Find a need and fill it. Heard it before?
Though it sounds simple – too easy even – it does work. When you focus on fulfilling a need, helping or serving, you are providing value. That gets people’s attention.
Here’s the problem. If you have a new business with few or no prospects, it’s difficult to find out what your customers need and want. Even those of us who have been operating our business a while sometimes don’t know the answer to that. We think we do, but often miss the mark.
The wonderful thing is, with the Internet, there are lots of ways to find out. You already know keyword research is an important part of this puzzle. But keywords may not tell you the complete picture.
One of my favorite addition to keyword research is question research. Instead of looking for the keywords people may type in, use these phrases:
- Are [keyword]
- Can [keyword]
- Do [keyword]
- Does [keyword]
- Is [keyword]
- Should [keyword]
- What [keyword]
- Which [keyword]
- Why [keyword]
- Will [keyword]
- Can anyone help
- (Does) Anyone know
- Can anyone recommend
- Can you help
- How do (I)
- How do I find
- How can (I) (We) (one)
- How is this done
- How do they do this
- How would you
- I am looking for
- I need help
- Is it possible
- (Is) (Are) there any
- Is there a (way) (tool) (app)
- Please help
- Should (I) (We)
- What are
- What can I do
- What do you (do) (use)
- What is the best
- What is the most
- What is the easiest
- What is the fastest
- What would you (do) (use)
- Where (do) (can) I find
- Where would I go
How To Use This List
Now that you have the list, it’s time to get to work. You can start with regular keyword search tool. Or drop them into your favorite search engine. I find the best results often come from venues where people gather. This is where I uncover the deeper, more specific questions that people are asking.
The following are places to try:
- Facebook – When searching in Facebook – be sure to wrap your phrase in quotes. Facebook will find all sorts of things that may not be useful. The best results within Facebook come from posts from Friends and Groups. This is another reason to join groups, or to start your own Facebook group.
- Quora
- Forums – no, they are not dead
Anywhere else? Sure. Think of sites where people gather, that has a search function – that’s where to try. The places listed above often keep me busy for a while and should be the same for you too.