I have a cool idea of an invention, but how do I get it advertised to the public or get an investor?

Question

I have a cool idea of an invention, but how do I get it advertised to the public or get an investor?

Answer 1

You need to look for capital ventures or government  you should go to the people that most likely use your product and offer an investment opportunity.

Answer 2

Actually, you have to take a few very important steps to be sure your work is protected before advertising it.  Believe it when I tell you that you are quite likely not the only person who thought up whatever idea you have.

First, you need to make a copy of all your work, drawings, notes, etc.  signed, dated, and notarized, and sending it to yourself via registered mail so you can prove your idea is yours alone.   If you don't someone else will claim it, and it can be exceedingly difficult and costly for a court to decide who came up with it first and who deserves the patent and royalty payments.

That said, of course, the next thing to do is to get a patent application.  You can do that here:

http://www.uspto.gov/web/patents/howtopa...

Once you have that secured, your idea will become much more convincing to potential clients.  The next thing is to market the device, and the best way to do so is to print up fliers and literature.  Then check around your area for things like job fairs, festivals, or county fairs and rent a space which will allow you to demonstrate your idea.  Try to choose a particular type of faire that caters to your target market.  If it's technological, for example, look for technology faires.  Then you will need to figure out how your device is going to be manufactured and how much it will cost, and possibly draw up a small business plan where you will manufacture a certain number of units a year, and would probably need a few people to help you, to start, and will also need to figure out how to secure sufficient work space.

As you can see, this is going to require some work and investment on your part, but such is the case for marketing any new product or service.  It's not easy and requires some risk.

Good luck!

Answer 3

Do not waste your money in an investor assistance scam.  There are excellent resources available to research, and talk to other entrepreneurs.  Patents are expensive and no guarantee someone will buy it.  Are we talking Pet Rocks or Lasers? Consider producing and marketing it yourself.  The internet is the most likely venue.  Get into the market with all your ducks in a row, skim the cream off the top and expect to be knocked off in short order.