As the next season of American Idol gets under way, we can all learn some marketing lessons from the show. Marketing lessons that can be applied to your home based business, or any business. Here’s what I, and others, have picked up from watching the show:*Talent wins out over outrageous showmanship without talent. Substance wins out over appearances without substance. In your business, your marketing should have an element of showmanship or entertainment. But, make sure the main product or service you offer also gives your customers real value and shares your talent, knowledge, and experience.*The winners have lived the expression “Practice Makes Perfect”. They have practiced, practiced, and practiced some more until their performances are near perfect. Don’t expect your first attempt at starting a business to be wildly successful right off the bat. Be a little patient with yourself and your business. Even “failures” in your business should be viewed as “practice” that will get you to success faster.*Many of the winners have found and used a mentor. Someone who encourages them and helps them be their best. Someone who has already succeeded in doing what they want to do, and is willing to share their wisdom and experience. Find a mentor who has already succeeded at the business you want to have and learn from them. Buy and read their books. Subscribe to their email newsletter. Read their blog. Join their membership site. Then, act on what you learn and apply it to your own business.*The winners learn from being criticised. They listen to the criticism and improve their next performance. Improve your business by listening to your customers as they tell you what you may be doing wrong, or how your products could be made better. Don’t take their criticism personally. Listen, learn, and improve.*Winners learn what doesn’t work, and are not afraid to ditch that and try something else in their next performance. Learn what doesn’t work in your business. Try another approach until you find something that does work. As I mentioned above, failures are not really failures. They are just part of “practice makes perfect” as you move toward your best business performance.*Winners start in their niche, and then expand it to stretch their talent further. If you try to tackle multiple business models or niches at the same time, you may not succeed in any of them. Start with the one business you want to succeed in, and focus on one market niche. Make that a success. Then, duplicate that success in another niche. Soon, you will have multiple streams of income and will never look back.*The winners usually have, or quickly develop, a fan base. People who will vote for them. You need to do the same in your business. Develop a list of prospects and customers who are likely to vote for you (buy your products). Get them on your list by offering them something valuable free if they sign up to your email list. Sell something valuable at a low price to develop a list of customers. Use email to follow up with prospects and customers to develop a long term relationship with them, and to turn them into real fans of you and your products.*Winners share their personal stories. When did they first know they had their talent? How did they develop their talent? What are their dreams about sharing and succeeding with their talent? Share your personal stories with your prospects and customers. It will help them know, like, and trust you…three relationship factors that must be developed before they buy from you.*And, finally, winners audition! As scared as they may be about going in front of the judges, they know that if they don’t audition, they will never get another chance to be on the show. You need to audition too! You have a business you want to start or grow. You have ideas, knowledge and experience you want to share. Get started now. Take action. If you don’t try out, you will never succeed. Be the next “American Idol” of home based business.