Inventing a product

[twenty]

As a struggling college student (20yrs old - just dont feel like college is for me) and aspiring entrepreneur / future business owner I've been thinking a lot lately. Well, today while doing something I absolutely love (fitness) an idea for a new product dawned on me that I've never seen, heard, or thought of before. I looked around, and saw numerous people who could benefit from this product right infront of my own eyes (in the gym)! When I got home I searched the net using 3 different search engines, ebay, and other websites that support my hobby along with millions of others around the world & found nothing! Anyway, I believe the first step is to get patent on my idea. What are the next steps I should take personally after the patent? I would love insightful info from someone whos actually done this before ...

Thanks in advance

[pboychuk]

I am working on the same process, although i have not started, keep me updated on your process, hopefully we can exchange helpful info.

[NotRob]

The first step is to find out if it can be patented and that it doesn't interfere with an existing patent. You're gonna have to consult the patent law and search their databases (or talk to a lawyer) (or me, I do research explanations, tutorials, and overviews for comparative pocket-change)

If you can, and lets assume you do, patent your invention, you need to determine why someone would want to buy this product. Unfortunately (in the end) it doesn't matter whether they would benefit or not (making an income is the #1 priority afterall), what matters is --> if they want to buy it.

That's a whole other angle that requires some understanding of Advertising (psychology, group psychology, and sociology couldn't hurt either).

[GuyBBY]

This is what YEs all about!

PBoy, still working on the boat thing?

[ron komorowski]

Hello! I am an inventor that is past that beginning stage and maybe I can help you. My invention was half invented in the gym and half from medical self study. It is called Handi-Straps.

Now listen to me. FIRST thing is find an inventors group in your area. If you want you can go to my website Handi Straps Lifting System Home , go to the resource page, click on the spot for the inventors group, get on there and look for the link to our other (sister) inventors website. There you will find a list of every inventors group in the country.

Next...you MUST get yourself a book on inventing and read. The idea of bringing an invention to market can be long and complicated but cah be done with one thought out step at a time.

Learn about Provisional patents. This gives you one year to file for a full patent and costs $100 filing fee and you can call your invention patent pending and shop to manufacturers if you wish. The provisional is used now by many professional independent inventors. I wrote my own provisionals and quite crude.

DO NOT go to an invention submission company! You go either to a patent agent or patent lawyer (agents are about half price) GO TO THE INVENTORS GROUP to find a recommended agent/lawyer. There can be very poor and shady performances by patent lawyers. TRUST ME.

Before you get gung ho check for manufacturers that you may be able to approach, retailers, distributors etc as soon as you can. Make sure your first invention isn't as complicated as a new treadmill that will take 50 million just to set up a large factory to start production. I hope your idea is small and manageable for you.

Here are some of my favorite books to read on the subject: Salesman of the Century by Ron Popeill (the guy that made infomercials popular with all the kitchen stuff)
Don Kracke Cash In On Your Million Dollar Idea (something like that, search his name as author)
Jack Lander (He has a new book...very good...you can find his info on my resource page too)

These books are LOADED with all you will ever need to know. Read them before you INVEST ONE DIME in your idea.

You can contact me here or through the email support of my website with any questions you may have. Remember, YOU MUST DO EXTENSIVE RESEARCH IN THE FIELD OF INVENTING TO EVER HAVE ANY CHANCE WHATSOEVER!!!!!!!! Good luck!

Ron Komorowski
Inventor of Handi-Straps

[twenty]

Thanks for the help everyone, & Ron

I wrote you a PM aka "private message" but I guess you saw my thread already so you can disregard that.

Anyway, I am beginning to research and Im pretty excited. I'm sketching up a few ideas at the moment just to get my ideas on paper.

It's a simple device that i have not seen on the market. It's just making life easier in the gym pretty much.

I have class tomorrow in the morning, so i'll update later on.

night everyone

oh by the way, I'm from new jersey as well.

[twenty]

Just a thought, my idea isn't something big (size wise), or isn't going to be the "next big thing" so to speak.

This seems like a product that an existing company could add to its product line and you could find in retail stores and your local gym/sporting goods location.

I just thought I should throw that out there.

[jasaunders]

Just some advice... There are tons of inventors who invent products their whole life and have nothing to show for it except for some semi-ridiculous gadgets. There are tens of thousands of patents that sit dormant that know one knows or cares about.

Before you waste your time, energy and money on this idea, you should really do market research to see if there is really a need for this. Does your device solve a problem? Would people actually buy the product? There are a lot of cool inventions out there that are worthless, so before you make the investment, spend some time determining feasibility.

An inventor is not an entrepreneur. They are two different things. An inventor creates things, innovates, or finds new ways of doing things. An entrepreneur builds a business around innovation and new ways of doing things. An inventor could create the best invention in the world that no one wants to buy. An entrepreneur could create the worst invention in the world that everyone wants to buy. Just some food for thought.

[ron komorowski]

Hello...you are right about researching the market and may I add the manufacturers you need BEFORE you start with the legal process of patenting.

I know so many inventors that cannot even get their product manufactured even after a patent was granted. The patent is the easy part for sure.

You are very off when you say an inventor cannot be an entrepreneur. I am doing all the marketing for my invention. I am an entrepreneur by heart and always was and my invention will be one of the most historic inventions of all time and I have another coming just as big.

The main reason why some inventors invent their whole life and have nothing to show for it is because they never learned any entrepreneur traits. THIS IS A MUST!!!!! An inventor must be able to SELL...AND IT'S A BIG SALE...to manufacturers and maybe investors and sell the reasons why.

Let me tell you, this sale by an inventor which is mandatory probably is the biggest sale one could ever make. So, as you see, an inventor must be an entrepreneur in some way. Also, entrepreneurs are inventors in my eyes!!! They invent new ways of business all the time! They have to!

Some famous inventor/entrepreneurs: Thomas Edison (Con Ed) Steve Jobs & Steve Wozniak (Apple computers) Bill Gates, Ron Popeill, Dave Thomas, Ray Krock (I consider a type of inventor....method of doing business is now patentable) Walt Disney...there are many as others did not believe in their "loony" idea...so they went at it themselves.

Ron
Inventor of Handi-Straps
Handi Straps Lifting System Home

[jasaunders]

I never said an inventor cannot be an entrepreneur. I just said they are two seperate things. Someone can definately be both an inventor and entrepreneur.

[cldeans]

I agree with Joshua and Ron - check out any market research that you can find (check the libraries and ask the reference librarian for some pointers... try fitness trade association websites, and government departments who might be doing research). Work out what the market size is likely to be. Have a think about how you will get your product to market, how you will get people interested in it, how you will sell it. These things, as much as financial projections and the logistics of manufacturing, are all vital before you decide to go ahead and invest all your time in the invention and prototyping process.

[dmanzaro]

hello...i also have an idea for an invention that isn't the "next big thing," but i feel that a lot of college students could benefit from it and would be interested in buying it..i've seen new inventions made targeted toward collefe students in particular and some inventions are very basic but are geared toward the college lifestyle and sell very well...how would i go about this? is it even worth trying to patent my idea if its not "the next big thing"?? i feel that the product could be added to a few companies lines of products in which this invention would categorized under...are those inventions made by the company or individuals like me?