I specialize in writing business books on topics that haven't been written before - in my estimation, filling an unmet need in the business book market.  I won't write a book if it's been done many times by other professionals.  Because of my expertise, I've been asked by a few publishers to write a book on "balancing work and family." Check the bookstores lately? The shelves are filled with titles that fall in this category.  No thanks.  All of my books are unique, and hopefully, needed in
the marketplace.

I vividly remember the first time a literary agent busted my naive bubble.  I was excitedly explaining to her that I had uncovered a topic area never written about before, a goldmine for me to pursue for my next book.  She responded:   "Can you dig up at least one or two bestsellers that are close to this idea?" I replied with glee, "NO!  No one has ever written about this before, I'd be all by myself.  We'd have the market cornered." She did not return my enthusiasm.  She said instead: "I'll have trouble convincing publishers that there is a real need for this book if no one has ever done it before.  Maybe no one has ever published it because there really isn't a viable market for it." Take out balloon, pop one hole, boy was I deflated.

Ultimately, I learned a very important lesson from her.  Just because I was convinced that a book should be written, and that I was the lady to write it, it didn't mean that a publisher would automatically feel the same way.   I had to do my homework, understanding the market I was serving, and showing evidence of why more people than my mother, husband, best friends, and fans would read this book.  I needed to do demonstrate that the lack of a book up until now was an enormous oversight by hundreds of publishers in America, as opposed to strong evidence that such a book was of little use to most people.

Why do I share this story?  Read on, from a column reader:

"I live in a small city in northeast Louisiana.  In trying to determine my niche, I have discovered that our town lacks a professional party planner, in everything from weddings, to garden parties to corporate events. 

 "I would like to start a business of planning these events from "A to Z" as you call it.  I would like to be full service in designing personalized invitations, to writing thank you notes, to purchasing corporate gifts, to being a wedding coordinator.  As a former buyer for Dillards fine gifts, china, silver and bridal I know that I posses the knowledge, along with great communication and organizational skills to be a success.  I am the mother of 4 small children and feel this could be something I could do out of my home.

"My problem?  How do I get started?  I really need some good advice on what
avenues to pursue."

I don't mean to bust your bubble, the way my agent busted mine - or maybe I do.  You don't need me to give you a big rah rah talk about how" you can do this if you just set your mind to it, so go for it.  Buy the equipment, design your brochure and business cards, set up your website, and hang up the old shingle."  You need me to talk straight to you.

Perhaps your town doesn't have such a service because it's not needed or wanted.  Or, maybe, it might support a specialized service in serving the corporate market with purchasing corporate gifts, but combining corporate gifts and wedding coordination into one business won't fly.  This has nothing to do with your knowledge and skills and whether you'd be able to do the business.  It's about figuring out what your community needs and wants.  Don't fall into this common trap: designing a business that suits your needs to be home with your children, and allows you to use the skills you developed at your former job, without testing whether or not there is a demand for your product.

How do you do this?  Start asking people.  Don't just ask people who love you and will tell you what you want to hear.  Put together a written survey, or create focus groups, or network at community groups like the chamber of commerce, and start asking around for what people need that is missing in your community.  Ask other professionals who serve the same market you are targeting.  Would they refer to you?  Have they been asked by their clients to provide this service?

Second, I'd be wary of trying to develop a business that offers services from "A-Z." Focusing on a niche is usually more effective, until you've developed a solid reputation.  Who do you want to serve?  If it's the corporate market, they probably won't hire you if they imagine that you specialize in weddings.  Vice versa, few women will retain your services to coordinate their wedding, if they believe that you specialize in corporate gifts.  Don't try to be all things to all people in the beginning.  Start small and build from there.

Lastly, I hope that you have some childcare arranged for those four children of yours while you are working this business.  Sure, you can write thank-you notes while watching the kids on the playground.  But marketing, meeting with clients, focused work - when and how will you do that?  You aren't going to be able to coordinate a wedding with four children in tow.  Most work at-home parents still arrange some kind of child care to allow them to operate professionally.

You are headed in the right direction.  Choosing a business that appeals to you, is something you are good at, and appears to be needed in your geographic area.  Now, refine the idea.