Every time I read about a new cool company or product I get excited (and slightly jealous because I wish I executed on it) because people continue to do cool things.  We live in the greatest country in the world and we have the most resources and the best environment to create really cool stuff.

So that’s the uplifting, happy, idealistic portion of this post. 

But let me switch gears.

Why is such effort expended to deliver a product or service (primarily on the Web) that will only be used by a tiny number of people?

Or why are products, even when publicly intended for the mainstream, launched only to a “geek” audience?

Josh Kopelman, managing director at First Round Capital and founder of Half.com (among other companies), worried too about more companies being built with ideas that will not appeal to a mainstream (read: non-techie) audience — or the girl next door.

His point:

It got me thinking – how many people outside of the valley have ever heard of these companies?  I asked a bunch of local (Philly-area) acquaintances and the answer came back loud and clear: none – nada - zip.  People here have barely heard of MySpace and Craigslist – let alone any of the “hot” Web 2.0 companies.

For Web companies to make it big today, they must solve real problems for typical people.  And that can be tough for blog-reading, RSS-munching, del.icio.us-loving, tag-tagging individuals like you and I (I assume you’re one of them ).  Why?

Because we are not typical consumers.  We create and consume media abnormally.  We love gadgets.  We read TechCrunch.  We use bookmarklets.  We know what Diggscaperedilicious is (and how to pronounce it). 

My theory is that if a company can create something that is even understood and usable by your neighbor, your minister or your friends who only know how to check their email and use a cell phone, then you have a huge winner on your hands. 

This isn’t a rant against niche marketing, niche targeting or whatever. Knowing your audience is essential to every business.  But the really huge big winners have products so universal that they can be choosy as to what markets they pursue.  If one isn’t receptive…they can switch gears and move onto other prospective markets. 

Instead, build something that the girl next door could use.  Make it as easy as email.  Build something that truly affects those who use it, and make that effect reachable by as many people as possible.

Then take it outside of this echo chamber us geeks know and love.  Talk to real people who don’t think about technology or startups or scour digg every day.  That’s how to make it big.

Thanks for listening.

(And yes, Elisha Cuthbert is my dream girl.)