Are you an inventor?
So you bolted awake at 3 a.m.
with a can't-miss new invention
design. Or it came to you in the shower, on your way to pick
up the kids at soccer or out of necessity while trying to
solve a problem. No matter what the inspiration, you have a
new invention design. And you've got the excitement and
energy to do something about it but you're not quite sure
where to start. If you are an
inventor than Protomine has the perfect
invention development platform available on the web!
Overcome the
Obstacles
In addition to setting aside
your false beliefs, taking action
involves shifting your approach to
challenges that develop along the way.
As an inventor, you're an
entrepreneur
who already thinks creatively. That
creativity will benefit you throughout
the inventing process. We encourage you
to tap into those creative thinking
abilities as you proceed through the
inventing process. When you're
confronted with a challenge, don't
change your goals but your plan of
action. Constantly create
new options
for yourself during all the steps as an
inventor and you will succeed.
About: New Product Development
In todays market, new
product development (NPD) is a term used to describe a
complete process of bringing a new product or service to
the marketplace. There are two similar paths involved in
any NPD process: one involves the idea generation,
product design, and finite engineering; the other
involves market research and marketing analysis.
Companies usually see new product
development as the
first and most important stage in generating and
commercializing new products within the overall
strategic process of product life cycle management which
is used to maintain or grow their market share.
So what should your
very first action be:
-Getting a
patent, perhaps?
-Going on a fact-finding mission to
manufacturers in China?
-Calling QVC?
While all these steps may be appropriate
down the line, it's critically important
that you first take action by shifting
your thought
process. I know what you're
thinking. Thinking doesn't seem very
actionable, does it? Maybe not, but over
the years, countless
inventors make
devastating mistakes based on false
beliefs and inaccurate assumptions.
For this reason debunking some common
myths associated with inventing is
important. Myths and misperceptions can
be debilitating to your progress and
costly to your pocket book. Although it
may not seem very "actionable," it's
vital to begin the
inventing process
with a realistic understanding of some
of the basics for bringing an
idea to
market.
The following are
among the most common myths:mong the most common myths:
Myth #1: The
first thing an
inventor
should do is get
a
patent.
Truth:
It's understandable why this is such a
commonly held belief. The topic of
getting a patent is so pervasive among
the inventing literature, conferences,
websites and tv commercials, it's no
wonder that many people feel they can't
move forward without getting a patent
first. Many
inventors spend 80 -100% of
their initial effort and money on
obtaining a patent because that is the
myth that's been sold and supported by
those who stand to profit from it.
Certainly a patent can be a valuable
tool later in the process, but you
should first determine the viability of
your
invention as a business before
moving forward. Remember that filing a
patent has little impact on a successful
product launch & cost $10,000 or more-so
unless getting a patent for its own sake
is your end goal, it doesn't usually
make good business sense to apply for a
patent first thing off the bat. Most
importantly- if you file a patent first,
then encounter overwhelming obstacles
later on, you may have invested in a
patent for nothing.
Myth #2: If I
tell people my idea, they'll steal it.
Truth:
The theft of a new invention idea is
actually very rare. A lot of sweat
equity goes into
developing an invention
and this is a big barrier to most
potential "thieves." That doesn't mean
ideas are never stolen. Keep in mind,
copying and competition are facts in any
business. However, once you have an
understanding of how much work goes into
taking an idea to
market, you'll
understand why most ideas are stolen
only after a product's proven
successful. It's like betting on a
horse. You're more likely to win by
betting on a horse with a winning record
than you are by backing an unproven long
shot. That being said, don't be
careless.
Myth #3: My idea is worth a million dollars!
Truth:
Earning a million dollars with an
invention is less likely than making
slightly lesser amount depending on the
depth of your invention. Study the
process, set realistic expectations,
take action, work hard and you can find
success, especially if you have more
than one marketable idea.
Why use the
Protomine Process?
The Protomine process
was created to offer an alternative to expensive
invention submission companies that offer so much
and produce so little. Do the research and we know
you'll see the difference.
What
does it cost to develop a product?
Manufacturers follow a complicated and costly
product development process called
product lifecycle management (plm). This approach
encompasses the complete lifecycle from
concept
design through
manufacturing and
disposal
of a product. The typical cost for product
development starts at around $100,000 for simple
concepts and rises dramatically for more complicated
concepts.
What
are they promising you?
Organizations such as invention
submission companies offer costly services promising
to develop your concept for $5-$20,000 (a fraction of
what it really costs) while delivering very little in
return and producing very
poor success rates.
The
Reality
Paying high prices to
outside companies to "develop"
or "patent"
your product is often unnecessary if you just want to
license
your
concept. Ultimately the distributor incurs the real
costs of development and in return offers a
licensing
contract. Your job is to present an appealing product
presentation and deliver it to the right people!
proprietary
process contains a complete checklist of items companies
want in order to make informed decisions on whether or
not to carry your product design. So forget about
expensive
invention submission companies and everyone else
trying to take your money and
do-it-yourself
