This is something inventors - and everyone else - ought to know....

Well, I figured that I would jump in on this thread, with my own example of "Inventor Blindness". The product was a "toothbrush/toothpaste" combination.

There were small holes in the bristle head, where the toothpaste flowed threw. A plastic dial at the end of the brush handle, let you "turn" as much paste as you wanted through the bristle head.
The handle itself, was a resevoir for the paste.

The inventor had also manufactuered a machine that could fill the brush handles with toothpaste. He even had molds made for bristle heads, and was ready to go with production.

While it seemed like a good idea, and the people that invented thought it was too, the reality however was quite different. When they tried to market the product, the stumbling blocks were incredible..

1) People did not like the color of the toothpaste.

2) They did not like the "feel" of the handle. It was "oversized" and uncomfortable.

3) The "brush bristles" only came in one style, and they did not have the manufacturing capability to produce "varying styles" of bristle heads.

4) People worried about the toothpaste being in the handle too long. They thought it would "expire" after a certain amount of time.

5) It seems that people like having to apply their own toothpaste to the brush, and really didn't like the fact that there was only one type of paste in the handle..

By the time I got around to trying to sell the product for them, they had been to every sales rep, and business, that would be interested in their product.

They were turned down everytime, with the above mentioned results. The guys wife finally mentioned to me that one rep they contacted told them that "Maketing Was Everything".

She, and her husband obviously did not listen. This is perfect example of thinking that a product would be "good for everyone".

Even the secondary market, (Surplus & Salvage) was not interested. I think they finally gave away what product they had to charity.

"Inventors--heal thyself!" Engage in marketing "Due Diligence" before actually developing your "Universal Widget"!

Thanks all..
Robert..

> Finding the market before the product is how
> most successful product developers operate.
> But even the genius inventor Thomas Edison
> learned about this the hard way...

> Reportedly the first invention he tried to
> market was a flop. It was an electric vote
> recorder. (Maybe the hand counters wanted to
> be able to cheat on the count, or they
> figured that it might be so confusing that
> voters might vote for the wrong candidate!
> ;-)

> Anyway, he eventually vowed he'd never again
> invent anything that people didn't want.
> Apparently he did very well after that, with
> lots of profitable inventions to his credit.

> Good lesson for all entrepreneurs and
> inventors!

> To Your Online Profits,
> Marty Foley ~ Victory Ventures




Coming Soon!