NBM, publisher of many trade magazines, puts on good trade shows, which are free to attend. Here is some info. and I would suggest that if you are near any of these locations, you make an effort to attend: I guarantee that if you go, you will learn something and get ideas even if printwear and signs and digital graphics are not what you are interested in,

Indianapolis, IN……..June 9-11
Long Beach, CA……….August 11-13
Baltimore, MD………. September 8-10

http://thenbmshow.com

No problem Katherine – I’m sure if we get enough people interested we can have one on a Saturday in an area close enough for people to travel. Just pick a date, a city, and the topics you would like covered and we’ll see if we can set it up.

Thank you UIA. Location is less of a problem for me than is the day of the week the seminar falls on, particularly if it is during the school year, which this is (Monday, May 9 + single mom during school year = doesn’t work). It would be great if someone could record and youtube this! Otherwise, I’ll keep my eye on the schedule. Thanks again.

“Wow I wish I could go to that. Wondering if it will be recorded and later some sort of webcast?”

We wish you could be there as well Katherine – but maybe we’ll have one closer to where you live in the not too distant future.

We don’t have any plans at the moment to tape these seminars, but maybe in the future we’ll set something up to do that. Until then, if there are places around the country inventors would like to see us host a one day semminar let us know and we’ll do everything we can to make that happen. Just email us at admin@uiausa.org

Ooops – memory failed me: it wasn’t AJ, it was BJ Fazeli who had the harem. However, Louis was there for sure.

I saw/heard AJ Khubani at the Response show in San Diego (where I met Roger J. & Eric). Anyway, AJ had a little harem in the audience, his female employees who adore him, and I could see why – very charming. (Louis, who was also on the stage as a member of that panel, was also charming but in a different way than AJ.)

Wow I wish I could go to that. Wondering if it will be recorded and later some sort of webcast?

We got word yesterday that the Inventor Spotlight area of the Hardware show is sold out – all 93 booths. But the UIA Inventor Education Seminar is FREE and open to first come first serve for the 200 seats available on the 9th of May – the day before the show starts.

You can get additional information on the seminar at http://inventoropinion.blogspot.com/2011/03/inv...

Also – there are still some inventor booths open at the SPREE show – this is the Mall Kiosk show where inventors have to have retail ready products but 75% of the people there are buyers for the Kiosk and specialty store industry. http://inventoropinion.blogspot.com/2011/03/you...

InventionHome Sponsors the Inventors Spotlight at the 2011 National Hardware Show – May 10th – 12th (Las Vegas, NV): will anyone be going? (This event has a special area just for inventors – all in one spot, rather than spread all over the place.)

Since David/Asgard will be in Las Vegas May 12th – 19th, I am thinking of going and combinging both BIG events and would love to meet up with anyone attending or participating.

If anyone is in the area for PackExpo Trade Show in Las Vegas, Sept. 26-28, I would suggest that you make every effort to attend – you can get into the exhibits for free. If you have trouble signing up at www.packexpo.com, let me know and I will give you my link.

I doubt that I will go because I am doing my best to get to L.V. in April to attend the SPREE show and then again in May to meet David (Asgard) and his wife.

That’s a great idea Julie!

Lauramoon, An Expo can be open or closed to the general public. A Trade Show is usually open; for example, next week in Anaheim, there is PackWest. I had signed up (but cannot go) and all that was required of me was to tell them the name of my company and name and my title: they assume that my company is preparing to purchase packaging. If you don’t have a company, make up a good name and being a Buyer or Purchasing Agent is a great title.

Since the expo you are interested in, I would suggest that, If you are great friends with a local pet store owner, you might ask them if they would get a ticket for you or allow you to use their company name and ask them what kind of title would be acceptable to them.

Laura,
the following thread is a really interesting lead of someone going through what you hope to go through

http://www.edisonnation.com/forums/other/topics...

enjoy and I hope you get to go!!!!!!

How does one get INTO a trade show? After my R6 in Pets for EE, I’d LOVE to attend the Global Pet Expo in March to get more ideas, but the sites says it is not open to the general pubic. Is there a way to get around that??

http://globalpetexpo.org/default.asp

The best site I know is www.TSNN.com (Tradeshow News Network). Excellent site.

Good link, Paul. I think inventors should go to as many free trade shows as they can manage: there is always something there which will catch your eye and get you thinking.

you can find any trade show under the sun here:

http://www.tsnn.com/

if you haven’t already, don’t forget to type in your search words to help find topics / forums…
it’s the green ‘search’ button you see above

The Response Trade Show will be in San Diego May 3-5: if you are in the area and can attend, I suggest that you go: its free. Here is the link: http://www.responsemagazine.com/response-expo/a...

I met Roger J and Eric there last year, as well as briefly meeting Mike Drummond and Louis Forman.

I have definitely put in the time for my product. So much, that when I excitedly tell my family 7 orders came in today, they respond with “oh no”.
Your story is very inspiring. I hope the right direction for me to go in will reveal itself soon.
Until then, I will keep enjoying working with my hands and balancing the family.

My little one, she’s three, just called me to come get her. I picked her up and spun her around by her feet. She said,“the next time you don’t get nothing to do, can you do it again”. That’s my balancing act.

joyce, i had the same experience as you with all the orders coming in for my product and my inability to handle the orders (and yes, i handled them, but only slept 4 hours a night)….that’s why i chose licensing….i did not want a business to consume me….and don’t get me wrong, i have no problem working hard, but there’s only so many nights of 4 hours of sleep a woman can handle….i already have sleep deficit because of my children…so now, i am in decision mode with the companies interested..

wow Jason, I love that! my son-in-law could rally use one in his landscape biz!

Jason, I put a link in a different forum. Here it is again! www.3rproducts.com

OK Latha! What gives?

Your message…

Your message…

HI

Trent, what’s your product and how can we take a look at it?

Joyce, My very first orders came from Cabelas about two days after my first show. I didn’t have product yet and wasn’t going to be here from China for another two months. I managed to push back Cabelas, but I felt like I was going to loose them because I didn’t have product. Other than them, all of the other buyers I met at the first show were there for the next buying season, which was around Feb. Shows will often be held months before the buyers actually want your products, so you can get a pretty good idea of how your product will do by showing it, even if you don’t have it yet.
As far as deciding whether to have it mass produced, you just have to take that leap, if you really feel it! Good Luck!

Trent, my product is as real to me as it is to my customers. I’m learning that a “real” product in trade show terms means it must be massed produced. That’s fantastic to hear that your products went through trade shows into major retail stores. Were your products massed produced? I was told not to show my product at trade shows unless I could deliver on orders of 100 – 10,000. That would be difficult.

I wanted to see if I had a good idea by entering a national contest – I was a winner!
I wanted to see if they would sell – I have 100% feedback from all sales! www.DesignsByJoyG.com

I want to know – why am I so scared to get a manufacturer to mass produce these for me?
Has anyone else been in my position. How do you overcome your fear of taking your product all the way to mass production?

Every major retailer that I am in, came from trade shows. Trade shows are great. If you have a real product all you need is a good attitude, a smile, and knowledge of your product and you will be off to setting up appointments with buyers!

I highly recommend going to trade shows in your industry. Smaller shows are a good start and they are cheaper. With bigger shows that you have to travel to, plan on spending $2500-$5000 for the whole trip. But, if you have a product, it will pay off!

Joyce, I’m flattered. But I’m far from amazing. The only things I’ve ever invented that have made it to market were done for my employer. I’m Manager of R&D for a Natural Health Products company. The company gives me tremendous resources to bring products to market. If I need to consult IP or Regulatory attorneys, no problem, theyre on call. If I need packaging designed, components sourced, materials bargained down in price, etc., no problem we have people for that too. Plus I have a staff of 6 to 8 very talented assistants who check and double check everything I do. It’s not difficult to bring products to market under these conditions.

Now on the other hand, when it comes to my personal inventions, I have virtually zero resources, aside from creativity and ingenuity. I bought a restaurant and really hated it. So my wife is strongly against me investing even a penny into anything remotely entrepreneurial, including invention contests. (She’s getting over it.) I would love to just take some money out of savings and apply the same basic techniques I use at work to bring one of my products to market. But I wouldn’t want to deal with the 5-foot tall axe-murderer who lives on the other side of the bed. Oh … she’d get me!! Anyway, thank God for EN. Even if my inventions don’t get anywhere, at least I had a real shot. And I got to chat with really good successful inventors like you.

Rafael, I didn’t think you were suggesting it was a bad idea. This was my first idea I ever submitted and I was thrilled to be picked. I guess it was hard to let my first idea go to someone else. Kind of like a baby. I wanted to keep it for myself and take care of everything necessary to develop it. I have throughly enjoyed the process of inventing, developing, and selling. I wish I was creative enough to keep inventing. I would feel the same way as you – let others take my idea, take care of the details, and send me my royalties. I’ve also read about you in other threads, you sound amazing with all of your inventions.

Joyce, I read a lot more about you in other threads. I don’t want you to think that I feel turning down Mom Inventors Inc was a bad idea. Looks like it is working out great for you; and that’s what really counts. For me, I would probably not want to be so closely tied to making a success of a single product. My dream is to somehow be able to work on many of my inventions/ideas. Let the marketers and logistics people worry about the details. Just pay me some royalties so I can get this other invention off the ground. Anyway thanks to you too, for showing me another facet of inventing success.

Thanks for your opinion Rafael. After winning a trip to New York and presenting my product on live television, it has been pretty lonely trying to figure out everything about developing a new product. These forums have been so helpful. Thank you.

Just my opinion here. If you feel you’re a one hit wonder (this one invention is the only good idea you will ever come up with), then you probably did the right thing to decline the Mom Inventors Inc deal. But if you are sure you’ll have (or already have) many other good ideas/inventions, then you may want to consider taking them up on their offer.
1) They probably have or can get the right resources to properly market, promote, distribute your product. Your product may have a potential to do say $1 million per year. But in your hands, you may be lucky to clear 1% of that.
2) You can learn from them by working closely with them. Take what you learn here and apply it to your next great invention.
3) Many newbies think that if a retailer/distributor sends you a contract, you can either take it or leave it. That’s simply not true. Go through the contract and adjust the things you don’t like. You’d be surprised how readily companies will compromise on features you initially thought were demands.
4) Take everything you learn and most of what you earn from your current invention and make your next invention a blockbuster!

Thanks for all that info Rafael. I entered my prototype into a national contest to see if it was a good idea. It was selected by Good Morning America/Mom Inventors Inc. and I was told they wanted to license it from me even though I wasn’t the grand prize winner. I wasn’t sure if their licensing deals were inventor friendly, so I declined and started marketing and making them myself (see www.DesignsByJoyG.com) Now for the PROBLEM! My sales took off, I’m having a hard time keeping up with sales. My product is very labor intensive, taking a lot of my time to develop one. At this point I feel as though I’m digging a hole. I can’t get away from all the work to fill orders keeping my customers happy to try to figure out what to do next. Isn’t it crazy!! I thought inventors would love for their product to be liked my consumers. I am happy, I think it’s a good problem to have. It’s just all becoming a little overwhelming for me.
I found an inventor promotion company that was pleased with my product for a check around 12,000-15,000. A few things I heard and read lead me not to using them.
My product is now with “Commercialize My Product”, Edison Nation. Just in case that doesn’t work out, I’m trying to plan for my next step. I’m still not sure if Trade Shows are for me.
Thanks for trying to help!
Joyce

Joyce, there is still much you can do at tradeshows. Depending on the complexity of the product and its packaging, you can request quotes from contract manufacturers. Once you have all of your ducks in a row, take them to the tradeshow. You must be able to answer all the questions a potential buyer will throw at you.
Can I see, touch, feel, uses, etc an example of the product?
Where is it made?
How much will it cost, including packaging and shipping (You may be able to have the mfr drop ship to the customer.)
What is the lead time?
Pricing schedule: 10K units, 50K, 100K, etc.
Can it be customized?
Do you offer payment terms: 30, 60, 90 days?
What is your return policy?
Do you have product liability insurance? Most want you to have at least $1million. Some want you to have $5mil or more! Many will want you to name them as “additionally insured.” Before paying for insurance, you may opt for a strategy like this, “We will have our policy modified to name you as additionally insured up to $X million, prior to shipping.” Then if they place an order get the insurance. Make sure you know how much it will run you in advance. Very important in determining how to quote.
Have a brochure, folders, flyers, etc handy.
Have an order form handy.
Have business cards (plenty).
There are ducks; questions you should be fully prepared to answer. I’m sure some of the other people in this forum can throw in a few more details I didn’t rattle off.

Good Luck!

http://www.tradeshowweek.com/

Can anyone tell me more about Trade Shows? I did bring my product to a QVC Product Search. The buyer liked my problem solving product and thought it was cute, but said it would have to be manufactured. Someone else told me not to promote my product in trade shows because I could not deliver on an order. Are there any Trade Shows for inventors only looking for a license deal on their product?
Great news to share – I just received my “Notice of Allowance” from the USPTO. !!!!!

Bradley, check this one out.

http://www.biztradeshows.com/

or this

http://www.tsnn.com/

Trade shows are great! You don’t have to be an industry insider, or even buy a booth. Just check the specific industry sites (google search) to find their tradeshows. I went to one as a visitor and wandered around with my prototype in hand. Almosty everyone I met was a CEO or President.
Have your pitch well-honed, that’s were I failed.

I know first hand that tradeshows are great. Yes, you can even go to aftershow evening events and rub elbows with buyers and decision makers. But you have to know how to schmooze without looking pushy. We leave that to the experts.

No, I never did, but based on what I’ve read it’s the idea venue to present a new idea… you can often get an appointment to present an idea you might not have gotten calling and trying to get in the office, plus you can often pitch to a number of different companies at the same time.

I’ve done some searches for trade shows but haven’t found a great site that lists them.

Brad, found this in a list of links I’ve had forever. Not sure what exactly the site is about. http://www.tradeshowtoday.com/

That’s a great question Bradley. Have you ever presented a product idea at a trade show? If so, how did you do it?