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The most important investment an inventor can make is to learn how successful inventors get their marketable products into the marketplace. In other words, learn the invention development process before you start spending money. Take a few minutes, read the list below and make sure you
check off each of these items as you go through the process of taking your idea through the development stages. It is important to review this list periodically.

On behalf of the Minnesota Inventors Congress and PatentHelpBlog I want to thank Don Kelly for letting us share these tips with you. Last June, Don was in Redwood Fallsfor the MIC 50th Anniversary. He reflected on the many times he visited the MIC over the years, going back to the early 1980’s when he was USPTO Chief of Staff. Don noted that he has always drawn inspiration from MIC’s steady leadership and ongoing passion.

“Inventor groups are difficult to initiate and even harder to sustain,” DonKelly says, “so, the MIC, with its remarkable longevity and continued successes, clearly serves as a role model. I’ve made reference to the MIC in seminars from the US to Asia, the Middle East, Europe and Africa.”

We appreciate Don Kelly’s efforts to help us educate inventors!! Here is his top ten list:

Inventors’ Top Ten Most Common Mistakes & Steps for Avoiding Those Mistakes (From Don Kelly’s “TRACTION for the Inventors’ Rough Road to Market.” Don is a former USPTO executive, and now a practicing Patent Agent and co-founder of Intellectual Asset Management Associates, LLC (IAMA)based in Alexandria,VA)Link to this listing on the Internet: www.PatentAgentPlus.com

#1 STUBBORNLY INDEPENDENT ~ Often, Inventors are too independent and isolated, unaware of resources and networks. They mustn’t hesitate to seek advice, and never should ignore previous work of others in the same field. Networking may be the most important tool of all.

#2 BELIEVE SOMEONE ELSE WILL PAY ~ Inventors too often think they’ve done their part by dreaming up the solution to a problem. Others, they believe, will work tirelessly and without remuneration just to be part of the dream. Inventors must realize that the inventing step is often the easiest part of the innovation process. They’ll need to take a team approach from that point forward.

#3 LACK INVENTION RECORDS ~ Inventors can be too lax about record keeping. In this business, the early dates of conception and invention development stages can be critical. Under present patent laws, inventors should have clear and witnessed journal entries.  Keeping good records also helps the inventor stay organized and self-directed in terms of timeliness and goals.

#4 WILL NOT LISTEN ~ Inventors commonly ignore feedback they don’t like. That’s why they talk only with friends and associates about their inventions. Those are the people who always will say “Your baby is beautiful.” They must step outside of their safety nets and seek the opinions of non-friends/relatives who indeed may point out: “Hey, this baby is really somewhat ugly.” If it’s broken, they need to know it…and need to fix it.

#5 EASY MARKS FOR SCAMS ~ Sadly, inventors are sitting targets for illicit businesses promising to patent and market any and all inventions (for a sizeable fee, of course). Invention Marketing Scammers are quick to profess: “Your baby is beautiful.” With those four words, they rake in more than $200 Million each year from people who can least afford it. The best advice where scams are concerned is the old saying: If it sounds too good to be true…”

#6 DON’T COMPLETE THEIR INVENTIONS ~ Inventors are almost always too quick to believe the invention is finished and beyond any improvement. This is never true. Being reluctant to work on the invention’s next generation, the inventor paves the way for those who can, and will. They should back off from their “babies” and take a new perspective: How could it work better?

#7 TALK TOO MUCH ~ Premature public disclosures or sale offers may cause loss of patent rights and significant advantage to competitors. Inventors should secure their patent rights before talking to others, except under strict conditions of confidentiality.

#8 PROCRASTINATE ~ Just can’t get around to taking action on an idea. They too often don’t realize this until they’ve seen their invention on store shelves. This mistake can be avoided by good record keeping habits and by “doing”… Rather than “talking.”

#9 WILL NOT PLAN ~ Most inventors recognize are late in recognizing they must have a plan. An invention is a business opportunity - - nothing more and nothing less. To seize the opportunity inventors need a technology development plan…and a business plan; and they need an infrastructure to carry out these plans.

#10 IGNORE FAMILY ~ The Achilles heel for the ambitious inventor is in attentiveness to family and significant others who are, after all, their most important corporate assets. Friends and loved ones should be kept informed and involved in the dream. Life is what happens while great plans are made. At the end of the day, the memories we value are never about technical accomplishments or consummated deals.

Good luck.
Don Kelly

Best regards,
Deb Hess
Executive Director
Minnesota Inventors Congress
Directing inventors to reliable resources!
www.inventhelper.org mic@inventhelper.org

Courtesy of Don Kelly and Deb Hess
from Minnesota Inventors Congress
Directing inventors to reliable resources!
www.inventhelper.org mic@inventhelper.org