Inventor's Handbook
Easing the Trip to Market

If you build it, will they come?

by Erik McMillan

The world is full of brilliant people with exceptional product ideas, ideas that may advance the way our world is run. In 1899, a patent official retired from office because, "Everything that can be invented has been invented." His belief is regularly contradicted by the thousands of inventors who register with the US patent office every year. Inventing a new product isn't easy, and taking it to market is even more difficult. This report will explain the concepts that inventors, companies, and people with ideas should understand before making the move to fame. Topics covered include: protecting inventions, manufacturing the product, getting resources and financing, testing the market, and preparing products for market.

Knowing the basics of taking an invention to market will enable inventors to protect themselves and their ideas, and provide the groundwork to turn their ideas into reality. Few inventions make it to the marketplace; this paper is aimed at helping inventors become Product-Smart.

Paper outline

• Protecting inventions
  • Patent search
  • Provisional patent
  • Formal patent
  • Patent lawyers
• Manufacturing the product
  • Manufacturing choices
  • Manufacturing prototypes
  • Shipping & importing
• Getting resources and financing
  • Needed funding & business plan
  • Where to get funding
  • Tips
  • Conclusion
• Testing the market
  • Potential customers
  • How much will they pay?
  • Survey potential customers
  • Barriers to entry
  • Know the competition
  • Conclusion
• Preparing products for market
  • Legal & financial protection
  • Packaging
  • Manuals & Documentation
  • Warranties
  • Full package creation
  • The Web site
  • Money, invoicing & taxes
  • Shipping & distribution
  • Conclusion
• Closing thoughts
• Download the entire paper

Check out the Silent Timer Web site to see the product Erik took to market. Contact him with any questions.