Bring it to Market, But HOW ?

[kellyseye]

Research.

Firstly, have you researched the 'demand' for this item? If it is entirely 'new' to the market (i.e. performs a function previously unheard of) have you distributed it to impartial users for constructive feedback?

If your device passes the above then you have to be brazen enough to go knocking on doors.
Door knocking can be as simple as a letter to interested parties - which will likely be one letter of many that they receive and therefore gets little/no attention or you can use the 'direct' approach.
'Direct' could be anywhere from your local bank (the least likely to help given recent well-advertised attitudes to the public) right up to the Managing Director of the biggest manufacturing company you can find locally - nationally if you're that convinced it's a good idea.
According to various reports, making appointments is perhaps the worst way to go about this and arriving on the doorstep unannounced and being quite insistent about seeing someone may be the required action to take.

The hardest part is being ready to accept rejection. Not all recipients of your device will either understand or appreciate what it is or what it could do or offer unless you are very specific about who you approach. 10's or 100's of rejections doesn't necessarily mean your idea is a dud but you do have to prepare for the fact.

Make your presentation simple, direct, succinct and be prepared to leave a concise package/sample for them to test at their leisure. It's easy enough to protect yourself and your idea by retaining the coding and securing copies of your 'package' with a solicitor or other registered keeper of documents.

TV programs have amply illustrated that the boldest are the most successful. If you don't have the bottle to do 'all of the above' be prepared to show someone who IS and let them act on your behalf.

No-one ever said that success comes easily or cheaply.

[Heckler]

WOW! Kellyseye, For your first post, it was a good one. Welcome to the forum.

I wish I could add to this topic... but I have no experience here.
Your comments, though, seem spot on.

[ronsimpson]

Marketing MARKETING marketing…..I can’t say this enough. Look at what they sale on night time TV.
A really good product and no marketing = 0
I have built too many prototypes just to see the inventor fail to sale the first one.
Several of us have www.stores and might help. I know it is very scary to talk about a new idea. If you could just hint at what field, maybe one of us is in that field and could help.
I consult for several companies. Is your product in the area of blinking LEDs, toys, sporting goods, flashlights, camping gear, bicycles? I know a company that routinely talks to inventers.

[rmteo]

This product was recently launched and appears to be well received. You may get some ideas by taking a look at its website here What is Panel Pilot?

[mackrackit]

http://www.kickstarter.com/
Might be an option.

[Archangel]

I get Ideas. Ideas that run the whole spectrum, from wood working tools, household appliances, really few are electronic, but some are. I do not want to build a manufacturing empire and make MyWidgets and work forever. I want to sell the concept and prototypes and tooling and move on to the NEXT idea. I am 55 and I have already worked 40 years. So when I ask how to sell, I mean sell it all and move on. Let Ron Popeil invent a job for himself, I want to invent one for someone else. Every time someone complains, that is opportunity calling ! Inventing is relatively easy, Finding a need is tougher, selling the solution to someone who wants to work, that's the mystery.
I KNOW, some of you have the magic I seek. I understand the royalty is a very small percent. A very small percent of a whole lot of products makes life very comfortable. I took a seminar with Mike Rounds back in the early 90s (He Co-invented the Teddy Ruxpin Bear) and He said the royalty was on the order of 3 percent.

I will follow the links you guys posted and learn what is there, Thank You.

Please continue to comment, I take suggestions and criticism pretty well, and something you say to me may help me or someone else who reads this thread.
Again, Thank You.
JS

[khoog]

How does the song go?

"Most people just sit on their butts,
They've got the dream but not the guts"

Hate to be the one to burst your bubble, Joe, but ideas and inventions are a dime a dozen. Most successful products don't start out that way (bottom up). They start with a market niche and an existing product with some weaknesses.

If you start with this "top down" approach, you will already know who your customers are and how to sell to them. Only then should you "invent" something.

Unless you have a clear track record of your ideas making other people rich, you're probably better off buying lottery tickets than trying to sell just an idea.

Also, you're wrong about patents. If you have nothing else. a patent gives you some credibility and shows that you are at least somewhat serious about your product.