Flash Business Audits

Consultants are expensive, and necessary. First, if a business needs to grow, and doesn't know what to do differently, it needs a consultant. Second, if a business has great ideas, but not the staff to implement it, it needs a consultant. Because there are 2 different reasons to use a consultant, things can get complicated with the relationship.

That's where this business idea takes a competitive advantage. Audits typically take months to complete. This is a company that sells business audits that will be delivered in less than a week. It is a single moment snapshot of the company, without any nonsense. So it caters to the business that has a good execution team, but needs some outside suggestions, fast.

A team of highly qualified business experts do a snapshot analyzation of the company. There's a finance expert, a marketing expert, a human resources expert, and a technology expert all talking about a company for a day. All the important information is obtained before they meet so that the time is at maximum productivity.

The deliverable is a presentation, and document of the findings.

Charge for something like this should be in the neighborhood of $5,000 per audit. To justify this cost, there is a promise that there will be practical suggestions that will increase the business profit and cut costs by $5,000 or more in the next year.

Twitter, Facebook, Blog Consulting

There is a giant new demand in the marketplace right now. The curiosity for online marketing through Facebook, Twitter, and many others has skyrocketed in the last 6 months. Everyone believes in online marketing, but few know how to do it.

The business is simple. Explain Facebook, Twitter and YouTube to businesses and charge them for it. The tricky part is confidently making the sale to a business. Even that isn't very tricky.

I really don't want to over complicate this idea. It really is simple.

Approach a business owner (most likely someone who is a bit older and is new to Facebook in the last year). Say, "For $1,000 I will set your business up to connect with customers through these specific websites. I will explain to you how to:

1. Use your phone or a video camera to upload videos to your blog.
2. Show you how to check for messages and postings on facebook so that you don't miss any communications with customers.
3. Set up a Twitter account that will also update your status on Facebook.
4. Teach you the secret of using these resources to increase profits and customer loyalty."

The last point is key to making the sale, but actually simple. These tools are a way to give special offers to loyal customers, and to respond quickly to their needs. That is all. If a company focuses on these two strategies, they will find success.

I don't know how big the window is for this. It may be 1 year, it may be 5 years. For one length of time or another, money will be made doing this.

How-To Video Site

I noticed that there are lots of how-to videos on you tube, but most of them are not worth paying for. Asking someone to pay for a video implies that the seller believes it is worth paying for. It means they put more effort into it than Joe Schmo with his cheap video camera.

How can the seller get the buyer to believe the same? This is the business challenge, the critical success factor.

1. Sell the video host as an expert in their field (give a free lecture a local college, read the top selling books on the topic, emphasize that this material really does work).
2. Get some testimonials from people who have watched the video.
3. Start buying some google ad words related to your how-to video

To further the concept, here's my video idea: How to Get the Best Interest Rate on Your Mortgage

Here's my pitch. I've bought a house, and refinanced twice. Realtors can't be trusted completely, and lenders can't be trusted completely.

This video will help people lower their monthly payments by $50-$100 a month. It will cost $49 and would come with several related free items (How to Find the Best Interest Rate for Your Bank Account).

Thoughts?

HighSchoolTV.com

Currently, HighSchoolTV.com is not being used for high school TV. Why is that?

What if HighSchoolTV.com had a funny show with a host travelling to high schools all over the nation? They could interview students and teachers, highlight special schools, create competition between schools, anything that is entertaining. What if 200,000 high schoolers started watching?

It's risky because the show might suck, but how much would it actually cost? Here's the checklist of what the business needs:

1. Camera
2. Computer
3. A host for the show
4. Web hosting fees
5. Time

Content creators are the king of the web. The entrepreneur who is willing to become a director will find success. Small budgets can take on big networks now. Entertainment has more to do with good ideas than nice cameras.

Really this idea is about producing TV shows online. It could be anything. It could be full length movies. If it's entertaining, people will watch. If people watch, advertisements are worth money.

Car Wash While You Work

Pretty simple really. Arrange to be at different large business every day of the week. As people walk into work they give a key and $20 to the people washing cars. By the time lunch roles around, their car is washed and waxed.

20 cars per day makes $400 per day, $2,000 per week. Perhaps the pricing could be increased for interior cleaning. Premium pricing on that would help profitability.

One factor to consider is that winter months could hurt business.

Daily Cartoon Emails

Draw cartoons.

Be funny every day.

Sell ads for your email.

Increase distribution list.

Make money.

Instant Pep Talks

The business is essentially a call center with the nicest people in the world. The trick is to develop some key psychological techniques that really work. When people have a good experience with it, they start to rely on it for times when they are nervous.

This business could help people get a little more confidence in their dating life. It could help someone who is afraid of being in front of people. It could help someone find a job, and it could make money while doing it.

Sometimes, what people really need is a confidence boost. They just need someone to tell them to stop sulking and give it another try. They need someone to essentially hand them a magic pill which makes them think positive thoughts.

Before a big date, a customer calls. $20 for a 15 minute pep talk.

Before a big interview, somebody reminds you of your strengths and builds you up (for $20).

I've had crazier ideas. In a big city, this one might just work.