Kaye Marks |
Kaye Z. Marks is an avid writer and follower of developments in color printing industry and how these improvements can benefit small to medium-scale business. |
Kaye Marks
has written 38 articles for SB Informer. |
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How to License an IdeaKaye Marks
December 10, 2008
Maybe you are the creative type that comes up with great ideas, but you
do not have a clue on how to run a business. Alternatively, maybe you
would just rather think of great ideas than implement them. Either way,
licensing your idea is a great method to be paid for your invention
ideas.
Licensing is the process of selling your idea to a
business that will take your idea and run with it – they will do all
the business-related chores that are involved in launching a new
product. You are paid for giving your idea to someone who can make it
happen and then you share the profits. Licensing is a good idea for
those who do not have the money to launch a new invention themselves.
If you are ready to get your idea licensed, here are five steps to follow to ensure the licensing process goes smoothly:
1. Get Your Info Together Before you even think about going to a company to sell your idea, be sure you know the following:
• Know your market. Get as much information as possible about who would
need or want your product. This means research: conduct a focus group
or send out email surveys to determine what age group, what local area
and what income level would buy your product.
• Know the
legalities. Try to determine if your invention is patentable or if
there is something similar to it that is already patented. You can
search for patents on the government’s Web site: www.uspto.gov. Also,
find out if there are any regulatory issues that could be associated
with your product (this is especially common with medical products).
• Know your competition. Who else has a similar product to yours? How is
yours different? Moreover, how well is the competing product selling?
• Know what it takes to produce your idea. Finding out what is involved
in the production process can be helpful when you are trying to sell
your idea, especially if your product calls for unique materials or
unusual manufacturing techniques.
2. Get Ready to Make a Presentation Your
most effective presentation tool will be your prototype. Get a sample
made before you approach any potential licensors. You also need a sell
sheet to leave with investors that tell them: the problem that your
product solves; the product’s benefits and features; your market; and
the legal status of your product (copyright info or patent pending).
3. Narrow Your Targets Now
that you are ready to present your idea, you need to decide whom you
want to present it to. Make a list of at least 50 potential targets –
the more, the better. Try to research companies that might have a need
for your product, or find a company whose catalog is missing your
product – you can show them right where your product would fit in.
You
can also go to stores where you would expect your product to be sold
and write down names of manufacturers who have similar products.
Also,
try checking online databases for industry associations. These
associations can give you a wealth of information into the industry
that will point you in the right direction to potential prospect
companies and what these companies are looking for.
4. Prioritize Your Targets Once
you have compiled your list of 50 or more targets, prioritize them
based on which will make the best fit with you and your product.
Consider their size, their product lines, their reputation and how easy
it is to get to a decision maker.
5. Go Get the Sale Now you
are ready to make an awesome presentation – you have your sell sheet,
your prototype and you have used a color printing company to create
some slick, fancy brochures to leave with the company.
Once you
have gotten a “yes” you are not licensed just yet – you need to
negotiate some terms first. You can ask for an upfront payment to cover
the cost of filing a patent, or an upfront payment that is really an
advance against future royalties. Then you need to negotiate the
royalties – most inventors get a 2 percent to 5 percent royalty. If you
agree upon 2 percent, that means you get 2 percent of the wholesale
price of each unit sold. In addition, manufacturers will want exclusive
rights to distribute the product around the world.
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