, both in our homes and "on the road." Theme parks,
adventure vacations, and unusual foods top the list. How about having
part of a film set in your house? What about biblical cuisine or a
Vampire wine from Transylvania?
Again, use your imagine here to
offer fun and unusual products. Write a "Craziest Weddings"
idea book or videotape unusual homes. Put together "murder
mystery" dinners where each of the guests plays a different
role. Or, if you want to go all out, start a fantasy vacation
business offering covered wagon excursions, white water rafting, or
photo safaris. One walking tour guide in New Orleans offers ghost
tours of the French Quarter on Halloween. Getting off the beaten path
may be the road to riches for you.
8. People Like To Belong To
Groups That Represent Common Feelings, Causes, Or Ideals
Love to barbeque? Watch birds? Hunt
down the best shoe sales in town? Collect tropical fish? You're not
alone. In fact, you may be surprised how many others like to do or
believe in the same things as you.
Write a book or infoproduct about
your topic. Start a newsletter or magazine and sell advertising and
subscriptions. Create workshops, classes, or a seminar series. Sell
"how to" products by mail and the Internet. Niche marketing
is very powerful - corner the market in your topic of interest and
laugh all the way to the bank.
9. Home Improvement Is A $143
Billion Business
Can you hang wallpaper? Make
drapes? Paint? Tile? Stencil? Conceptualize the "end
product"? Then you can make money with home improvements. While
there are plenty of die hard "do it yourselfers," this is
one area where most people would rather spend money than time.
Whether you're a tradesman, a
designer, an architect, or a supplier, home improvements could be a
great place to make your money. You could get "hands on"
and work one-on-one with people, or you could create
infoproducts-manuals, video tapes, newsletters-to teach people how to
do it themselves. You could even start your own syndicated column or
television series. Figure out what suits your style, and go for it.
10. Baby Boomers Find Comfort In
Familiar Pursuits And Products From Their Youth.
Music compilations, old board
games, even the VW bug-all appeal to the 36-54 demographic. You can
cash in on this trend in a number of ways: Buy and sell collectibles
from the fifties, sixties and seventies. Start a themed websites
featuring TV or movie trivia. Start a "Where Are They Now?"
paid subscription newsletter featuring musicians, celebrities, or
prominent characters from the period. Open a vintage clothing store.
Transfer 8mm movies to videotape or compact disc.
Think nostalgia, memories,
innocence of youth. Remember, it's a HUGE market-so if you find the
right idea, it could produce a HUGE return.
To summarize, if you're looking for
ways to make money, become a trend watcher-it could pay very well.
Good luck! |
