One of the most difficult challenges faced by independent inventors and entrepreneurs is finding companies that want to license or buy the rights to their inventions or new product ideas.

Well, our Ultimate Inventor Resources includes a section Companies That Accept Product Submissions From Independent Inventors that lists such companies. Note that these are NOT invention marketing companies. Rather, they are real manufacturers with their own product lines that want to add new products and have indicated that they are willing to talk with inventors about adding their products.

But first, be sure to protect your invention by filing a provisional patent application so you have “patent pending” (i.e. a serial number and a filing date for your invention at the patent office). You can file a provisional patent application using our patent preparation service or using our Provisional Patent Application Filing Kit.

Additionally, you can use a Non-Disclosure/Non-Compete (ND/NC) Agreement (see your patent attorney or do a search online for a free one) if the particular company will sign one. This gives you immediate contractual protection if the company discloses or manufactures your invention or new product idea. Therefore, you do not need to wait until a patent would issue on your invention (a several year process and your idea might not be patentable) to stop the company from ripping off your invention or new product idea.

However, most larger companies have their own disclosure agreements and will not allow you to submit your invention or new product idea unless you sign it. These disclosure agreements usually state that your product disclosure to them is NOT confidential and that your only protection (if any) is that provided through the U.S. Patent Office (hence your previous filing of the provisional patent application).

The main reason that larger companies have such disclosure agreements is they are developing their own products in-house and do not want you to later claim that you disclosed a product to them that they were already developing on their own.

Note that while you can use a ND/NC agreement alone as contractual protection against having your invention stolen by a company, you do not have “patent pending” and thus this approach is more risky. Furthermore, if you do not have “patent pending” nor a signed ND/NC agreement before submitting your invention or new product idea, then you are setting yourself up to have it ripped off. Note that this is a general statement of advice and in no way is meant to reflect upon any partuicular company or individual.

Also be sure to do your homework first on any company you are thinking of approaching. Look at their product line(s) to be sure that your invention or new product idea is a good fit. What are their product submission requirements? Will they sign a ND/NC agreement?

Again, here is the link to our Ultimate Inventor Resources:
http://www.inventionpatenting.com/ultimate-inventor-resources.html

and to our “Companies That Accept Product Submissions From Independent Inventors”:
http://www.inventionpatenting.com/companies-that-accept-new-products.html

Best regards,

Brian R. Rayve
Owner, InventionPatenting.com

P.S. Be sure to ask your patent attorney or read our other posts about the ramifications of a “public disclosure” by not using a ND/NC agreement when disclosing your invention or new product idea to companies or other persons (even if you have “patent pending”).

independent inventors entrepreneurs license inventions new product ideas ultimate inventor resources companies that accept product submissions from independent inventors companies that accept product submissions invention marketing companies marketing companies manufacturers product lines new products inventors products protect your inventions provisional patent applications patent pending serial number filing date patent office provisional patents patent preparation services file a provisional patent application provisional patent application filing kit 2010 provisional patent application filing kit patent application filing kit provisional patent filing kit provisional patent kit provisional kit non-disclosure/non-compete agreements non-disclosure agreements non-compete agreements patent attorney search online contractual protection new product ideas patents patentable disclosure agreements product disclosure u.s. patent office us patent office patent office file provisional patent applications file patent applications develop products contractual protection product lines product submission requirements inventionpatenting.com public disclosure

I have talked to many independent inventors and other entrepreneurs who want to get their new products into the “Big Box Retailers” such as Wal-Mart, Costco, Home Depot, K-Mart, PETCO, Sears, J.C. Penney, and others but have no idea how to do so. Well, I decided to do some research to see what is required to qualify and submit products to the big box retailers.

I was surprised by all that I learned and I decided to write an audio CD with corresponding fill-in workbook that explains how you can get your products into the big box retailers. After listening to my new audio CD “Getting Your Products into the Big Box Retailers… NOW!”, you will know the the basics of big box retailing, how to contact retailers, and how to become a Wal-Mart, Costco, Home Depot, K-Mart, PETCO, Sears, and J.C. Penney supplier. I urge you to check it out at: http://www.inventionpatenting.com/inventors-guide-big-box-retailers-cd.html Best regards, Brian R. Rayve Owner, InventionPatenting.com

products big box retailers inventors independent inventors entrepreneurs new products submit products audio cds workbooks big box retailing contact retailers become a supplier getting your products into the big box retailers independent inventors guides independent inventor’s guides independent inventors guide to getting your products into the big box retailers independent inventor’s guide to getting your products into the big box retailers brian r. rayve brian rayve inventionpatenting.com inventionpatenting invention patenting

Do you have a website promoting your new product idea? It can be a great way to promote products. However, there are many pitfalls to doing so naively.

For example, I have been spending thousands of dollars on pay-per-click search engines over the last few years to promote my website. I have received many click-throughs but the costs have far outweighed any profits made from the clicks.

Recently I read that RELATIONSHIPS count, not CLICKS! I thought to myself duh! Why did I not properly follow-up with all of the people who clicked through and signed-up to download my free Independent Inventor’s Kit? It seems so simple now.

Well, that is why I am now blogging regularly and emailing those click-throughs to establish relationships with them! Most will probably never buy any products or services from me, but those that do will be worth it (financially speaking).

Regardless, I did not get into business solely to make money (though it helps to pay the bills), but to help people. I hope that those people who never become customers are helped by the free information they get from my website.

Well, I hope that you follow-up on the leads, including paid clicks, that you get… they are worth pursuing to build those relationships and some end up as friendships.

Remember to offer some incentive (that helps people) to capture contact information… typically at least first name and email… so you can follow up. Also keep in mind that people are flooded with emails these days. Most people throw out 9 out of 10 emails they receive… so make sure your emails offer VALUE to recipients (i.e. supply some knowledge or product worth spending their increasingly scarce time to open and looking at).

In future articles I will write more tips on alternatives to email follow-up. Stay tuned!

Talk to you again soon… remember to follow-up and build those relationships!

Tells you how to really make money on your website.

website new product idea promote products pitfalls pay-per-click search engines click-throughs profits relationships count independent inventors kit blogging emailing establish relationships make money pay the bills help people customers paid clicks build relationships offer incentives offer value knowledge email follow-up inventionpatenting.com