Put Your Ideas on the Right Path and Make Them a Reality

While in the shower trying to remember whether or not you’ve already washed your hair… BANG!  The idea for a new mouse meat dehydrator comes blasting out of the right side of your brain.  It zips over to the left side to make sure it actually makes some sense then crashes into your frontal lobe which begins planning and figuring out where and how to sell it.  Another part of your brain defines the mental picture.  All the while you imagine throngs of dehydrated mouse meat lovers lining up at Costco, Sam’s, Wal-Mart and Target to purchase your new product like they do that chicken cooker Ron Popeil invented.  All this happened in less than a nanosecond.  That’s where the idea came from.  Now let’s put it on a path to make it a reality.

You’ve thoroughly researched mouse meat and dehydrators and know for sure yours is the first or there’s not another one like it.  You’ve spent plenty of time learning about the industry your product will compete in and you’re dang sure people will want one.  You’re an ideas person.  A product developer and inventor.  However, you must think of what you’re doing as a business.  That’s the reason for all the research.  Don’t waste your time on something you feel is a great idea if there’s no market for it.  Its not your last great idea I can assure you.

So, who will buy this “mouse-terpiece” you’ve come up with?  Who is your customer?  There’s one, and only one, correct answer for any and every new product you develop.  It is:  The licensee.  That’s the manufacturer.  If he doesn’t license and manufacture your new product or idea it won’t be in stores and you won’t be paid a royalty for every one sold.  Getting new products in stores is what licensees do for a living.  Let them do it.  If your idea is for a movie, TV show or book this applies as well with just a couple of small tweaks here and there.