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Business/Marketing question Has anyone ever invented/produced and marketed their own product? If so, do you have an ideas or advice for someone just getting started? I have no real idea where to start...:confused: |
I have invented/created several items that I market. The first thing that many people will tell you is to protect your ideas via copyright, patent, etc. However, these "protections" will not prevent someone from stealing your idea and changing it marginally and marketing it. Unfortunately it is LEGAL- and legal does not necessarily equal moral and ethical. One of the things that I created was a "diaper" for miniature horses -- it is a special bag for catching poop. Diapers are required in many towns when you participate in parades. I developed my own diaper because I couldn't find one for sale and not long after I offered them to my friends on a miniature horse forum, other vendors began to offer very similar products. I was like hummmmm :confused::confused::confused: what's up with this. Now most sites that sell driving equipment for miniature horses carry mini diapers. So I guess one of the most important things I can tell you is that once you make your invention public, expect that others will duplicate it in part or in whole. |
Yes, that is a concern but I don't know any way of getting around it. I have trademarked my product logo and will file for a copyright on my book when I do the final edit and get the illustrations finished. This is all new to me and I don't step outside the box very often so this is a huge thing for me. |
Uff, big topic :)! I did marketing/product marketing/program marketing for Medtronic...and even tho it was for implantable pacemakers and defibs, the same principles apply. Now, you are talking about "marketing" right? As in, how to sell it to your audience? Some of the first things to do is to identify your audience and what need(s) the product is fulfilling, and whether the market is saturated. If it is fairly saturated, you have to differentiate your product in a meaningful way to your audience. Once you get some of that nailed down....you need to develop a positioning statement; from there, a tag line. You also have to do BRAND marketing..if you're planning on doing more than one product. Product marking and Brand mktg are totally different. You need to get a pencil/paper, or white board, or whatevs and brainstorm brainstorm brainstorm...and don't work in a vacuum, you have to run it by other people to see if it's meaningful etcetera. This is a fairly good chart about the process of marketing: Segmenting and positioning - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia So, a tag line is like: Walmart - Always Low Prices --or-- Altoids: Curiously Strong Mints This is process for developing a positioning statement:
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Good information, thank you! I can honestly say there is nothing like my product out there...I've checked! I have a good idea...I just have to figure out how to take the first big step...otherwise I have a lot of my own product to use up! Yes, I am talking about marketing. I have my product made...just need to know how to go about it from there. I'll read the link you provided and put my thinking cap on. I've already ran it by several people and they think it's a great idea and everyone said they would buy my product. I know Mothers don't count because they always think their children do great things but...she's getting one for Christmas :) Quote:
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