For busy moms who want to start an online business that gives you more time to enjoy your life.
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When you don’t have an audience yet, it feels impossible that you could soon have a thriving business. Where do you start?

As we've talked about over the past few weeks, you start by creating your niche. Then choose your ideal customer and get to know them by conducting market research.

What’s market research?

Market research is figuring out your ideal customer's goals, dreams, challenges, fears, objections, and buying habits. That information will help you decide what to say in your social media posts, emails, and sales pages. It’ll also help you decide what digital products or services your ideal customers want you to create.

There are two types of market research:

1. Primary: This is information you collect by talking to them.

2. Secondary: This is information that already exists. You can use it to get ideas for building your business.

Ideally, you’ll use both primary and secondary research to get the most comprehensive understanding of what’s in your ideal customer’s head and in their hearts. But today, let's focus on primary research.

How do you conduct primary market research?

After you decide who your ideal customer is, talk to them online or in person. Ask them questions like:

• What's the hardest thing about _____? (relates to what you want to do)

• What have you tried to solve that problem?

• Why didn’t that work for you? and How did you find that solution?

• If you could solve that problem, how would it improve your life?

• What holds you back from solving that problem? (What obstacles or fears stand in the way)

Those are just a few questions you could ask.

Where do you find your ideal customer?

I start by asking a group of people who are close to my ideal customers one question. I find a few people who are a great fit, then I ask them to talk with me 1-on-1. That's when I ask more detailed questions.

Once you have a good understanding of your ideal customer’s goals, dreams, fears, and buying habits, it’ll be so much easier to attract your ideal customer and start to help them. Then you can create a digital product or service they’ll be excited to buy.

Top 4 market research mistakes new entrepreneurs make:

1. Not doing market research at all

2. Not having clarity about their ideal customer

3. Not asking the right questions

4. Not using their market research to:

o   Create an incredible customer journey

o   Attract an audience using content marketing

o   Determine what products and services to offer, and

o   Write landing pages, email sequences, and sales pages

If you want to be successful as an entrepreneur, you need to start with market research. It’s the only way to get to know your ideal customer and figure out how you can help them.

Last week I mentioned how much I love to be cozy. So many of you responded with "I love to be cozy too" that I thought I'd share some of my favorite cozy things this week.

* A few of the things below are affiliate links. I get a small commission, at no cost to you, when you buy using them. But, I only share what I truly love after lots of use.

• Girls' Night In - A weekly newsletter with a "cozy dose of comfort for your inbox." I anxiously wait for this newsletter every Friday. I love it. 

• View from My Window - I found this wonderful FB group when the pandemic first started. People from all over the world share pictures of what they see from their window. It's still one of my favorites.  

• True Honey Teas - This is a local (to me) business that my sister-in-law found at a farmers market. As much as I love my morning coffee, I enjoy a cup of this tea before bed. My favorite flavor is lavender, but they're all good. 

• Thick wearable blanket - My family thought I was crazy when I bought myself this super thick wearable blanket. Now they all have one.  We wear them outside by the fire when it's chilly, at night when we go camping. And I wore it to the girls' soccer games and now many of the moms have matching ones. So cozy! 

• Coziest sweatshirt ever - This is my everyday, throw it on and go sweatshirt. It doesn't look quite as fluffy anymore, but it's still super cozy and soft. Highly recommend.

• Cozy, Stylish Alpaca Socks - Everyone in my family has a pair of these and we all love them. 

• Realistic flickering candles - I love real scented candles, but I also love these battery-operated ones for the ambiance they create. The best part is they have a timer, so you don't have to remember to turn them on - always cozy. I also have an outdoor version of these candles on my patio.

When you're ready, here's how I can help:

1. Start an Online Business 5-Day Challenge is the first step. This is where you'll choose your niche and ideal customer, and then get to know them. 
2. From Plan to Profit is my online learning and doing experience where you'll use the information you collected during the challenge to create your brand and customer journey, build an online audience, and create and automate your first online income stream. 
3. Accelerator (coming soon) I know it's hard to start a business, even with guidance. My Accelerator will help you get started faster with accountability and hands-on help - that's right, this is where I take some things off your plate.

All the best,

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