Don's Articles on Inventors from Entrepreneur Magazine

These articles are organized by topic. To view, click on the topic you are interested in.
 

Online Sales

Using Expert Help

Dealing with Competitors

Licensing

Finding a Good Market for Your Invention

Product Promotion

How to Read the Market

Outsourcing

Patents and Intellectual Property Protection

Getting Products into Mass-market Retailers

Selling to Catalogs

Infomercials and Television Sales

Market Research

Selling Food Inventions

Funding Your Invention

Prototypes

Product Pricing

Product Evaluation

Manufacturing

Low Cost Strategies

Creating a Lasting Business

Finding Ideas

Private Labeling

Packaging

Selling Overseas

Special Legal Issues

Online Sales:

All Systems Go
Here's how to get sales of your new product off the ground, using the Internet as your launching pad.
Column Date: October 2003
Topic: How to Launch a New Product Using the Internet

Want Some of This?
A good product is nothing without a customer who wants to buy it.
Column Date: June 2002
Inventor: Stephanie Keller
Invention: Innovative eyelash curler
Topic: How inventors can take advantage of Internet Usenet sites to research their market idea.

Don't Stay in the Dark!
Here's how to make sure your big invention sees the light of day.
Column Date: September 200
Inventor: Melody and Byron Swetland
Invention: Tekno Bubbles
Topic: How inventors can take a hard to sell product and find success on the Internet.

Who Needs ‘Em?
Traditional retailers are no longer the only game in town.
Column Date: July 2000
Inventor: Craig Winchell
Invention: Board Game Conscience
Topic: How an inventor was able to use Internet retailers to successfully launch his toy product after being turned down by major toy retailers.

Using Expert Help:

Wise Up!
When it comes to inventing a successful product, experience may be your best asset.
Column Date: October 2003
Inventor: Bob Olodort
Invention: The Stowaway Keyboard
Topic: How inventors can learn from experiences on previous inventions to hit big time success

Join the Club
Launching your first product? Get by with a little help from your friends at an inventors' group.
Column Date: May 2003
Inventor: Mary Elroy
Invention: Great States board game and the Magic Sprinkler among others.
Topic: How local inventors groups and clubs can provide valuable assistance to inventors not sure how to launch their products.

In Good Company
Got a great idea but don't have the time to develop it yourself? Why not hire an invention marketing firm to turn your great idea into a great product?
Column Date: October 2000
Inventor: Scott Nastazio
Invention: Tee Ball Caddy, a device golfers can wear on their belt to hold tees and golf balls.
Topic: What inventors can expect from an invention marketing company.

Powerful Partners
Why do it yourself when you can have someone else market your invention?
April 2000

Join Hands
Pair an inventor's idea with your business know-how, and get ready for success.
September 2005

Father Of Invention
Meet a man who holds more than 60 U.S. patents. (You might learn a thing or two!)
August 1998

Know-It-Alls
Product development companies make getting your invention to market a cinch.
December 1997

Dealing with Competitors:

Send in the Clones
Will competitors' knockoffs destroy your products' edge? Not if you don't let them.
Column Date: September 2003
Inventor: Jay Sorenson
Invention: Java Jacket
Topic: How inventors can prosper even when faced with competition from major companies

Finning the Flames
With a flash of creativity, you can swim circles around the competition.
Column Date: July 2003
Inventor: Bob Evans
Invention: Force Fins, a V shaped swimming fin that is used by underwater photographers, army divers and other professional or serious divers.
Topic: How an inventor can keep coming up with new ideas in his proven invention category to keep competitors at bay.

Original Win
Learn how to respond to knockoffs so you can put your product back on top.
June 2005

Make Your Mark
Want to break into a market overrun with competitors? No matter how crowded the field, you can still come out in front.
May 2004

Power Play
Strategies for creating products that dominate the marketplace
March 1997

On Guard
Fend off copycat competitors with these secret weapons.
February 1997

Licensing:

Inventing Business
People want to start businesses. They just need an idea: yours.
Column Date: April 2001
Inventor: Michael Miller
Invention: Weed Hound
Topic: How someone looking to start a business can do just that by licensing or buying an inventors product.

What Price Technology?
An inexpensive way to introduce your new product
Column Date: August 2000
Topic: The Global Technology Forum, www.yet2.com. A site where inventors with sophisticated inventions can register them as licensing candidates

Taking License
Profit from your great idea by setting up a licensing agreement.
Column Date: October 1998
Inventor: Fred Fink
Invention: Automotive Hood Shock Adjustable Clamp
Topic: How to get a product licensed in the automotive aftermarket industry.

The Big Picture
The right licensing agreement can be the missing piece of the big-business puzzle.
Column Date: November 2003
Inventor: Marlene Carlson
Invention: Puzzle Toes:
Topic: How an inventor can license a product in the clothing industry, have their product in mass merchandisers like Wal-mart, and start collecting big royalties.

Let's Make a Deal
Licensing your idea to a bigger company can mean fewer hassles--and a lot more money in your pocket.
Column Date: June 2003
Topic: Why a licensing a royalty arrangement can be such an attractive deal for an inventor for virtually any type of invention.

Seller's Market
Don't want to leave the selling of your product up to a licensee? Do it yourself on commission.
Column Date: Jan 2003
Topic: How inventors with no money can get a manufacture to produce their product with the profits coming from commission on every unit they sell.

Got a New Idea?
Column Date: July 2003
Entrepreneur: Chris Lawson
Invention: The Lawson Hammock, which is a one person hammock for off the ground use. Includes mosquito netting.
Topic: How entrepreneurs itching to start a business can license an invention for a royalty fee.

Bright Ideas
Learning the finer points of negotiating
July 1997

Finding a Good Market for Your Invention:

Bicycle Built For You?
Race to an industry ripe for invention.
Column Date: March 2001
Inventors: Paul Turner, Rolf Dietrich
Inventions: RockShox and Rolf Wheels
Topic: Why the bicycle industry is a great market for inventors

Here’s Your Chance
Inventors go toy-to-toy for development dollars.
Column Date: July 2000
Inventors: Frank Young and Liz Farley
Invention: Cuddle Fish
Topic: Haystacks Toy Annual Great Toy Hunt

Less Is More
Believe it or not, setting your sights a little lower could be the key to marketing your new product.
Column Date: August 2003
Inventor: Melody Ross
Invention: Scrapbook Products
Topic: Why inventors can succeed in a market if it has a concentrated distribution network where that customer visit regularly.

A Novel Dilemma
To reach potential customers with an avant-garde product, you'll need to have a few tricks up your sleeve.
Column Date: June 2003
Inventor: Brian Glover, Francisco Guerra
Invention: Date rape drug test strips than are placed on abusiness card sized card for use in bars and clubs.
Topic: Non-conventional approach for marketing a product when a convenient distribution channel doesn’t exist

Lighting the Way
In the dark because your oddball product doesn't fit with buyers? There is success at the end of the tunnel.
Column Date: September 2002
Inventor: Carl Vanderschuit
Invention: Light Cubes, freezable cubes with an enclosed LED light and battery that lights up in a drink.
Topic: How to market an invention that just doesn’t seem to properly fit into any specific product category.

Raiser's Edge
Are your attempts at selling to retail stores going nowhere? Maybe your product needs a good fund-raiser.
Column Date: April 2002
Inventor: Ken Joyner
Invention: Bag Grabber, plastic holder for up to five plastic grocery bags
Topic: How an inventor can have their invention sold as a fundraising product by schools, civic groups an the Boy Scouts.

Infantile Inventions
No, no, it's not a bad thing! The baby-products market is the perfect place for brand-new inventors to take their first steps.
Column Date: October 2001
Inventor: Jim Moritz, Greg Nieberding
Invention: Baby Aire Flight Vest, a vest that a baby wears that attaches to a parents seat belt when flying.
Topic: Why the baby products industry is an ideal starting point for many inventions and inventors.

Home Fires Burning
Spark nationwide success for your product with some sales fuel from your local neighborhood stores.
Column Date: July 2001
Inventor: Kelly Green
Invention: 8th Wonder Fat Free Fries
Topic: How inventors can leverage success in their local market into a successful national product launch.

The Shallow End
Don’t start by diving into bigger markets—get your product’s feet wet by finding a profitable niche.
Column Date: June 2001
Inventor: Kelly Green
Invention: Swim Cords
Topic: Why inventors are often better off on their first invention going after a small market with a niche product. The second time around inventors can try for a bigger market.

Zzzzzz . . .
Worried your product will be a bore to consumers who think they’ve seen it all before? A good marketing strategy will let you rest easy.
Column Date: February 2001
Inventor: Linda May
Invention: Save My Face Pillow
Topic: How inventors can use specialty retail outlets to position their product as clearly superior to competitive products.

My Buddy and Me
Got an idea for a cool promotional product? Read how this entrepreneur turned her simple idea into a successful business.
Column Date: September 2000
Inventor: Cindy Jones
Invention: Antenna Buddies
Topic: How one inventor parlayed success on MTV into a licensing agreement with a automotive aftermarket supplier.

Spread it Around
Find the best way to distribute your product, and you'll rake in the profits.
June 2004

Sky's the Limit
Think your product has limited appeal? It may have more potential than you know.
April 2004

Farmers' Market
Like good gardeners, manufacturers' reps know the landscape and can help yield you a large cash crop.
February 2002

Product Promotion:

Master Plan
If you want to see your product get on store shelves, you’d better have more than one plan in place.
Column Date December 2000
Inventor: Kevin Ridolfi
Invention: T Mate Golf Aid
Topic: A great product won’t succeed unless it has great promotion

Hoop Dreams
When you're having trouble finding a manufacturer for your product, these ideas may help you locate the one you want.
Column Date: January 2001
Inventor: Jason Parr
Invention: Basketball nets that mount on a pick-up truck
Topic: How to use promotional events and programs to generate interest in an idea that at first appears to be going nowhere.

Big Boost
Even though you've got a great idea, hurdles along the way can stop you dead. Find out how this entrepreneur bashed through the barriers to create a successful product.
Column Date: November 2000
Inventor: Stephanie Heroff
Invention: Sewed in bras for spaghetti strap tops for young women.
Topic: What steps inventors can take when manufacturers don’t understand how to make your product and retailers don’t understand how to stock it.

Get Noticed
If it’s not distinctive, it won’t sell.
Column Date: August 2000
Inventor: Rob Albert
Invention” Bug Buttons, fragrant buttons that help chase away biting insects
Topic: How inventors can create that extra strong first impression that will create the sizzle needed to launch a new product.

Make 'Em Talk
Jump-start sales the simple way—with endorsements.
Column Date: September 2001
Inventor: Daniel Henry
Invention: Wipe Out, CD Repair Kit
Topic: How an inventor, with a product that woks so well people can’t believe it, was able to turn sales around with key product endorsements.

Show and Tell
Don't expect things to happen from your dusty garage--bring your invention into the limelight.
March 2000

Brush with Success
Florida entrepreneurs win exposure to millions of potential customers--and dollars.
January 2000

What's in a Name?
Possibly your entire image. Before you rush to get your product on the market, take the time to choose the right name.
October 1999

Top Honors
Winning a contest can catapult your invention into the mainstream.
April 2005

Brand Aid
How building your brand and expanding your line can be the key to your success
March 2005

Breaking the Ice
Want skeptical customers to warm up to your product? Here's the scoop on how to win them over.
February 2005

All Fired Up
With the right marketing plan, your product will blaze trails across the globe.
July 2004

Now Presenting...
The best approach to finding buyers for your idea.
June 1997

Pump Up The Value
Strageties for turning your good idea into a hot seller.
May 1997

How to Read the Market:

20/20 Foresight
You’ve got vision, but do you have the grit to use it?
Column Date: Nov 2000
Invention: Jon Erik Pritchard
Invention: QBE Personal Computing Tablet
Topic: Some products take two or three years to get to the market so you better know how to read upcoming market trends.

Outsourcing:

Foreign Power
Import resellers bring it home.
Column Date: October 2000
Inventor: John Stodolka
Invention: Muffler Conversion Kits
Topic: How to find a company that can help you import your product from a low cost off shore production facility.

Run for the Border
Domestics too costly? Look into foreign manufacturing.
Column Date: March 2002
Inventor: Brian Donnelly
Invention: Chair for elderly and disabled people that are easy to get in and out of.
Topic: How one inventor figured out how to get off shore manufacturing capability to keep his manufacturing costs down.

Portion Control
Thinking about manufacturing offshore? Consider the cost of quotas first.
December 1998

Patents and Intellectual Property Protection:

Free Patent Advice
A must-read straight from the office
Column Date: October 2000
Topic: How to Subscribe to USPTO Today, the free monthly newsletter of the US Patent and Trademark Office

Just Do It
Putting off applying for that patent? You may regret it later.
Column Date: July 2000
Topic: The recent patent ruling that dictates that an inventor product only needs to be offered for sale and be ready for patenting to start the (1) year patent grace period.

Mum's The Word
Keeping your idea confidential
Column Date: January 2000
Inventor: Kazi Ahmed
Invention: Diabetes Monitor
Topic: How you can use confidential agreements during market research to protect your product.

It's The Law
How does the new budget act affect your patent?
Column Date: July 2000
Topic: Changes in the patent law regarding grace periods, first to invent, provisional patents and patent fees.

Hello, My Name Is...
The best way to protect your invention? Brand your name.
December 2000

Do You Copy?
To © or not to ©: How a copyright can protect your creative works
November 1999

Breaking New Ground
You've always been able to patent your inventions. Thanks to recent court rulings, you can now patent your ideas.
May 1999

Buying Time
Have a great idea, but you're not quite ready for a patent? A provisional patent protects your rights--and ''holds your place'' in the Patent Office's line.
March 1999

Property Rights
What gives you the right to your idea? We'll tell you.
January 1999

What Price Protection?
Want to secure your invention with a patent? It's going to cost you.
September 1998

Finders Keepers
Not sure how to choose the right patent attorney? Here's where to look and what to look for.
July 1998

Stop, Thief!
Protecting your invention from copycats and crooks.
January 1998

Ask Me Anything
Answers to the most frequently asked patent questions.
September 1997

On Guard!
When your patent is under attack, these tips can protect it from infringement.
August 1997

Patent Pointers
A pro answers your most common patent questions.
April 1997

Getting Products into Mass-market Retailers:

You Want The Truth?
If you can handle it, Wal-Mart’s panel of experts will tell you how good your invention really is.
Column Date: June 2000
Inventor: Jesse Clute
Invention: Prop a Bye Baby
Topic: Getting a Product into Walmart

The Bigger, the Better
If you need quick cash flow to stay in business—and who doesn't?—skip the small retailers and go straight for companies that buy in bulk.
Column Date: October 2002
Inventor: Sharon Thomas Ray
Invention: Adjustable Zipper Tie
Topic: How inventors without much money can get their business jump started by landing just one big customer.

Singular Sensation
It's your best product. Actually, it's your <I>only</I> product. But you can still get big retailers to take notice.
Column Date November 2001
Inventor: Christopher Carter
Invention: Gutter Pump
Topic: How even a small one line inventor company can make it into a major retailer like Home Depot.

Better with Age
There's nothing new under the sun that doesn't scare retailers.
February 2000

In the Mood
Warm retailers up to your new product, even if it's in a category all its own.
October 2005

Mass Appeal
A local buying program could be the key to getting your product on the shelves of major merchandisers.
August 2005

Tool Time
How one entrepreneur built a better screwdriver--and used smart networking to get it into Sears stores nationwide
July 2005

Pet Project
How one former veterinarian wowed major pet-product retailers--and got her invention on their shelves
May 2005

Breath of Fresh Air
How do you sell buyers on an invention that creates a new product category?
October 2004

Selling to Catalogs:

Break The Chain
Need an audience for your latest invention? Skip the giant retail chains—mail-order catalogs might do a better job of hitting your target.
Column Date: May 2000
Inventor: Chris McKay
Invention: Doodle Top, Magnawatch
Topic How to use catalogs to increase your sales.

Play Your Cards Right
Presenting a case study in striking the best deals to launch your own great product on a limited budget
Column Date: March 2003
Inventor: James and Anthony Tiscone
Invention: Auto Card Manager for Credit Cards
Topic: How inventors can still generate big time sales with a tiny marketing budgets by striking commission deals with airline catalogs.

Infomercials and Television Sales:

Lights, Camera, Action
Airtime on home shopping networks gives your product a big boost.
Column Date: April 2003
Inventor: Jeff Pettit
Invention: Rain on Demand Water Sprinkler
Topic: How an inventor can coordinate a retail stores’ sales with sales over a home shopping network like QVC.

Put a Lid on It!
An infomercial for this inventor's snappy new food containers helped her seal the deal with a large retailer.
December 2005

Market Research:

Test The Waters
Ready to roll with your great idea? Don't make the leap 'til you know what you're getting into.
Column Date: January 2000
Inventor: Kazi Ahmed
Invention: Software for monitoring and managing diabetes’ patients blood sugar level
Topic How to do thorough market research without a patent and without much money.

Selling Food Inventions:

Home Fires Burning
Spark nationwide success for your product with some sales fuel from your local neighborhood stores.
Column Date: July 2001
Inventor: Kelly Green
Invention: 8th Wonder Fat Free Fries
Topic: How inventors can leverage success in their local market into a successful national product launch.

Shelf Life
Want to get your product on grocers' shelves? Don't go it alone.
October 1998

Funding Your Invention:

The Bigger, the Better
If you need quick cash flow to stay in business—and who doesn't?—skip the small retailers and go straight for companies that buy in bulk.
Column Date: October 2002
Inventor: Sharon Thomas Ray
Invention: Adjustable Zipper Tie
Topic: How inventors without much money can get their business jump started by landing just one big customer.

Flight or Fancy
Launching a high-tech product can be a technical and financial challenge. Try these tips to get yours off the ground.
August 2004

Winner's Circle
Your chances of hitting the venture capital jackpot could depend on who you know.
April 1998

Prototypes:

Molded in Your Image
A crude prototype won't show you off in the best light. You need a cheap way to build a better one.
Column Date: August 2001
Inventor: Joe Robertson
Invention: New style of swimming pool filter
Topic: How an inventor can move from a rough model to a polished prototype without spending a lot of money.

Help For Newcomers
Ideas for developing a prototype
Column Date: September 2000
Entrepreneur: Jack Lander
Topic: Suggestions on various tactics that inventors can use to produce a low cost but functional prototype.

Model Approach
Creating a prototype that will wow investors.
October 1997

Product Pricing:

How Much Is Too Much?
When it comes to shipping and handling charges, there are no rules.
February 1998

Product Evaluation:

Testing Your Wings
Will your idea fly? Our expert tests the experts.
June 1998

One of a Kind?
Make your product conform to break away from the norm.
December 2002

Manufacturing:

The Cost Is Clear
Or is it? Keep manufacturing costs in check so you can compete with the big names.
March 2004

Got It Made
Looking for a manufacturer? Here's a blueprint for getting just what you want.
May 1998

Low Cost Strategies:

Warm Reception
How you can revolutionize a stagnant product on a limited budget and still win over your target market
Column Date: December 2003
Inventors: Ron Wilson and Brian Gette
Inventions: 180°s Ear Warmers
Topic: How to create a million dollar business from scratch without any money.

Foreign Power
Import resellers bring it home.
Column Date: October 2000
Inventor: John Stodolka
Invention: Muffler Conversion Kits
Topic: How to find a company that can help you import your product from a low cost off shore production facility.

Run for the Border
Domestics too costly? Look into foreign manufacturing.
Column Date: March 2002
Inventor: Brian Donnelly
Invention: Chair for elderly and disabled people that are easy to get in and out of.
Topic: How one inventor figured out how to get off shore manufacturing capability to keep his manufacturing costs down.

Recipe for Success
Smart partnering can transform a lone inventor into a market force.
September 2004

Keep It Simple
You don't need a mammoth staff or an elaborate office to make millions from your invention.
February 2004

Creating a Lasting Business:

Notions in Motion
Itching to turn an idea into reality? You've got to answer the call and take charge to make it happen.
Column Date: November 2002
Inventor: Randice Lisa Altschul
Inventions: Miami Vice, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and the Simpsons board games. Also Turbo Fist and Racing Fist
Topic: How inventors can keep turning one idea after another into new product success.

Double Your Pleasure
One is never enough: Is another successful product just what your company needs to grow?
December 2001

Finding Ideas:

Look What I Found!
Make the most of the opportunities everybody else has overlooked.
Column Date: July 2002
Inventors: Dan and Russ Schlueter
Invention: Silica sand kitty litter with the benefit that one pound of silica sand holds as much moisture as seven pounds of conventional kitty litter.
Topic: How inventors and product entrepreneurs can learn to look for new products and invention opportunities all around them.

I Needed That
Looking for an innovative product customers will buy? Think of what you need in your work or hobby.
Column Date: May 2002
Inventor: Dan Triabastone
Invention: Operating Room waste water collection system for orthopedic surgery.
Topic: How inventors can many times find their best ideas for an successful invention either at work or in their hobbies.

The Next Big Product
That was their goal; is it yours?
Column Date: October 2000
Inventor: Adam and Bob Rizika and Scott Brazina
Invention: IllumiNITE, a coating that can applied to windbreakers and other fabrics so that they glow in the night when hit with a light.
Topic: Where can product entrepreneurs go to look for a hot new invention with plenty of staying power.

The Write Stuff
Entrepreneurs find success with a new take on a familiar product.
November 2004

First, You Dream
How to take your products from idea to reality.
January 1997

Private Labeling:

At Ease, Private!
Private labeling offers an end to all the woes of dealing with retailers.
Column Date: April 2002
Inventor: Michael Leary
Invention: Clear Plastic Overlay for cracked fingernails
Topic: How private labeling a product can cut down inventors startup costs while still offering big sales opportunities.

Selling Overseas:

Get Exports Moving
The SBA offers international trade tips.
Column Date: September 2000
Topic: How to get help from the US Department of Commerce in selling your invention to overseas markets.

Special Legal Issues: