“Should I stay or should I go?”—The Clash The road from lightning-bolt moment to having a product on store shelves is rarely smooth. You will encounter problems along the way, and mistakes are guaranteed. There will be many forks in the road; the main question at each decision point is whether to keep working on the product or to quit. Perseverance is the key to getting through these challenges. Finding the right material or a vendor that has the proper machinery for production are problems that can often be solved with patience or elbow grease. However, if the first time a Google search for your product idea reveals 25 competitors that are already making the same thing, then it may be time to cut your losses and look for a new idea.
You will encounter problems along the way, and mistakes are guaranteed. There will be many forks in the road; the main question at each decision point is whether to keep working on the product or to quit. “What’s your name, little girl, what’s your name?” —Lynard Skynard Every product needs a great name, which does not always come easily. In the web-connected world, it is important to have a name with an available URL, and one that is easily distinguishable from competitors. Making up a nonsense word for a product, or intentionally misspelling a word to avoid copyright infringement and take advantage of an available web domain is a common practice. Think brands like Fiverr, Zima and Verizon. There are firms that will happily charge a fee to help you brand a product, but there are also free ways for inventors to gain access to potential names. Random word-generation websites, such as creativitygames.net/random-word-generator or watchout4snakes.com/wo4snakes/Random, can help you mash words together. Google can translate the word for your product in numerous languages, including Swahili. On the other hand, getting your favorite beverage and a group of friends together may be the most fun. Once you have chosen a name, search domain names to see if a URL is available. Also do a general web search to make sure there is no one in the same category with a similar name to avoid potential consumer confusion as the product matures. Answering these questions will help you gain perspective on your idea and guide you through the crucial product-development process. So, when you think you’ve got a great idea, crank up your favorite tunes for inspiration—and illumination. 34 INVENTORS DIGEST FEBRUARY 2016