Bring it to Market, But HOW ?

[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.

[Archangel]

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.

Thank You for your comments,
I agree Ideas are a dime a dozen, I want those dimes !
As for Wrong about patents . . been wrong before, will be again I am sure, I do have some pretty good company on this issue, Including Mr. Ciarca, and Mr. Lancaster, to name 2. Nevertheless, the whole purpose of this thread is to solicit arguments to EVERY position, in order to become better informed, so even though your post does not agree with every opinion of mine, or maybe because it does not agree, I find it valuable. As for bursting my bubble . . . ugh uh, no bubble to burst, this is not a dream, it's research. Thanks again, if you have additional thoughts, please feel free to share them.

[rmteo]

....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.

Couldn't agree more more with that statement. People aren't interested in paying or investing money in ideas/designs/inventions. What they want to see is a well researched (and documented) business plan that will give them a clear picture of how/when/how much money (or return) they can get for their investment. Even with a business plan in hand (which involves a lot more than coming up with an idea and getting it to work - I would say that the idea/design/prototype phase accounts for maybe 5-10% of the total), be prepared for a large number of rejections before anyone will bite - if at all. Sounds like you are placing too much faith in the "build a better mousetrap and the world will beat a path to your door" concept, Joe.

[rmteo]

...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.

Couldn't agree more. Here my recent patent http://www.freshpatents.com/-dt20101...0100320666.php