The $5 Proof-of-Concept Inventor Mockup

Prototypes don’t have to be expensive.    When inventing new products for TV, you can secure a licensing agreement with a $5 Prototype.

I read an interesting article, written by Edmond John Dougherty, Director of Engineering Entrepreneurship at Villanova University and an Assistant Professor in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department who is teaching students how this is possible.  He says “you can “‘MacGyver’ a prototype for your invention and get funding.”

I agree. It’s possible to get a term sheet and licensing agreement on early stage prototypes, but in the last two years, it’s getting harder.  There are many finished goods that manufactures can choose from so you have to have a well made prototype and strong marketing pitch.

Proof-of-principle Prototypes instantly increase the value of your idea

If you really understand your idea, it is possible for anyone to build a demonstration prototype at a very low cost.   Low cost does not mean low quality.  It is important that the prototype look as high quality as you can make it.   After All, you’re asking investors to put $5,000, $10,000 or $30,000 into the concept to test the market viability so how well you communicate the value of the item is critical to securing funding.

There are some companies and distribution channels that won’t fund early stage concepts or license I.P. before the product has been tested for market viability.  If your invention happens to be geared toward an industry where this is true, you may have to go the provisional or utility patent route.   Even for TV items, there is a time and place for I.P. protection.     I just don’t believe that’s it’s before obtaining a confidential review, when all you need is a well-made, $5 prototype.    Waste not.  Want not.

If you want or need to invest more, there are 3D printers and product development companies that offer reasonable services.    If you need some good recommendations for some trusted providers, send me a note on LinkedIn.

Once you have the prototype ready to go, review the blog “Demo Videos That Sell”.

You could have the next great As Seen on TV winner and I can’t wait to review and give feedback on your product submission.

Onward & Upward,

Submit Your Product for review.

Onward & Upward,

Carrie Jeske

Watch and SUBSCRIBE to Carrie Jeske YouTube Channel.

Positive Comments Appreciated.

© 2020 Jeske.  For reprint rights, please contact Carrie Jeske directly.

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Product Idea Pitch & Workshop

For Walmart “As Seen On TV” Shelves

AGENDA

Need more info?

Want Detailed information?    Carrie Jeske’s book is on Amazon.

Print | Audio | E-Book .        ORDER Here.

Inventors – Connect to a local group for advance your ideas forward.   Meetups in Las Vegas:

Vegas Inventors: Product Developers Group

CEOSpace Las Vegas

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So many inventors spend hours of time, money and energy worrying about the wrong things.     

I’m talking about Manufacturing, Warehousing and Order Fulfillment. 

 To launch a new product successfully these things are important.

However, they are not the most important considerations and often take care of themselves once you have a product consumers want to buy.

Winning As Seen On TV (ASOTV) products are not rocket science.  The materials and components tend to be simple.  This makes making molds and product design much faster.   In addition, the relationships between manufacture and marketer are long standing and maximize speed.

Materials management and economies of scale is easy.    Inventors need not worry about the production of the product, unless they want to.

Likewise, warehousing is not an issue.   Our partners, strategic allies and service providers have all the space needed and are well equipped to handle storage, as well as just in time inventory demands.     Order fulfillment is handled by professional and reputable partners who are fully equipped to take and manage millions of products a year, both direct to consumer and wholesale to mass market retailers such as Walmart, CVS, Walgreens, Bed, Bath & Beyond and more.

Dont Waste Time On Manufacturing!

Inventors often waste valuable time and energy pouring over the methods and cost of manufacturing, warehousing and order fulfillment.  

When done right, the costs of these important steps is a zero sum expenses since consumer purchases, along with shipping and handling costs are covered with each order taken. 

Plus, for products in the As Seen On TV category run in short form (120 second) tv commercials.

The retail price point is rarely over $39.95 so a quick look at materials from an experienced eye can usually ballpark costs quickly.

What inventors should spend the majority of their time, energy, talent and money on, is coming up with a solid marketing pitch. Really taking time to gain critical product feedback from non biased consumers and working to narrow exclusive benefits that spark a purchase is the second most important task of the inventor.  

Of course, the first is actually inventing the product, but that’s debatable since good marketing has skyrocketed.

Many products otherwise sitting with average sales on store shelves and in catalogs.    

Consider Magic Mesh, a product selling in Australian direct mail catalogs.

For two years prier to Will It Launch discovering the magic of the magnetic click, click, click to ignite consumer orders.  

Even today, with knock-offs everywhere, the product continues to break records. 

In the ASOTV category, the inventor goal is a successful market viability test.    Finding a product that solves a problem consumers are willing to pay to solve takes creativity.    Discovering a “Wow” factor or creating something visually appealing that inspires interest is the goal.  

 The more the inventor can do to learn these techniques and add sizzle to their pitch, the better.    Get that right, and everything else will take care of itself.

See you on the shelves,

Carrie Jeske

www.WillItLaunch.com

©2015 Jeske.   All rights reserved.  For reprint rights contact Carrie Jeske at carrie@inventiveideas.com

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Inventors Wanted

Inventors Wanted for tv shows, reality gigs, trade shows, crowdfunding and more.

There’s always someone calling your name.  The question is… whom will you follow.   More importantly, how much will you pay?

Guarding your cash and managing your time are two of the most important things every inventor should do.

Inventors often think going on Shark Tank or one of the zillion other reality tv or inventor help tv shows is the answer.   Often, this just exposes the inventor to the public before they are prepared to launch the product.    They welcome competitors to game before they have the funding to play well.

If you’ve tried everything else or your instincts say “Go on the show”, then do it.    Inventor instincts are the center of innovation.  No one has a magic answer or secret sauce recipe for success.    One thing is true in inventing… the right product with the right people at the right time is an elusive, but powerful combination!

So learn more about how to sell your ideas without a patent at the Inventors Corner with Carrie Jeske

http://www.willitlaunch.com/inventors-corner/

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The key to As Seen On TV product success is to learn to overcome failure.  Few products succeed, but if you hit just one, you could make millions in product royalties.

In As Seen on TV (ASOTV), you have to learn to fail forward.   It’s a life skill that will serve you well.   Learning to be an “overcomer” is an excellent character trait that will impact your life in ways far exceeding your ability to invent or find great TV products.   

At the same time, it’s important to balance prudence with hope because there is big money to be made in this distribution channel.   TV products are a hot trend right now so learning to invent in a category that moves with lightning speed and economic precision is worth the hit to an inventor’s ego when a product market viability test fails.    In this industry, failure is simply a necessary component of product success.   For every 5 products tested, about 3 will not perform at the standards required to merit additional funding.      It doesn’t mean the product idea is bad.   It simply means the market was not receptive to buying this product, at this particular time in history, in this one distribution channel.   

When I First Started!

When I first started in sales (back in the day) one of my mentors was Tom Hopkins.    He was a grass roots, go getter who knew how to handle rejection and keep on swinging.   His words inspired me then and now.    He drilled into our heads his attitudes toward failure:

1. “I never see failure as failure, but only as a learning experience.”
2. “Only as the negative feedback I need to change course in my direction.”
3. “I never see failure as failure, but only as an opportunity to develop my sense of humor.”
4. “Only as an opportunity to practice my techniques and perfect my performance.”
5. “I never see failure as failure, but only as the game I must play to win.”

These are good words to remember, in any situation, but in in testing products for market viability, they are a critical part of everyday life as an As Seen on TV inventor or product scout.   Failure is an inevitable part of success so we choose to embrace it and learn from it as fast and inexpensively as possible.

So choose never to see failure, as failure, but instead learn from each experience and use that knowledge to find or create another product that solves everyday problems…. For $19.95 or less.    

You could have the next great As Seen on TV winner and I can’t wait to review and give feedback on your product submission.

Onward & Upward,

By Carrie Jeske

2013 All rights reserved.  Request reprint approval in writing.

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product developers

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The opportunity available to inventors now, through TV distribution, is the fastest, least expensive way to earn money on a product innovation.

You should mention this opportunity to your friends and family.  It’s amazing how many good ideas are out there, but often, people just don’t know where to start.  You do.  Very powerful.

Someone you know may have the winning invention.   You can help them and earn money yourself, in several ways:

1)      As joint inventor.  If their concept needs work that you add value to, agree to be joint inventors and split royalties 50/50%.

2)      As a licensing agent.   You earn 25% of their royalties for connecting them to me and my partners.    It’s fair, they wouldn’t find me with out you.

3)      As a product scout.   You earn ¼ % royalty when you find market ready products, already selling in limited distribution.    What a blessing you can be to an inventor that’s taken their product into early stage sales.

Submit A Product

Learn More

How To Earn $330,000 Inventing Products for TV – VIDEO

Characteristics of Successful Products – BLOG

8 Kinds of Prototypes and When To Use Them – BLOG

Protect Your Ideas with The Inventor Notebook – BLOG

Before You Submit – BLOG

How To Submit My Product – BLOG

What Happens After I Submit My Product? – BLOG

Register here for FREE Webinars

TV Products

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Learning to spot current trends and make a guess at future behavior is an important part of inventing a good As Seen on TV product.

Recently, I was up late watching  PAID PROGRAMMING, enjoying the latest As Seen on TV items available for 19.95 where I stumbled upon

a new show about public opinion.   Sure, is politically inspired but it contains public opinion information that leads to buying patterns and

behavior.    I was most interested with the idea of scanning the HEADLINES to gain a basic “feel” for the American mindset.

Under their website under “Most Recent Releases” you can scan a list of recent polls taken from the Rasmussen Report Public Opinion Polls.

I think it’s a good idea for anyone inventing for TV or scouting for products to stay current on public opinion.

A few examples found on their Most Recent Releases page 

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ASOTV Inventing

ASOTV Inventing Techniques – Mix & Match.    I love watching products succeed  and finding new ASOTV Inventing techniques to share.  Check back often.

It’s a strategy taught in creativity classes to help people open up their minds to new possibilities.

When using it to invent clever new products for As Seen on TV (ASOTV), it’s brilliant and could be worth millions.

Consider these successes.

WINDSHEILD WONDER –  

It’s basically a Shammy on a Stick.     It solves a problem of cleaning the windshield crevas and wala… millions.

PILLOW PETS –

a Pillow mixed with a Stuffed Animal.    Providing comfort and security for little ones…. in the millions.

STORAGE CUTTER –

There are so many names for this product it’s hard to keep up with.   Basically matching a Storage Container matched with a Knife…. millions sold.

So when you’re inventing.  Start looking around at the everyday problems that plague humanity and mix and match a couple solutions into one great invention.

My goal is to build a relationship with you over time.   I’ll never ask you for money and will encourage you and support you on our quest for a million dollar idea.  If I can’t help, I’ll let you know quickly and introduce you to others if I’m able. My investor partners have a huge appitite for great products and world-wide distribution.  

Let’s connect and help each other be successful, having integrity and good character along the way.

HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR IDEAS  

SUBMIT YOUR IDEAS HERE

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