Your Idea, Inc. : 12 Steps to Building a Million Dollar Business - Starting Today!

burt's Bees . . . Crocs . . . Myspace . . . every Time A New Story About How Some Nobody From Nowhere Got Rich Producing Some Clever New Product In His Garage, You May Think, 'why Can't I Do That?' Well, Anyone Can'the Trick Is To Take Those Good Ideas And Build Them Into Great Products That Can Succeed In The Marketplace. In This Book, You Will Get The 12-step Plan You Need To Make Your New Product Or Service A Profitable Reality. You Will Learn Important Skills For Success, Including How To: refine Their Idea To Attract A Target Audience research The Competition find The Right Manufacturer create Appropriate Brand Messaging build Buzz Online And Beyond work Trade Shows And Conventions written By A Woman With No Formal Business Experience Who Turned Her Own Idea Into A Million-dollar Company, This Book Is The Pragmatic Yet Inspiring Guide Every Aspiring Entrepreneur Is Looking For. publishers Weekly founder And Ceo Of Moisture Jamzz Moisture Gloves, Abrams Started With A Business Idea—and Little Else. She Went In Search Of A Comprehensive Guide She Could Understand Without Having An M.b.a. That Would Teach The Basics In A Step-by-step Fashion, But Could Find Nothing. Undaunted, She Learned The Ins And Outs Of Starting A Business On The Fly—and Wrote The Book Herself. The Result Is A Positive Playbook For Turning A Great Idea Into A Workable Business Model. There's A Wealthof Information, Presented Simply But Comprehensively, Covering Such Essentials As Intellectual Property, Llcs, Overseas Manufacturing, Software, Paperwork And Credit Cards, As Well As Larger Subjects Such As Marketing, Internet Sales, Mom And Pop Stores Vs. Big Chains, Customer Service And Work/life Balance. Thoughtful Pop-ins Of “biz Brainstorms” And “million-dollar Tips” Insert Additional Advice Along The Way. Abrams Cheers “no Mba—no Money—no Problem!” And Provides A Welcome, Refreshing Pep Talk For Budding Entrepreneurs. (dec.) Your Idea, Inc (2010)......Page 1 Contents......Page 7 acknowledgments......Page 8 INTRODUCTION: seize your light bulb moment......Page 10 It's Time to Take Action, Even in a Bad Economy!......Page 13 Good Reasons to Launch Your Idea in a Bad Economy......Page 16 Take a Leap of Faith......Page 18 Try Visualization......Page 19 What Does Success Mean to You?......Page 20 Feed Off of Negative Feedback......Page 22 Change How You Spend Your Free Time......Page 24 Ask Questions, Reach Out......Page 25 Who Do You Know?......Page 26 Don't Worry about Money Yet......Page 28 Types of New Ideas......Page 30 A Brand-New Product......Page 31 An Existing Product with a New Purpose......Page 32 Write It Down, Make It Real......Page 33 Play Devil's Advocate......Page 35 Check Patents......Page 36 Research......Page 37 You're Not Done Yet......Page 39 Stand Out from the Pack......Page 40 Choosing a Name for Your Company and/or Product......Page 41 Trust Your Inner Voice......Page 42 03: bootstrapping: make the most of your own resources......Page 44 Dealing with Debt......Page 45 Have a Healthy Mindset......Page 46 List Initial Expenses for Your Budget......Page 47 How to Get Credit Cards in a Tough Economy......Page 49 Cons of Using Credit Cards......Page 50 How to Save on Living Expenses......Page 51 Get It in Writing......Page 53 The Emotional Side......Page 54 Utilizing Your Bank......Page 55 Small Business Administration......Page 56 The Catch: They Usually Want Partial Ownership......Page 57 Where Are These Angels?......Page 58 You, Incorporated......Page 59 04: understand legal issues......Page 61 Do I Really Need an IP Lawyer?......Page 62 How Do I Find a Reputable IP Lawyer?......Page 63 Types of Intellectual Property......Page 64 Do I Need a Patent, Trademark, or Copyright Protection?......Page 66 Patents......Page 67 Search Existing Patents......Page 68 Do I Need an Attorney?......Page 69 Ideas vs. the Expression of Ideas......Page 70 How Do I Get Copyright Protection?......Page 71 Moving Forward......Page 72 Sole Proprietorship......Page 74 Partnership (Beware)......Page 75 Corporations and LLCs......Page 76 Are You Really Ready for a Partner?......Page 77 Partnership Survey......Page 78 With Unpatented Ideas......Page 80 Other Uses......Page 81 Goals as You Enter the Manufacturing Phase......Page 82 List the Physical Components of Your Product......Page 83 Make Your First Sample......Page 84 The Internet......Page 85 Trade Associations......Page 86 Research on Foot......Page 87 Safe and Healthy Working Conditions......Page 88 Questions to Ask Manufacturers......Page 89 Manufacturing Contacts......Page 90 Resources for Overseas Manufacturing......Page 91 Pros of Manufacturing Overseas......Page 92 Materials List for Your Product......Page 94 Keep an Open Mind......Page 95 Who Will Make It?......Page 96 Dealing with Difficulties......Page 97 Compare Manufacturers' Prices......Page 98 Price Point......Page 99 Price Tactics......Page 100 Quality Assurance......Page 101 How to Use Software......Page 102 Starting Out......Page 103 Government Rules and Regulations......Page 104 Take It Seriously......Page 105 Packaging Ideas for Your Product......Page 106 Package Considerations......Page 107 Using a Graphic Artist......Page 108 What You Should Look for in a Graphic Designer......Page 109 How an Arrangement with a Graphic Designer Will Work......Page 110 Logo Ideas......Page 112 UPCs......Page 113 Setting Up Your Home Office......Page 115 Challenges of a Home Office......Page 116 Resale Certificate/Seller's Permit......Page 117 Renting a Mailbox......Page 118 Setting Up a Merchant Account......Page 120 The Major Carriers......Page 122 The U.S. Postal Service......Page 123 Setting Up Your "Shipping Department"......Page 124 An Actual Phone......Page 125 A Fax Number......Page 126 Phone Etiquette......Page 127 A Business Website......Page 128 Business E-Mail......Page 129 Business Cards and Letterhead......Page 130 Stickers......Page 131 Chart Your Progress......Page 132 Become Part of Your Industry......Page 135 "Mass" Marketing......Page 136 "Niche" Marketing......Page 137 Bear Naked Granola: Premium and Organic Granola......Page 138 Communicating to Your "Niche" Market......Page 139 Marketing Your Product......Page 140 Creating Your "Elevator Pitch"......Page 142 Elevator Pitch for Your Product......Page 143 Use a Professional......Page 144 Express Your Brand Through Your Marketing Materials......Page 145 Trifold Brochures......Page 146 Marketing Mailers/Postcards......Page 147 Creating a Website......Page 148 Find an Available Domain Name......Page 149 Design the Site......Page 150 Add E-Commerce Capabilities......Page 151 PayPal......Page 152 Be Sure to Be Secure......Page 153 DIY Website Options......Page 154 08: make the most of your marketing efforts......Page 157 Blogging......Page 158 Blog Search......Page 159 How to Set Up a blog......Page 160 E-mail Promotions......Page 161 Crocs......Page 162 How to Use a Publicist......Page 163 Work Successfully with a Publicist......Page 164 Press Release......Page 165 Inside Press Kits......Page 167 Build a Database of Magazine Editors......Page 168 Philanthropy......Page 169 Private Label Marketing Opportunities......Page 170 How to Approach a Big Corporation about Private Labeling......Page 171 Basic Industry Lingo......Page 174 Small but Powerful......Page 178 How to Approach Them......Page 179 Tips for Getting Past Corporate Red Tape......Page 180 Follow Up......Page 181 How to Respond to the "No, Thanks" Rejection......Page 182 Preplanned Responses......Page 183 Persistence Pays Off......Page 184 TV Shopping Channels......Page 185 Catalogs and Online-Only Stores......Page 186 Incentives......Page 187 How Much Does the Buyer Have to Purchase?......Page 188 How It Works......Page 189 Keep a Buyer Contact Log......Page 190 How to Deal with Buyers......Page 191 How to Fill Orders......Page 192 Follow Up......Page 193 Routing Guides for Large Accounts......Page 194 Treat Your Clients with Respect......Page 195 Listen to Your Customers' Praise and Their Problems, Too!......Page 196 People Love Giveaways......Page 197 How Can Your Customer Service Stand Out?......Page 198 Choosing the Right Show......Page 200 Get In......Page 203 Once Inside......Page 204 Get the Shows' Stats......Page 205 Paying to Register for the Show......Page 206 Make Special Requests......Page 207 Sharing a Booth......Page 208 If You Need to Change Your Booth after You Arrive......Page 209 The Difference Between Cash-and-Carry vs. Order-Only Shows......Page 210 The Look of Your Booth......Page 211 Build a Fake Booth......Page 212 Signage......Page 213 Packing and Shipping Your Booth to the Show......Page 215 Bringing the Booth to the Show Yourself......Page 217 Invest in a Hand Truck......Page 218 Dress the Part......Page 219 Stay Positive......Page 220 How to Eat During the Show......Page 221 Keep Your Dinners Boring......Page 222 Give Show Samples and Discounts......Page 223 Develop Your Daily Trade Show Routine......Page 225 Protect Yourself from Trade Show Predators......Page 226 Enjoy the Experience......Page 227 The Show Aftermath: Follow-Up......Page 228 How the Financial Arrangement Works......Page 229 How to Find a Good Rep......Page 230 12: maintain a life balance and look ahead......Page 231 Scheduling Will Help You Work Smart......Page 232 Set Some Goals to Achieve......Page 233 Find Ways to Save Time......Page 234 Act As If You Are .........Page 235 Learn to Say "No"......Page 236 Don't Worry......Page 237 Tips Your Mother Probably Told You......Page 238 Product Line Expansion......Page 239 Ideas for Expansion......Page 240 conclusion......Page 243 index......Page 244 about the author......Page 247 Burt's Bees... Crocs... MySpace...Every time a new story about how some nobody from nowhere got rich producing some clever new product in his garage, you may think, ôWhy canÆt I do that?ö Well, anyone canùthe trick is to take those good ideas and build them into great products that can succeed in the marketplace. In this book, you will get the 12-step plan you need to make your new product or service a profitable reality. You will learn important skills for success, including how to:Refine their idea to attract a target audienceResearch the competitionFind the right manufacturerCreate appropriate brand messagingBuild buzz online and beyondWork trade shows and conventionsWritten by a woman with no formal business experience who turned her own idea into a million-dollar company, this book is the pragmatic yet inspiring guide every aspiring entrepreneur is looking for. Every time a new story about how some nobody from nowhere got rich producing some clever new product in his garage, millions of readers think, "Why can't i do that?" This title offers readers the 12-step plan they need to make their new product or service a profitable reality. It is suitable for aspiring entrepreneurs.