This rule follows from the first rule: Think in Terms of real Customers. You have a real business with real customers. Whatever you might think about the importance or efficacy of salesletters, text ads, banner advertisements, and video content, there is one additional thing you should always keep in mind: selling a product that has no purpose is much, much harder than selling something that solves a problem that many people have.

Of course, when you’re creating a product, this isn’t always the easiest question to ask and to answer, but it’s an important one to keep in mind. Many Internet marketers simply don’t ask it. They ignore what customers might want; and instead spend time figuring out how best to trick them into buying.

Please follow my advice and do not follow in their footsteps. It will lead you down a path of failure and disappointment from which you may never emerge as a successful, skilled Internet marketer.

Instead, start off by locating your customers. Again, look for them on forums, on blogs, and wherever else they might be. Find out what problems they have; and create a product that SOLVES those problems.

Whatever you do through your salesletters, text ads, banner advertisements, and social media marketing efforts will be greatly amplified by the quality of your product. You won’t start off with the great disadvantage of needing to sell a bad product that no one needs. Instead, you will genuinely be helping people by telling them about your product.