The Six-Figure Second Income: How To Start and Grow A Successful Online Business Without Quitting Your Day Job

Chapter 2. How to Build a Quick and Profitable Product

Did you get a chance to watch the TV show Pitchmen on The Discovery Channel before it was cancelled? If not, maybe you can find episodes on the Internet. I suggest you watch a few shows because it will make you feel so very good about what you're about to discover in the book you're holding.

The show starred two long-time marketers or pitchmen, Billy Mays and Anthony "Sully" Sullivan. (The show was canceled after Billy unexpectedly died.) You probably have seen Billy pitch stuff like cleaners and gadgets on television for years. He was very entertaining and sold a ton.

Though the show was entertaining, it was also sad in a way. Here's how a typical segment of the show worked:

An inventor whom we'll call Gus worked for years designing a new-and-improved gizmo like a cup holder for the car or perhaps a pocket fishing rod. He sank his life-savings into designing the product and having it manufactured. Now pallet after pallet of them sits in a warehouse. It seems that his own version of Uncle Moe had plenty of advice on how to sell them but nothing worked.

Through hit and miss, Gus became aware of the Pitchmen show and he wrangled an appointment. He got to stand at one end of a conference table while he demonstrated his cup holder to Billy and Sully for perhaps 60 seconds. The guys asked two or three questions and formulated an instant impression of the product.

In the vast majority of cases both Billy and Sully looked at each other—then, ...