There is one looming problem that most internet marketers have when it comes to product creation and I want to tell you about it.

What if no one buys the product?

I’ve released products with a variety of success levels. Some have sold hundreds. Some, I’ve expected to be successful have sold very few. And, I’ve been put caps on the number of products sold before in some cases that cost me a lot of money (in hindsight, that was a mistake).

The risk of failure is something you shouldn’t dwell on. Therefore, getting a positive mindset about your product greatly depends on your confidence about whether it will sell well or not. The more confident you are, the more your success is ensured.

But how exactly do you get a “positive mindset“? How do you feel confident about the product you’re creating?

Here are three steps you can follow to give yourself a much better chance of success.

Step #1 – Empty Your Cup

One of the biggest mistakes any internet marketer could make is to have untested assumptions. We think we know what people want, what products would sell, and what people need to hear – but unless we’ve done the legwork, we really don’t know anything.

A popular Zen saying goes “If you truly seek understanding, first empty your cup.” In this case, we have to let go of our preconceived notions about our audience and target buyers. It’s time to start from scratch.

Step #2 – Find a Problem

People and businesses buy products to solve a problem they have. Whether it’s to remove obstacles, fill in gaps, or reach their dreams, every product is simply a solution to someone else’s problem.

This is both a financially rewarding and a personally fulfilling approach to product creation. As you’ll see when you act on these steps, knowing that you’re fixing a person or a business’ problem with your product goes a long way in developing a positive mindset about what you’re doing.

So how do you find a problem to solve? Here are some easy methods, each taking no more than 10 minutes to start:

a) Ask your current audience. If you already have a blog or website on the niche/topic that your product is about, go ahead and ask your audience about the top challenges or problems they face with that topic.

b) Visit social media networks. Social media websites like Facebook and Twitter have such a large user base that there are subgroups that form within that user base.You can take advantage of these subgroups.

For example, visit Reddit and look for an existing subreddit on your topic. Look or Facebook groups as well, and search specific Twitter hashtags or terms. You can go through the threads and take note of repeating questions or threads. You can also ask the community directly about the number one challenges and problems that prevent them in reaching their goals for that topic.

There are also social media networks that cater to specific markets – you may want to explore these if you want to reach a more targeted audience that’s closer to your ideal customers. LinkedIn, for example, is populated with corporate professionals. If these are the people you’re targeting, you can try looking at their LinkedIn Answers section, or searching for LinkedIn Groups under the industry that your niche falls under.

c) Reach out to key bloggers in your niche. Another way to look for a problem you can solve is to email the top bloggers or influencers in your niche, and ask them the common problems that people in their niche experience. Apart from giving you ideas, getting in touch with these bloggers will help you forge new connections that can be profitable once you launch your product.

Treating your product creation process as a problem-solving project can go a long way in giving you a positive mindset and strong motivation to keep going. After all, your goal has shifted from “making a product” to “helping others“. And what can be more rewarding than that?

Step #3 – Get the Go Signal

At this point, you’ve probably collected dozens, if not hundreds, of statements about the main problems that your target customers are facing. Choose one or two of the problems that were often mentioned in the responses you’ve gathered. These are the “seeds” of what your information product will turn into. It’s time to use this information to check for a “go signal” that they would be interested in your product once you start creating it.

If you already have a blog or website with a steady audience, it’s time to post an update asking them, “If I create a product that will help you fix/solve [main problem], would you be interested in buying it?” Now, if you don’t have a website yet, revisit the communities and people you contacted in Step #2 and ask them the same question.

To make this step more rewarding, tell those people who are interested to leave their email address in a sign-up form. This will give you a ready list of potential customers to market to. The best part is that you already know that they are willing to buy – they’ve already told you themselves.

Wait for a bit, then gather up responses or wait for your email list to grow. If it seems like there’s enough interest in the product you want to develop, then go ahead and start developing it.

How’s that for building a positive mindset when reating your product? You now have concrete, tested evidence that there will be people willing to buy your product once it’s released. When you spend hours, effort, and money towards creating your product, you know for a fact that you’re building something people will want. You can then focus on creating the product itself, rather than listening to the negative voices in your head.

Product creation doesn’t have to be a stressful, anxiety-inducing process. It can be a rewarding, fulfilling, and positive experience. This is especially true if you follow the above three steps.

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