Have A New Product Idea But Don’t Know Where To Start?

Spark Innovations is an award-winning physical product design company specializing in the development of innovative products and inventions. Their industrial designers and mechanical designers have taken thousands of products from the early stages of an idea to the mass market, whether it be electronic consumer goods, housewares, sports and industrial equipment and more.

Have a new product idea but don’t know where to start? It depends on what phase of new product development you’re in. Thankfully, in their blog post below, Spark Innovations has laid out the stages of product development so that you can determine where you are in the process and know what next step to take.

Do you have a new product idea but don’t know where to start in terms of next steps? You are in a place where all inventors find themselves at one time or another: realizing that in order to move forward with your idea you need help. Fortunately, you’ve come to the right people.

You have an idea that you know can be a sellable product but you have no clue where to start or what companies to approach. Does this sound familiar? If so, we can definitely help you get on track. Our professionals have helped thousands of inventors and startup businesses. Below are the phases of new product development. Start by figuring out where you are in this process. We can help you at any stage, from initial steps to final product.

IDEA: The most important thing you need to have before you start is a clear idea of what your product can do, what it’s for, and who it’s for. Documenting all the features and details of the idea is a great way to start. You can write down your description, jot down bullet points on a sketch, or make lots of doodles to show what your idea is.

PATENT SEARCH: It is critical that you understand the importance of a patent search. A patent search will tell you what is out there, already patented and similar to your idea. If you don’t search ahead of time to see if your invention already exists, you may end up wasting your time and money on the entire project. Do it yourself or pay a professional firm like us to do the search for you, completely and accurately.

PATENT: It is extremely important to protect your invention. Find out if your idea is patentable. If it complies with the 3 rules of patenting–novel, useful, and not obvious–then you can go ahead and patent. We can help you determine the patentability of your idea and create the patent description, drawings, and numbering.

MARKET SEARCH: In addition to a patent search, it’s imperative to do a market search as well. Check out any similar products that exist in the marketplace. What features and similarities do they have in common with your idea? Are they patented? Are they being sold? Where do they sell: online or in a retail store? What is out in the marketplace that you didn’t know about? What can you use from existing products to enhance your idea? What you learn about your competition is extremely valuable. Take advantage of the information out there. Look for it and use it!

INDUSTRIAL DESIGN AND MECHANICAL ENGINEERING: Not all ideas are going to need mechanical engineers but if yours does, we can help! With expertise in product design, our mechanical engineering team will help you define the details of how your idea will work and be manufactured.

PROTOTYPE: You will always need a functioning prototype. Whether for marketing material, a presentation, or a pitch, don’t underestimate the power of holding your idea in your hand. Here at Spark we can 3D print the product in a 1:1 scale, with all moving parts functioning.

MANUFACTURING: Our team of industrial designers and mechanical engineers makes sure your idea is designed with manufacturing in mind. We design for large volumes, having materials and tooling in mind from start to finish.

MARKETING: In today’s world of multiple media platforms, getting attention for a new product is a challenge. A comprehensive marketing plan has to be your number one priority. Whether it is digital or print, direct marketing or online, web-based, social media, or cold calls and knocking on doors, make sure you try them all. Every business is very specific and it caters to different sectors so a wide-ranging marketing strategy is important.

PACKAGING: Packaging can be essential to your idea. In some cases packaging can even complete a sale. If your idea will sell solely online, the packaging may have less impact than for a product that has to be visible on store shelves, but packaging should still be valued as an integral part of your idea.

LICENSING YOUR PRODUCT: Whether you want to sell individual units online or take your product to a retail store or large corporation, you may want to license your idea or product and make a profit for each item. This is an easy way to make some money without the hassle of working on the sales end of things.

You began this post thinking, “I have a new product idea but don’t know where to start.” Now you have a roadmap that shows you where you can begin and how you can succeed. Fresh thinking and innovation are vital at every stage of the product development process. Spark Innovations will ensure that your product idea can be translated into feasible solutions and we will show you how.

***