Inventors Mktg1

By Pam Walters

I'll start with a quote from world-famous business consultant, author, Peter Drucker... "Because the purpose of business is to create a customer, the business enterprise has two--and only two--basic functions: marketing and innovation. Marketing and innovation produce results; all the rest are costs. Marketing is the distinguishing, unique function of the business."

I've been in marketing for over 20 years. The first ten was with consumer advertising and branding at big agencies in New York and Chicago. The past ten+ have been in direct response -- mostly I've worked with inventors and entrepreneurs helping them launch new products.

For the purpose of this website I'm going to presume that you're an individual with at least a little money to spend dressing up and promoting your invention. I'll also touch briefly on marketing avenues that are more costly if, in fact, you have some money or you can get funded.

As I go through the various marketing steps, I'll try to give you some ballpark figures, but with many things these days, you don't always get what you pay for. Whether it's a packaging or website designer, a photographer and/or television producer, check their work. Look at their samples. Really ask yourself if they're worth what they're asking, and find out how much input they'll want from you. When I hired my website designer, I did all the page layouts. I suggested the color scheme and look. I suggested what the visual elements should be and I wrote all the copy. And I still paid over $1000 for my website. That doesn't figure in hosting costs and email options.

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