How to Be A Successful Inventor

Many aspiring inventors make three mistakes: They try to invent the wrong things, don’t have the persistence (or patience) to stay with a good idea until it pays off, and they don’t go about selling their inventions the right way. And bear in mind that it may be years befote a basically good idea begins to affect the inventor’s bank account favorably (The consumer market is a fickle one; the industrial field may pay more). When you try to sell your product or service, the people around the table will usually tell you all the reasons it isn’t any good. It’s partly because they didn’t think of it, partly because they may be taking a huge risk if they buy it, and partly because it’s always hard work to turn an idea into a product ready to sell. Pick three companies that could logically use and produce your invention. Present it to all three at the same time. Tell each one that two others are looking at it. Fear of competition is a stronger motivating force than desire for a new product. To increase your chances of success:

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• Persistence (or stubborness, determination, foolhardiness, you name it)
• Know-how
• A knack for producing the right thing for the right purpose (and at the right time)

1. An unusual invention from Asia 1. Invent by the rules (for the most part)-Companies have a huge investment in their going product and don’t like to gamble. If they tried something totally new and it didn’t catch on, they could or would be wiped out. What a company WILL buy is something that won’t interfere with the going product (or may enhance it).
2. Sometimes all that's needed is a new spin on an old problem or a new twist to a solution. 2. Look to new materials for ideas-There’s a vast amount of inventing done by applying new materials to old problems.
3. More great inventions 3. Be alert to new ideas everywhere-Read trade magazines, go on plant tours, talk to people who work in factories. At work, look around and see what’s being done by hand, or where a process is complex, messy or expensive. Always ask yourself: “What can be done more effectively, better, cheaper, or differently?”
4. Several of these inventions can work for the business owner or average consumer. 4. Apply your ideas in many fields-While you’re developing your product, service, or process for one area, continue working on your second or other products. Diversify!
5. A proud inventor at his work 5. If you have a good idea, keep trying-There’s an excellent summer show on ABC called “American Inventor” (If you haven’t seen it yet, check it out. Hopefully, it should be back for Season Three this summer. And no, I’m not employed by ABC!). Many, if not most of its featured inventors have labored for years on their products or services. Most get turned down; most only make it to the preliminary rounds. But through their tears and disappointment, most vow to keep up because they believe, they KNOW their product or service is great. And that’s what you’ll need to do: Never Give Up!

Tips & Warnings

• You can develop inventive ability for more than you may believe possible by utilizing creative thinking.
• There's a common pattern used by many inventors and creative individuals. This pattern is:
• Motivation-You have a great interest in any potential problems or solutions and a strong desire to solve them
• General background knowledge-Very important; other things being equal, the one who has a broad knowledge of many fields and a lot of prior expeirence can come up with new and significant creative ideas more easily and rapidly than the individual who has only a specialized knowledge of one field.