WHAT NOT TO DO AS A FIRST-TIME INVENTOR

Ask around, and you will likely conclude that inventing is not a walk in the park. If you are a new inventor or a prospective one, you have come to the right place. This article exposes the typical pitfalls that most inexperienced inventors find themselves in. But guess what? That does not have to be you. You can learn from the mistakes of expert inventors, who are still going through the arduous task of getting their products to success in the market. And even if they have, maintaining that success is another ballgame entirely. 

The truth is that when you are working on your idea for the first time, you might be overwhelmed by emotions. So, you need to pace yourself and follow a plan with some cold checkpoints. Thus, you should sit still; there is much to learn. Are you ready to learn what not to do as a first-time inventor?

• Don’t Work with Cheap Vendors

This one tops the list in the number of ‘don’ts’ for the first-time inventor. Why? Because doing it would leave you frustrated. And might even lead to the end of your product before it sees the light of the day in the market. You see, don’t look to work with cheap vendors throughout your entire production process. They would leave you stressed. Why? Their delivery would not be as top-notched as you want it to be. So, you will end up being upset with the entire process. 

So, here is some advice for you. If you don’t have the resources to hire a product development professional, here is what you should do. Keep the money you are planning to spend hiring cheap vendors to yourself. This works especially if you don’t have time to study and do all the quality control for your product. Just make sure that you put the money earmarked for hiring low-priced specialists in your savings account instead. That would save you a lot of trouble in the long run. 

• Don’t Start with a Complex Product

This is where many innovators miss it. Why would you want to start your inventive process with the most complex idea in the book? You have to understand that invention is a journey. It is a marathon, not a sprint. Hence, you must learn to conserve your energy. You must learn to start with a simple idea first. And with this least complicated idea, you can then build a tower. 

One thing that starting small would do for you is that it arms you with mastery. That is, mastery of the process. To be a lasting inventor in the game, you must have a strong grasp of the basics. The knowledge of the entire market ecosystem must be at your fingertips. Trust me; you do not want to be found grappling with little things at the grand stage. And working early on the complex idea would set you up for that. So, gain mastery by enjoying the process to which the simple idea introduces you. Then after you have experienced success with this idea, you could explore investing in your more complex ideas. 

• Don’t Work on More Than One Idea at the Same Time

Have you ever had to untangle a knotty yarn before? My gosh! That process is stressful. And to some people, it is oddly satisfying. But here’s the fact, the time you could have spent using that same wool thread to knit a beautiful piece, you had spent it untangling the knot. It is the same when you work on one idea at the same time as an inventor. You will be lost. Many things would be tangled in your mind. There are no two ways about it. And this is because many things are fighting for your attention simultaneously. 

So, by working on many ideas at the same time, you would likely not have full attention and focus to see to the success of one specific product. And remember the words of Roy T. Bennett affirm that “what you stay focused on will grow .”Also, at the core of this is that your teammates need you. So, it would be unfair on them to be absent when they require your input. 

• Don’t Seat and Wait When Your Team Works on Your Product 

At some point, as an inventor, you would seem to have some free time to yourself. And this is especially when your team is working on the product. Guess what? That is not the time to fold your arms, cross your legs, and look. No. It is time to work on some other important aspects of the product’s success. Your invention would not auto-announce itself. So, you need to use that kind of time for marketing. Your business would not auto-run and develop itself, use that free time to craft some business development plans and ruthlessly execute them.

Always remember that no one can sell or license your idea better than you. So, you always have to go out there and hustle. There are always needs in your business and for your product. So, get out there and meet these needs. Make things work. 

• Don’t Be Discouraged If Your First Idea Did Not Reach a Huge Success

Have you seen an 8-month-old try to walk before? We bet it was seamless. Of course not! You see, both of you are first-timers. The baby is learning to walk for the first time. And you are learning to take your first steps in what would be a lifetime journey: inventing. So, take it easy on yourself; you would have slips and falls. That’s just a fact. But don’t beat yourself up over it. Persist. Be consistent. Stay on the course. Keep pushing that product you believe in. Invent and reinvent. And you see, success will find you at the end of the day. 

So, what’s the point of this? In your quest on how to make a new invention a marketable product, your first idea might not be as huge a success as you’d hoped. But don’t give up. If you give up, you have left the race to success. The light will always find you if you keep going. 

Conclusion

You don’t have to walk the path as an inventor alone. Some people have gone ahead of you that you could glean wisdom from. In the same vein, some great specialists could make things easier for you. And if you are wondering that “are there product development companies near me who have all it takes to take my product from infancy into a full-blown success?”. There are. And we are one of the best in the market. Dear beginner inventor, give us a call today. Your future self would thank you.