How many of you are into something which falls outside the scope of adult related products or services? For that matter, how many people in this business use their resources and knowledge for developing something more mainstream? Let's take a look at what can be achieved if you really wanted to.

EYEBALLS: The best advantage the porn industry has over mainstream is that there's a stream of never ending internet users actively looking for porn, regardless of market conditions and other factors which normally effect other internet based operations. An indepth customer analysis should give you a fair idea of your visitors' needs. The next step involves a two track strategy:-

1. Offer mainstream products you think the customer wants as a bonus or free gift along with your adult products. There's a vast difference between giving 1 DVD free along with 5 and giving a Walmart gift coupon along with every adult purchase.

2. Considered that its more difficult to bring in traffic to mainstream sites, if you were to develop a site which caters to mainstream products, all you have to do is divert traffic from your adult sites. You'll be miles ahead of the competition. This cross connection is normally difficult to achieve because mainstream companies are loath to associate themselves with adult markets. But, if you have both, then all you have to do is study which of your costomers from both sides are looking for products on the other side.

SKILLS: Use your skills to develop a mainstream market. It's my opinion that folk here in the adult industry are a step ahead of the rest when it comes to marketing and presentation skills. You successfully sold your adult products to a bunch of horny old guys who are normally very conservative when it comes to spending money. You could use those skills to open any number of non-internet based businesses such as video libraries, print magazines, cable and broadcast ad agencies and the like. These businesses will not only supplement your income, but likely provide new outlets for advertising all your products, adult or not.

RESOURCES: Let's tally up what you have in the form of resources. You have unlimited access to the internet, 1-5 high end computers with the latest multimedia software and the ability to instantly setup a website with billing facilities. Have you considered setting up a website and bagging contracts for stuff like data entry, proof reading, medical transcriptions and the like? Do you have any idea how much insurance companies pay to have their records entered into their computers? These contracts go to companies outside the US because there's nobody to do it at a cheap rate inside the US. Since you already have the setup, you wouldn't have any overheads for doing these jobs. You have the capacity to offer a cheap alternative to outsourcing.

SUMMING UP: Taking a look outside the world of adult entertainment might not only increase your revenue, it will add to the list of your skill sets, give you knowledge and reach of a wider market, and in the end, help you serve your customers with a more objective view. Speaking from personal experience, I used the resources and knowledge of two of my other concerns to make an entry into the adult market. And now, adult biz is helping me develop my mainstream concerns. No reason why you can't start from adult biz and enter the mainstream.

Credit to Xbiz Editor, Stephen Yagielowicz for raising this issue.

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