Get Your Product to Market in 6 Steps
Almost daily, someone asks me how to get their invention to market. The inventions are as varied as the creative people who developed them. They have ranged from child feeding devices to software programs to frozen foods to electronic gardening tools to cell phone accessories.
Let me start by saying that if this is a question you’ve been asking, you are exactly where you should be. If you truly have an invention -- something that has not been created before -- there is no set way to get it to market and there is no right way. Finding out how to get your product to market is often more relevant to your success than the features and benefits of your invention. In fact, real money-spending consumers don’t buy inventions; they buy products. So, shift your approach away from the typical inventing lexicon to how to sell a new product.
Read the rest of "Get Your Product to Market in 6 Steps" at Entrepreneur.com...
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Hi Tamara,
I was wondering what is the best news release company to send out a press release that wouldn't cost too much? You mentioned PRweb in your book at no charge (except for the $40.00 for a pic), but there is a charge to my knowledge.
thanks,
sandy bright
901-389-0529
Hi Ronnell
You sound very well versed. I have a question, suppose I have an idea, Let's say it is a bumper sticker. It is something that is all ready out there, but I am going to make it out of something different and use it in a whole different way that no one is doing. With a cool logo,(almost ready) catchy.com address (done) Which I think has some copyright protections and now finishing the work on a web site. I have one proto type and am working on a better one also working on a local source to make some samples to sell. I don't think I need a patent (because this is not an invention) I think I need a copyright on logo and perhaps a trademark too.
My product could be copies very easily by an industry, they just have not thought of this idea first. Then I have developed a whole marketing plan to use to sell the idea. I am just seeing it hard to protect my idea, once it hits the street, and unless I have a million to spend in advertising, I can see an Auto Nation / Car Max copy cat thing happening. I guess the strongest business wins and I am the little guy. I keep thinking the best bet may be to license it to a big company, but not sure how to make that happen either because they could say, we don't like it and as soon as I walk, they tweek it and do ti their way. Any ideas will be appreciated. Can Jerry Pine make you a 3 d cad drawing for a person also?
OMG Lisa, I know how you feel!
I must say thanks to each of you ladies for assisting with great advise as well as good contact information. I am in need of a prototype but it is so hard to find an inexpensively company. I know this journey is not easy but I'm glad to see others offering there support.
Thanks Ladies!
LisaLisa
Lisa,
Maybe this will help. You need a prototype engineer. You can find these by googleing prototyes on the web. Then just keep following any and all links until you find some locally in your state. Google Prototyping in XXXX (your state). If that does not produce results, here is a contact in Florida ( Jerry Pine- 1-561-400-3888) Independant prototype engineer who works with many people in many states.. You can get a prototype quite inexpensively.You can get a prototype done over phone conversations, emails and postal mail. It is actually easy. You just need to find the right "fit".
Need a patent quick with not much work? Go to http://www.legalzoom.com. Yes, you can get a patent pending with even a stick man drawing. I did it with some very generic drawings made by hand. This will give you 1 year to get final drawings ready for your final patent filing.
what book? Find one like patents for dummies (seriously). It is not hard as you think. I got very far with just an idea. The key is to start doing something, anything and you will be surprised how many resources will come your way. Just try!!
Ronnell
Hi Lisa,
I understand your frustration. There are a lot of details to the product development process which simply can't be covered in an article. And, since every invention is different, it is impossible to describe with precision every step. That is what inspired me to write, The Mom Inventors Handbook. I did my best to write about each of these steps in detail breaking the process down into manageable parts with specific links and information to get you started. And still, anyone will undoubtedly find gaps. You can see the reviews on Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/onw9tr. You may want to check it out at your local library first to see if it answers your questions. I think that you'll find that there is enough detailed information there to get you started on your journey! There are other books as well which you may prefer.
Warmest wishes,
Tamara
Hey Lisa,
I hear you, most books out there on any subject you can think of, don't really explain specifics.
Maybe you should find all this out and create an e-book( a pdf downloadable document, its really simple to do)
detailing how do it, so us normal folks can understand.
Just a thought,
Donna
Hi Tamara, I had a few questions about your article "Get Your Product to Market in Six Steps . . ." I hope you can help me.
1. Buy one or two well-regarded books on inventing . . . OKAY! YOUR ADVICE IS TO BUY A BOOK FROM THE 8,000 BOOKS TO CHOOSE FROM -- WHAT BOOK?
2. Conduct market research . . . identify products on the market, both online and in stores that are similar to your product idea (OKAY, WALMART SELLS PURPLE BATH MATS), and note which companies make them (OH, "MADE IN CHINA", THAT'S HELPFUL, NOW WHAT?) and where they are sold (SO WHAT? OH, DO YOU MEAN THAT KNOWING WHERE THE PRODUCTS ARE SOLD HELPS TO IDENTIFY THE TYPE OF CONSUMER PURCHASING THEM - YOUNG, OLD, THIN, FAT, ETC?)
3. Spend time on the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) website to identify and read any patents similar to your concept http://www.uspto.gov. (HELLO, HAVE YOU READ A PATENT LATELY? I HAVE (IT'S COMPLICATED). SINCE THE NEWSPAPER IS WRITTEN SO THE AVERAGE 6TH GRADER CAN READ IT -- WOULD YOU SUGGEST A SPECIFIC WEB PAGE(s) THAT EXPLAINS WHAT A PATENT IS, WHAT A TRADEMARK IS, ETC ETC -- YOU ASSUME THE AVERAGE PERSON KNOWS THE MEANING OF THE WORD "PATENT"
4. Develop as good a prototype as possible with your available resources (CAN'T GET MUCH MORE GENERIC THAN THIS -- BUT, I THINK I'VE HEARD IT BEFORE ON THE 6:00 NEWS: I'M DEVELOPING A PROGRAM TO SAVE SOCIAL SECURITY WITH AVAILABLE RESOURCES) . This can be as basic as a drawing or as evolved as a professionally made product (OH, I CAN DRAW MY IDEA OR HAVE IT PROFESSIONALLY MADE . . . WHOOPEE!! . . . BY WHO? WHAT COMPANIES MAKE PROTOTYPES, WHAT QUESTIONS SHOULD BE ASKED OF SUCH A COMPANY, COST, WOOD OR PLASTIC MATERIALS ETC ETC).
AND ON AND ON AND ON . . .
Thanks for listening Tamara.
Lisa