Once you find an idea you think can be successful you need to do thorough research so you are sure that there is that gap in the market for your project and that there is indeed a real world in need of your idea. However, how to find this market? Well there is no easy way but the best way to do this is to surf the internet and/or pick up a paper business directory so you can check out the competition. Another way to research is to set up a basic website and use Google Pay-Per click advertising to see how many individuals are searching for similar keywords to your project. This way you will also know how strong your competition is. This is a very straightforward technique of market research and you never know you may also get some enquiries from it! The next step is developing your idea.



Many people aspire to become an entrepreneur, but actually taking the first steps can be hard. Coming up with a good idea in the first place is probably one of the most challenging parts of becoming an entrepreneur. To help you gather as many ideas as you can always carry a notebook around noting down things from everyday life that cause an inconvenience or anything that can be improved. Looking back at your notebook can often bring up patterns in why problems occur and how they are solved, which gets your brain thinking exactly the way an entrepreneurs should.



Once you have made sure, there is a need for your project and that the competition is not to strong you need to develop your idea. One thing that makes entrepreneurial success easier is having a business partner who shares a vision and has skills to complement your own, and necessary for the task. Finding a business partner however, is not usually that easy. For example, if you have an idea to patent a new hand tool, then a business partner with connections in manufacturing, or skills in prototyping, would be a huge advantage. Very few people would have these connections right from the word go.



Because we are lucky to be living in the 21st century things are a little different and networking is much easier thanks to free social networking sites like Friendster, Face book, MySpace and the newly released ThinkBowl. Through these easy means of approach, one can seek for business partners and join like-minded communities to find good corporate links. With free networking websites like these you can also read other peoples stories, questions and ideas, also share your own thoughts and issues, and receive feedback from the community, as well as writing blogs about your projects, which is a great way to get yourself noticed. Who does not want free marketing?



Some basic procedures apply to all online networks and in particularly the business networks; for example to never expose too much about yourself to the general public (basic details are fine), but wait until trust is build up to eventually reveal more. The same goes for your business information. Make sure you only reveal the minimum unless your ideas are protected that is to say patents, copyrights, trademarks etc. Although every safety measure is taken by sites to weed out “scammers”, they cannot and will not guarantee for someone’s character to be protected, nor take accountability for ideas that are stolen etc.



When you look for a free business-networking website, make sure the one you select is relevant to yourself and therefore helpful to you (it is no good joining a network for B2B sales if you want to start your own garden centre!) Look for one with interesting site content, useful tools and a good-sized community (of course, a community with a hundred or so actual active entrepreneurs is a lot better than one with a hundred thousand dilly-dalliers!)



Networking websites work like real life communities. When you join one of them enjoy your activity and use it as an effective business tool. Remember, the users on the site most probably will have similar goals and will communally have a wide knowledge base, so do not be afraid to open up and discuss topics you think are important, ask for feedback or share opportunities. Again, it is important to remember to build up trust first.



When releasing your project or idea you should look for as many advertising sources as possible, e.g. internet, TV, paper, radio, flyers etc. If your budget is tight, you can usually contact local papers who will give you free advertising in the form of a one page story if your project is interesting enough. Remember to try and get a story in mind before contacting the journalist, if they don’t have to do too much work adapting the story they are more likely to use it.



Finally write down things that went well and areas that can be improved on from your first project and keep them for future reference. Then get back to the drawing board and think up your next entrepreneur project!



When you have launched your project, keep reviewing it at regular basis and set realistic goals to reach at each of those points. All good projects evolve over time so do not just launch your project and think your job is done! Always be active and feed it, the money is not going to grow on your tree just because you planted it.



Michiel Van Kets provides articles for Mark Basset who is an entrepreneur and the founder of ThinkBowl.com. He has built up good corporate links through free business networking. Mark is now working on projects to make becoming an entrepreneur easier for people with the right attitude.