The process of taking an idea and materializing it in the form of a product can take a lot of time and demands a lot of effort and money.
That means that if you have an idea for a new product and want to maximize your chances of being successful, you should take the appropriate steps to turn that concept into a product that can be sold.
The more you know about these steps, the easier it will be for you to design a strategy for launching a product that might be the next big hit on the market.
In this article, we will discuss the process of moving a product from its conceptual stage to the marketplace while learning about all of the legal patent regulations along the way. But before you get to the part where you’ll need the services of a reliable technology pattern law firm, here’s what you should do to transform an idea that you have into a new product that has the potential to be successful in the market.
Document Your Idea
Ideas are limitless and ethereal, yet the source of all great things is the generation of great ideas. When you claim anything as your own, it is also hard to provide proof of these things. It is possible that keeping a record of your idea in a diary or in your computer will not only enable you to keep track of the steps you take to bring your concept closer to reality, but it will also serve as evidence that the concept was conceived only by you.
Search For Any Relevant Patents
It is essential to ensure that a new product doesn’t already exist before devoting resources, such as time and money, to its development. If you search with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), you will be able to find out what cannot be patented. A broad search may also offer you an idea of what else is available and who can be considered your possible competitors.
Conduct A Thorough Research On The Marketplace
Conducting market research might assist you to determine how many customers or companies would be interested in using the product you’re trying to develop from your idea. A new product takes a lot of time and works to develop, and the more you know about what’s already available, the more prepared you will be for the challenges that you may face along the road. Conduct research on current market tendencies and educate yourself on copyright and intellectual property laws as they relate to your specific industry.
Make A Prototype
A product’s first working model is referred to as its prototype. Before you decide to launch a product, it may be helpful to build a prototype of your product concept. This will allow you to detect and resolve design flaws as well as other concerns.
There are many ways to make a prototype. By enlisting the help of professional consulting engineers who can help you with funding applications and producing calculations or using specialist engineering software, each has the ability to make this process easier. From here, you can develop a sketch of your idea. This drawing should be in a format that a prototyping company may use to construct a prototype of your product.
You can create a prototype of your product on your own with your in-house machinery, or you can partner up with injection molding services if your prototype needs to be molded and you don’t have the needed machinery for manufacturing readily available at your premises.
Submit a Patent
Once you’re satisfied with your prototype, it’s finally time to submit a patent application now that your design has all of the wrinkles ironed out. You will have to decide between a utility patent and a design patent, which are the two primary types of patents.
You can draft the patent and complete the application on your own, but you shouldn’t file it until a qualified patent expert has reviewed it. If an innovation is truly valuable, it will be infringed upon. When a rival discovers a loophole that permits them to steal your invention, you will be tearing your hair out if you do not have a solid patent written by a patent attorney or agency. To prevent any legal issues in the future, it is important to get legal assistance as soon as possible.
Promote The Sale Of Your Invention
It is time for you to decide how you will go about bringing your product to market at this point. Get things going with a solid business strategy. How do you intend to make money? How will you get the word out about the product?
You should make a decision on whether you will produce and sell the product yourself, or you will license it to another firm so that it may be sold through them. If you license your product, the royalty payments you receive will most likely only amount to 2-5% of the sale price. But there is a positive side to this: you won’t have the burden of financial responsibility that comes along with running a business. You could wind up with more money as a result of doing this in the long term.
Final Thoughts
It is essential to keep in mind that it may take a very long time from the moment you get an idea to the moment that your finished product is available for purchase in a store. The majority of innovations don’t see the light of day for many years. Your years of toil will, at last, pay off if you can maintain your patience and follow the steps to patent your idea with the dedication and care that are required.