When you have that eureka moment, that grand idea you just know should be developed and disseminated, how do you continue? How are you supposed to make good on it? How can you turn something vague and half-noted down into a plan that’s formulaic, has actionable steps? Also, how might you grade your ideas, as in, what format will you put them in? The more you think of this, the more options might come to mind. Often, there’s no ‘one’ right answer, but there are certainly more wrong answers that could be found.
Let us consider how you might begin, from this immediate eureka to using actionable steps in that direction:
Patent It
If your idea is unique and holds water, don’t shout about it. Don’t talk about it on social media. Don’t even tell anyone outside of your deepest familial circle. It’s important to keep your tendency to shout it from the rooftops well under wraps. The corporate world continually searches for ideas they can use and patent first, meaning that they have the stewardship of said idea. Don’t allow that to happen.
Unfortunately, this does happen. Those with too loose a communication style or those who perhaps give little thought to who they try and collaborate with can often lose out on ideas that might have risen them to success. We would recommend applying to the patents office in your country immediately. These patents can take time to approve. First, the patent authorities need to verify that you have sole dominion over this idea, that there’s nothing else quite like it. It also, quite commonly, needs to be actionable. You can’t just suggest you want to patent ‘rocket laser spaceship shoes’ and have it approved, despite no one inventing that as of yet. You need to demonstrate how you’re to go about it, what plans you might have in place – and also, how you are going to put this into practice. Patents are not permanent things. Then, it needs to be attributed to you. This leads on to the following point:
Research The Competition
There’s one impenetrable fact that will always ring true regarding business. If you’ve thought of it, it’s likely that at least something similar is out there. Humans are incredibly good at sussing out value, trying to bring something new, and innovating on top of innovation. Just look at how massive the video gaming industry is – now bigger than movies and music combined. None of this would have been possible without the invention of the silicon chip.
This means researching the competition is essential. To the extent that you can. It might be that you’re in a deadly and unknown race against a French inventor working in his basement, both following the exact same idea, and neither of you know it. But to the extent that you can, researching the competition can prove valuable.
It’s not just about if you’re getting to the idea first or not. It’s considering how other businesses have marketed an idea, what it might have grown into, how it might have developed over time. It might be that an idea here or there inspires you in a different direction, or can help you see the basic formatting of an ideal. To keep the video gaming industry example, – video game publishers have been dabbling with streaming content to devices, much inspired by the success of Netflix and Spotify-like services. It’s a natural progression, and shows just how industries inspire one another. If you can do that, you have an access of potential.
Build A Prototype
Building a prototype can be a great idea for a product. It doesn’t need to be a fully-fledged working unit just yet. Figuring out the dimensions, materials, safety mechanisms and other essential components is all part of the design process. It can help you contextualize what you’re hoping for, as well as clear, detailed notes describing your thought process. This can often be presented to those you hope to keep onside, or potential investors who might be looking for projects to fund.
The prototype stage can last some time. Figuring out how to design something in the most worthwhile manner can take months, years, or even longer. If you truly believe in your great idea, it’s absolutely essential that you do this.
Services can sometimes look a little different in their planning stages. It can be that organizing and detailing the flow of progression from start to finish, how customers will be cared for, what concessions you might make and how you might apply a better standard of care than the competition is important.
Put simply – think through your idea.
Squeeze Value
It’s likely that you haven’t thought through all the permutations of value that your idea might hold. That’s completely normal, but it’s also important. Is your idea very worthwhile in a certain community, or aimed at a certain demographic? Might it lend itself to some kind of clever marketing ideal?
It may be that through using excellent mobile app ideas you are able to deliver this idea much more conveniently to your potential audience? How might you iterate on the idea after it proves itself to work? You don’t need to think of everything, but often having a basic outline can help keep you guided, and also flexible. Not only that, but this discourse might help you notice something vital that you had missed, and can thus begin to make changes or focus forward in that direction.
With these tips, we hope you’re thoroughly able to explore and feel confident in your new idea. There’s almost no time as exciting as this in the life of a young innovator.
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