Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

Hi there,  

I received a frantic phone call this morning from my husband, (who was working and listening to your program), and he said "Honey, you`ve got to turn on the radio fast!!!!"      I heard the last 2 minutes of the show regarding selling your ideas (which wasn`t nearly long enough); but was able to hear the website address and here I am, and it`s good to be here.

 I am will be submitting a provisional utility patent (within the next 2 weeks) for something I designed many years ago. Last year I hired a patent attorney to do a patent search which turned up not a lot of similar products!! This year I hired a patent attorney to help me submit my idea.

I don`t know how much information I can share (until the paperwork is submitted); but this product is designed for the outdoor enthusiast, primarily car and RV campers,  boating (larger boats), tailgating, AND home use. It`s a great idea and there`s NOTHING out there like it..I`m very excited.

My question is how to go about marketing the idea without an actual prototype. I`ve got drawings and I"ve got myself. I have a lot of passion and excitement about this and I think companies like Coleman, REI etc. would be VERY VERY interested.

That said Coleman won`t look anything without it being patented, I`m not sure about the rest of them. I have some ideas, but was hoping you could help me and steer me in the right direction. I`m looking forward to your suggestions.

Thanks very much....Corrie

You say "not a lot of similar products" in the patent search, but "nothing out there" in the market......which is it?  Perhaps there`s been some silly patents that weren`t marketable, in fact there`s thousands.

If you really want to show your hand to a large outfit that`ll very probably figure out a way to design around your drawings (and therefore your patent), that`s easy. What`s harder (as I think you know) is to find a trusted agent who`ll help market your idea in a very focused, careful and protective manner.  You`ll find these people associated with the industries you`re dealing with.

I`ve found some, with whom I`ve discussed my pending invention (though I went ahead with a prototype run), after a lot of searching and participation in online forums and industry events.  Just need to be very careful.  Perhaps you could send me a bit more information about what sort of thing it is, and I can point you better in the right direction.