Nothing happens in a vacuum.

Nobody sits in the corner of a room meditating, blinds closed, lights off, and actually finds their next big business idea. 

The best ideas come from real life, and once you find the right one, you can test it before investing all of your cash, using all of the resources around you. Even your family and friends can come in handy.

Don’t listen to those that say, “Everything’s been done.” There’s still plenty more to do, and why not do it yourself? It’s time to get started by testing your new business idea. It’s time to share it with the world.

It all starts with the right domain. Get yours today at Domain.com.

Research your niche carefully to find what makes you different

And speaking of vacuums. James Dyson invented a vacuum cleaner that used a ball to turn, rather than mimicking the same square design throughout the vacuum industry. He looked at his target market, saw a gap, and filled it. Either that, or he tried turning a vacuum one time and said, “This is ridiculous, there has to be a better way.” You can do the same with your business, and you may have even had a similar moment.

Make a list of potential competitors for your products or services. What are they doing, and how would you do it differently? Where did they start and where are they headed? Even if you can’t reinvent the industry, your original idea can still stand out with the right execution: by showing off how you’re different.  

Share the idea with people you trust and respect

Sometimes ideas sound really cool until you see them out in the world for the first time, untested. That’s why it helps to have a few trusted friends or family members with whom you can share your ideas. It’s important to get honest feedback though, and not a sweet, “how nice of you to try,” response. You’ll want that honest aunt who can hit you right between the eyes with the truth.

It helps to present your idea properly. Three beers in at the bar with a buddy is not the time to bring it up. Instead, make it professional and set a meeting. Explain your product or service as simply and quickly as possible. State the problem, then offer the solution. If you can’t explain the business or product to your six-year-old nephew, the idea might not be ready.

Get your idea in front of beta testers

The best way to see if your new business idea can appeal to customers is to show it to potential customers. Create a website with a professional domain name. It should be simple, and present the same problem/solution, explanation that you used with your friends. Only your website should then go one step further and convince website visitors to buy.

Depending on your product or service, you may be able to produce a limited run series as a beta test. Explain clearly that it’s a beta test, as early adopters can offer criticism that helps you get better. They’re also more likely to forgive mistakes, as they accept that the product is still in development. Or, try using a crowdsourcing option that lets customers put down their money, and then wait for the product to be created after you’ve hit your fundraising goal.

It all comes down to you and your gut

Even if your family and friends, trusted business partners, and the market all tell you to go for it, or even if they tell you you’re crazy (maybe especially then), you’ll have to trust your gut to make the final call. Would you buy this with your own money? Does it solve a problem that no other business cares to solve?

Now that you can create a website with your products and gauge interest before investing too much in a single idea, that risk is somewhat lower. Rather than setting up an expensive brick and mortar storefront, you can create a virtual one, or a few, and listen to what your customers actually need before investing.

Clean out your self doubts and share your new idea

If you talk about vacuums long enough, someone is going to make a cleaning pun; it sucks, but it happens (yikes). Rather than trying to test your new business idea inside your head with your superior logic skills, share your new idea with the people you trust, research the market, and then put it out into the world.  

It all starts with the right domain. Get yours today at Domain.com.