Useless Inventions Vs Business Opportunities.

Hola Amigo, ya se que te ha llamado la atención el término «inventos inútiles<

As I promised last Sunday, today I will reveal to you the method we use to improve the inventions of the inventors we work with.
 
Ah! You did not know? 
 
Well yes! In addition to manufacture prototypes, we contribute ideas during the manufacturing process of the invention.
 
100% of the ideas pursue one of these objectives:
  1. Achieve improvements that result in cost savings in the immediate future of the project. 
  2. Achieve improvements that bring the product closer to your potential customers.
But NO, I am not going to sell you “my book”. 
 
If you want to know more about this, write to me privately.
 
I have known two types of inventors:
 
Those who apply the method in such a way that they reach conclusions of improvement that are very useful for their inventions.
Those who still do not understand that the invention, in addition to being a show-off, has to be useful for customers. 
 
And that, dear friend, is what differentiates a Useless Invention from a business opportunity.
 
Let's go with the method, I'm sure you will take advantage of it from today. 
 
Step 1
 
The first thing you should do is think about the clients for whom you have designed your invention. 
 
Give them a face, eyes and teeth, think about them and reflect on how much you really know them. 
 
Ah! Friend, what if the user of your invention is yourself?
 
OJO, en ese caso, debes encontrar otros que compartan tu problema. 
 
I want you to know everything about your clients: 
 
How they make decisions
What do they spend money on?
What alternatives to your product they have, no matter how rudimentary they may be, everything contributes. 
 
 
Once you have fully identified them, we go to…
 
Step 2
 
take paper and pencil 
 
You already have it?
 
 Yeah! Let's do the exercise now.
 
Divide the sheet of paper into three columns. 
 
Left – Problems
Center – Surprises
Right: Frustrations
 
NOTE, this has nothing to do with politics. 
 
This is what we will write in each column in each column. 
 
Let's start on the left. (Issues)
 
In this column, I want you to list the main problems that you think your clients have.
 
Not just the ones that you are going to solve. Everyone is everyone…
 
For example, if your client was Prototécnica (Prototype Manufacturing Laboratory), in the left column, I would include:
 
Capture more inventors with resources to manufacture their prototypes.
 
Position itself as a leader among Spanish invention factories.
 
Capture and maintain your technical capabilities to efficiently materialize prototypes.
 
Attract talented personnel.
 
etc…
 
That is, you should write in that column everything that you consider critical from your client's point of view.
 
You already have it? Did you think enough? 
 
Let's go to the next step.
 
Step 3
 
If you already have this list, describe the characteristics of your product on the other sheet of paper. 
 
Cross out the problems that you think will be solved with it. 
 
Don't worry if there are still problems to attend to, it's normal. 
 
Here you will have a first source of inspiration to add functions or modify features of your product. 
 
Step 4
 
Now, in the middle column you are going to list possible “surprises” that you could give your client.
 
Think about situations or solutions that could cause a very positive surprise to your client. 
 
Following the example of Prototécnica as a client, I listed some such as:
 
Receive tax aid that in turn would allow us to offer more affordable prototypes. 
Have the support of universities to accelerate research processes. 
Receive foreign clients interested in having their inventions materialized in Spain. 
 
You see it? It is not about responding to the problems you identified before, but rather about finding possible elements that could generate a pleasant surprise for your clients. 
 
 
Step 5
 
Now reread the list of functions of your product, and confirm if any of its characteristics respond to these surprises described. If you find a relationship, cross “surprise off the list.”
 
The truth is that, whether there is a relationship or not, this process will be another key source of inspiration to innovate on your invention.
 
 
Step 6 
 
In the right column, we will do the same, but with the frustrations. 
 
I want you to list in that column the frustrations or fears that you think your customers might feel when faced with your new product. 
 
No matter how good it is, the client will have some resistance, this is the time to anticipate what their objections would be. 
 
You already have it? 
 
The procedure is repeated, check if among the characteristics of your invention, any respond to these fears and frustrations.
 
 If not, you have a new source of inspiration for improvements to your product. 
 
I assure you that the method works, it has allowed us to manufacture prototypes much closer to the clients' needs. That is, with greater opportunities for success.
 
I encourage you to complete the exercise alone. 
 
Save the conclusions, that is: the problems that you think the product will solve, the surprises it would generate and the characteristics that help avoid the customer's fears. 
 
Now, repeat it with some people NOT involved with the project, I'm sure you'll gain a new perspective. 
 
Attention, you can do it without counting your invention, you cross out from the list of problems, surprises and frustrations, those characteristics that your product covers. 
 
Anything left unresolved on the list, far from being a problem or a NO, is a great opportunity to fine-tune your invention.
 
I will be delighted if you send me any comments about the result of your exercise. 
 
Remember... With these tips, I don't intend to sell you anything. 
 
I already got into your head that you're a tough nut to crack.
 
Only with my commitment to support our community of inventors. Of which you, you are part.
 
Warm regards
 
Erick Remedios Muiños 

Tell us your idea

Rate this post
Erick Remedios Muiños
Latest posts by Erick Remedios (see all)