Great ideas can strike any time, anywhere.
Where will you be where your ideas hit?
Usually it comes with a "This would be so much easier if...,"
or a "There ought to be a product that.. ."
Either way it will hit you like a ton of bricks and consume your mind until you can't help but do something about it. When that shining moment of ingenuity arrives, it pays to know what your next steps are when it comes to actually turning that idea of yours into a product.
If you're strapped for cash, your options are somewhat limited. You could turn to a freelance designer or a smaller one-to-four person shop, suggests Demetrius Romanos, director of design for product development firm Kaleidoscope. Both are less expensive. But if you are really serious about your product, you're going to want to work with a product development firm.
Just because you might be working with a product development firm, however, does not mean that you have to max out all of your credit cards, draw from your 401(k) and take out a second mortgage to pay for it. The trick is to find the right firm and have an open and honest dialogue about what c an be done within your budget, Romanos says. There are also creative ways to pay for services, like using a royalty-based model instead of a fixed fee-for-service model. Talk extensively with prospective firms to get a good idea of what they can offer you.
Whether you only have a vague idea and aren't even sure what you need yet or have a prototype and just need help getting it manufactured, a product development firm will engage you at any point. But if you're still in the early conceptualization stages, there are a couple of things to keep in mind before shelling out the big bucks for a firm.
"Different yet similar to the real estate world's mantra of 'location, location, location,' with a product it's all about positioning, positioning, positioning," Romanos said. "Even more basic than that is just being honest enough with yourself to look at your product idea and ask a very blunt 'so what?'"
Most people end up entering the process with an idea for a specific product. At that point a firm will perform research and develop a strategy to define positioning, business opportunities and consumer needs, all meant to drive design concepts, according to Romanos. After that the firm will focus in on the design and engineering of those concepts, all the while partnering with you, the client.
"We like to work collaboratively and find that the best solutions come from leveraging our clients' knowledge base," Romanos said. "It's important for everyone to feel ownership in the process and product to ensure its ultimate success."
The firm will then continue to narrow its design until it's ready for the big reveal. Brace yourself, because you may hate it.
"As designers you have to develop a thick skin for the purely subjective, but inevitable 'I don't like it' that you'll get [from clients]," Romanos admitted.
Bu t as a small business owner you need to step back and keep an open mind about the design. Good designers have good reasons for why a design is right for a certain product or market. Sometimes you just need to listen to them and trust their judgment, but if you still feel uneasy about the design, then it's time to look at where you'd like to see adjustments and go from there. It is, after all, your product.
Once you and your firm achieve the right design for your product, your work together might be finished. Some firms, however, may assist you in selecting appropriate vendors or even serve as a liaison during the manufacturing process. If not, then it's up to you to map out your next plan-of-action.
If you're sitting on an idea that you really believe in and are passionate about, a product development firm will give you the experience and the results you're looking for.
Comments