Minnesota Inventors Congress and the Minnesota US Small Business Administration Office
Presents our 28th annual Inventing Success™ Workshops
June 8 & 9, 2012
What is the most important investment an inventor can make? To learn how successful inventors develop marketable products!! Attend these sessions and find out from the experts how to spend your time and money wisely as you develop your idea.
Friday, June 8, 8:00 a.m. to 9:45 a.m.
Keynote Speaker
Striking Success with DRTV
Manish Israni
VP/Market Research for TeleBrands Corp.
Room 1. Aspiring/Emerging/Established Inventor Level. 2012 Inventor Exhibitors receive two free tickets for this session.
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2011′s schedule to help you see the quality of the speakers that participate in our event each year.
Friday, 10:00 a.m.
Sales Calls. Create an Effective, Dynamic and Memorable Sales Presentation!
BILL McHENRY
President, Envision Sales & Marketing. www.esmsales.com
Learn how to develop effective sales presentations through understanding the process of selling. Bill’s presentation, “The 7 Step Sales Plan” offers valuable information, tips, techniques, and the components necessary to create a solid plan for presenting your product and keeping the attention of your audience. With over 25 years in sales and marketing and a background of training, developing and successfully leading large sales teams of over 100 staff, Bill delivers the methods and proven techniques to assure well organized and well received sales calls. Across the country, Bill has shared this lively and informative presentation – helping inventors and entrepreneurs be prepared to seize opportunities that they cannot afford to lose. By understanding each of the steps of the sales process, you will be more prepared to manage and execute them! Bill will also include the importance of developing your network and how you can expand your network to help the sales process.
Room 1. Aspiring/Emerging/Established Inventor Level.
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Basic Networking: The Fundamentals of Building Your Network
RON WACKS
Entrepreneur, CEO, Microbusiness Strategies, and Co-Producer, IssuesLive; Author, Instructor, “Power Networking: How to Solve any Problem by Connecting with the Right Person” www.microbusinessstrategies.com
You often hear about networking as an important tool to build your business or endeavor. What is “networking”? Why should you care about it? Why do you need to effectively network? And what will that accomplish for you?
Learn what networking is and get great tips to help you build a solid network. And learn the difference between networking and having random conversations AND the difference between being well-connected and having a bunch of contacts.
Tips include:
• How to properly introduce yourself—what to include in your “elevator speech”
• How to engage someone in a conversation and how to overcome your fears
• Where to meet prospective clients, contacts and good referral sources
• Follow-up techniques – I’ve met them, what do I do now?
• Cultivating excellent referrals—why a referral network is critical
• How to build a network from relationships you have…or need
Room 2. Aspiring/Emerging/Established Inventor Level.
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Assistive Technology
AL RASMUSSEN & DAN STORES
Minnesota AgrAbility Program
Assistive technology promotes greater independence by helping individuals with disabilities perform the tasks they were formerly unable to accomplish, or had great difficulty accomplishing. This session will look at what’s new in assistive technology and the impact it has at home, the workplace and in daily community life. The Minnesota AgrAbility Project works with farmers experiencing disabling conditions, helping find the appropriate assistive technology to help them remain productive on the farm.
Room 3A. Aspiring/Emerging Inventor Level.
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Friday 12:00 p.m.
United States Patent & Trademark Office
JOHN CALVERT
The United States Patent & Trademark Office will be launching a new initiative in collaboration with MN LegalCorps.
There will also be an update on the changes taking place at the USPTO and the Patent Reform Act.
Room 1. Aspiring/Emerging/Established Inventor Level.
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Friday 2:00 p.m.
Thinking Globally: Tips on Securing International Patent Protection
PROFESSOR JAY ERSTLING
Attorney: Patterson, Thuente, Skaar, & Christensen. www.ptslaw.com
This workshop will look at the rules and practices for securing patent protection outside the United States. It will focus special attention on how to determine when foreign protection might be necessary as well as on the best means to get it, especially by using the international patent filing system known as the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT).
Room 1. Aspiring/Emerging/Established Inventor Level.
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“Getting Un-stuck – A How to Guide for Inventors”
ANDREW KRAUSS
Inventors Alliance President & inventRight Co-Founder. www.inventRight.com
Every inventor is stuck somewhere in the process at one time or another. Many never get un-stuck. Sometimes people think one thing is holding them up when what’s really holding them back is something different. There is nothing more frustrating than not being able to get your ideas out into the world, so people can enjoy them. Andrew will present a “How To” talk with a question and answer session on how to identify where you are really stuck in the invention process, how to get “Un-Stuck” and how to move forward with your ideas.
Room 2. Aspiring/Emerging/Established Inventor Level.
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Is a VIDEO for YOU the Right Thing to do?
STEVEN JOHNSON
Videographer, veteran television and video producer www.tenthousandlakesproductions.com
It is a visual world we live in, and piles of paperwork may be a thing of the past! Learn the basics of video production! What is a story board? Professional vs. DIY? The video is complete – Now what? Having a video of your project may be a wise move for your invention. Steven and his inventor friend will walk you through the necessary steps to showcase your great idea.
Room 3a. Aspiring/Emerging/Established Inventor Level.
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Friday 4:00 p.m.
Sell Sheets & Benefit Statements: Marketing Tools of Successful Inventors
LINDA POLLOCK
Inventing Coach, Award Winning Inventor, Author. www.InventingCoach.com
It doesn’t matter how fantastic your product is if you don’t know how to market it. Sell sheets and benefit statements grab attention, open doors and instantly show what your product is and does. You don’t have to be a people-person, writer or graphic designer to create and use these tools either. Come learn the quickest and easiest way to market your product.
Room 1. Aspiring/Emerging/Established Inventor Level.
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Trademarks & Copyrights: A Business Perspective
ROGER BELFAY
Attorney at Law. www.rogerbelfay.com
Learn how Trademark and Copyright law relate to the business of turning your invention into cash:
What is the relationship between your business plan and Trademark protection?
How do you establish your Trademark rights?
Do you even need Trademark Protection?
What is the relationship between your business plan and Copyright protection?
How do I preserve my copyrights?
Room 2. Aspiring/Emerging Inventor Level.
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Saturday, June 11, 8:00 a.m. to 9:45 a.m.
Keynote Speaker
Licensing your Product
WARREN TUTTLE
Housewares Industry Marketing Guru. www.monasheemarketing.com
Learn from the person who helped launch the TV mega-hit Smart Spin, MISTO The Gourmet Olive Oil Sprayer, The Toss and Turn Pan and QVC’s Adjustable Depth Rolling Pin. Warren also works with Lifetime Brands, the world’s largest manufacturer and distributor of kitchen utensils, searching for innovative new products. Speed Prep and The Odor Absorbing Splatter Screen are two such products just introduced to high acclaim at the recent International Housewares Show in Chicago. Warren serves on the Board of Directors of the United Inventors Association and resides in Connecticut.
Room 1. Aspiring/Emerging/Established Inventor Level. 2011 Exhibitors attend this session free.
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Saturday 10:00 a.m.
How to Find and Work with a Broker to Sell or License Your Patent
CLYDE HANSON
Angel Investor, Blogger, Licensing Executives Society Member. www.ventureisles.com
Topics covered: Intellectual Property marketplace overview: who, what, when, where and why. The brokerage business model. Why use a broker? Where to find candidate brokers. How to attract the attention of a broker. How to evaluate the fit. How to negotiate compensation and terms. Helping the sales effort. How to deal with performance concerns. Is it the right deal? After the deal housekeeping and What if there is no deal?
Room 1. Emerging/Established Inventor Level.
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Turning Your Idea into a Profitable Product: Myth & Reality
KEVIN ANDERSON
Business Development Consultant, President RVI
Can you develop a product the market wants?
In this interactive workshop, learn how to position yourself for success by participating in this unique presentation of business basics you must have to succeed. You will learn why and how these basics affect your success.
Kevin will present and discuss a model that he has used in all his businesses. He calls this successful model “ICE” an acronym for Identify, Communicate, Execute. He will walk you through each part of the model and how each impacts the process from idea to profitability. We’ll discuss how to identify the basis for revenue, quality and profits.
As a part of this interactive discussion, Kevin will use his broad skill sets and history as an example. All your work will remain confidential as you choose. Prepare to learn the myths and the realities of how profitability really happens and how to get there whether you’ve already started or have an idea on a napkin.
Room 2. Aspiring/Emerging/Established Inventor Level.
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Saturday 12:00 p.m.
Power Networking: How to Solve any Problem by Connecting with the Right Person.
RON WACKS
Entrepreneur, CEO, Microbusiness Strategies, and Co-Producer, IssuesLive. www.microbusinessstrategies.com
Ask yourself this question: Do you want to call people or do you want them to call you? You’ve heard it many times: “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know”. Whether you’re employed or self-employed…in business 20 years or 20 minutes, Power Networking is the most important tool you can have for success. Power Networking is different than any networking seminar or workshop you’ve ever attended—you’ll learn how to cultivate relationships and develop them into long-term relationships and partnerships and pull a rabbit out of a hat…and people will call you. The most important thing one can do each day beyond getting up in the morning is effective power networking.
Room 1. Aspiring/Emerging/Established Inventor Level.
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Engineering & Manufacturing Methods
KEVIN SKOW
CEO/ Design Engineer, Developing Product Inc., www.developingproduct.com
Learn about the different manufacturing methods available.Learn what type of tooling will be required for the various manufacturing methods. Learn the ins and out of manufacturing in this global economy. Knowing this early on can help reduce your costs in manufacturing.
Room 2. Aspiring/Emerging Inventor Level.
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Saturday 2:00 p.m.
“Lessons Learned: The 5 Roads of Successful Inventing”
KEITH L HENK
New Product Coach, www.innovationhighway.com
Every idea is different, every market is different, and every individual is different. The best ‘steps’ for one inventor, therefore, are not necessarily the best for another. Successful inventors match key ‘steps’ to their key strengths. View sample products, their early stage evaluations; and how/why each employs a different strategy to succeed. A personally tailored ‘situational’ strategy can save you thousands of dollars, and make the difference between success and failure.
Room 1. Emerging/Established Inventor Level.
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Patent Law: A Business Perspective.
ROGER BELFAY
Attorney at Law. www.rogerbelfay.com
Learn how patent law relates to the business of turning your invention into cash:
What is the relationship between your business plan and patent protection?
How do you preserve your patent rights before filing a patent application?
Do you even need patent protection?
What kind of application should be filed and when?
How do I preserve my rights to a patent outside of the United States?
Room 2. Aspiring/Emerging/Established Inventor Level.
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Aspiring/Emerging/Established Level Descriptions:
Aspiring: Limited financial resources; knowledge of the process is low; initial stage of development; needs to learn the basic product development process.
Emerging: Limited financial resources; knowledge of the process is low to mid; prototype stage; knows it will not make a fast million; understands the time commitment to develop; knows the value of a patent; knows how to find out if there is a market; and is learning how to commercialize the product.
Established: Using personal financial resources; knowledge of the process is good; advanced stage of development; may have a direct connection to the potential market; has a business plan and marketing plan developed; learning how to make the decision to license or manufacture your product; and knows what it takes to finance a start up operation.
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Note: Please don’t let these descriptions stop you from participating in any workshop you wish to attend!
The 8:00 a.m. sessions on Friday and Saturday are open to the public and are free for 2011 Expo exhibitors. Workshop speakers and schedule are subject to change. No advance registration necessary.
$20 Fee per session. Or take advantage of the great offer – Online, mail or by phone order – prepay only: 4 for $40.00, deadline June 7, 2011. Package option available at the door: 4 for $60.00.
Redwood Area Community Center
Conference Center
901 Cook Street
Redwood Falls MN 56283
Held during the Minnesota Inventors Congress’ Invention & Idea Show™ 2011
Hosted by the Minnesota Inventors Congress
P O Box 71
Redwood Falls MN 56283
800.468.3681
info@minnesotainventorscongress.org
