|
Two Most
Important Words When Selling Your Idea or Invention
For most inventors,
invention ideas seemingly fall into their laps -
that's the easy part. Things take a difficult turn
when they try to get anyone to talk business about
their idea.
Often an inventor's
latest brainstorm results in the greatest idea in
the world that's sure to make millions and solve
problems that face everyday people. Unfortunately,
the world doesn't work so easily. Most business
people won't talk about ideas on the fly, because
they're understandable busy. So, how do you get
through and open a dialogue? With a product sample.
Unfortunately for
inventors, there are dozens of companies salivating
at the mouth ready to try to convince someone that
their ticket to the good life is a poorly-rendered
hand-drawn depiction of their invention with a lump
of wax and a patent. Sure these organizations are
quick to take someone's money, but do they convey an
inventor's vision and clearly demonstrate it? Will
that patent protect an idea that needs to be changed
for manufacturing? To answer these questions and
have a serious business dialogue, an inventor needs
a working product sample that almost looks like it
was pulled right off the shelf of a retail store.
Business people
deal in the world of reality, so make it easy for
them to see you mean business.
A long time ago, I
tried to sell ideas from patent drawings, as well as
fancy artist renditions of my concepts. It got me
nowhere. After a great deal of effort, and in some
cases arguments with company executives I wanted to
work with, I heard, "I can't show this to my retail
buyer for an order or a commitment for an order." I
then realized that manufacturers produced new
product samples complete with engineering and
full-color graphics to show potential retail buyers.
These buyers want products, not wax models and not
pieces of paper with fancy drawings.
Put yourself in a
corporate decision-maker's shoes. You see one person
walk into your office with a product idea sketched
onto a piece of paper. You review it, but have
little information to indicate if your current
factories can produce this or if it even works.
You're sure a retailer won't make a decision on
something they can't interact with. Now, a second
person walks in with a new product ready for
manufacturing with full-color sample packaging that
matches your current line of selling products. In
addition, they've provided you with engineering
drawings that detail the manufacturing requirements
of the product.
Well, you're the
decision maker, who's ready to do business and who
came unprepared?
In review, don't let
anyone tell you you're going to be rich with just an
idea. If someone does and they're trying to sell you
services, think twice. Pursuing your invention takes
work and it's risky. Also, you need a product sample
that can be manufactured. Show decision makers you
mean business and don't waste their valuable time.
|
