Last month, I talked about good news for business experts. Now let’s turn to experts for broad appeal topics such as love, health, and money. Watch for more opportunities for these folks who are willing to change their business models. Why? We consumers are moving away from cool stuff that makes us look good. And thanks to the Internet, anyone can get free information. What’s hot now and in the next few years: cool experiences that make us feel good. That means wellness retreats, food and wine junkets, photography tours, and fantasy camps such as baseball and rock and roll. Experts who are willing to move from disseminating information to creating an experience will find that 2009 wasn’t so bad after all.

There are times when the market demands that we pick a new game to play. That time is now, which is why we need to step back and re-examine how we play in the market. I’m going to cuss and discuss when to make the move next Tuesday on the Here’s the Deal call on business models. Click here if you want to join the fun.

Just finished up a fabulous project for a client who faced a common dilemma: her brand didn’t fit her business model. How’d that happen? She went to a so-called “branding expert” who described her uniqueness with language her target market wouldn’t buy. Yes, it was accurate — and clever. But the positioning also limited her business model to a market hit with double-digit spending cuts in 2009 (and probably 2010). Thank God she had the good sense to not implement this potential train wreck.

Moral of the story: accuracy is not a strategy. A profitable brand applies your passion to your target market in order to implement your business model. If your brand doesn’t generate interest in what you are offering, what’s the point?!? You better believe I’m gonna rant about this and more at the upcoming Here’s the Deal call on business models next Tuesday, February 10th. Click here for more details.