-- One attribute I do have is the ability to stand and hold my own in a conversation - and there has been many a time when I have taken the lead and mildly nudged or steered the conversation 'my way.' --
You may have noticed this?

-- I give the conversation Direction.

-- On the one hand, I keep my mouth shut and listen to what is being spoken. I find that I learn more from listening than from talking. -- I know what I would say and I want to learn about the other speaker, and to do that, I have to be attentive.-- This makes who I am listening to, to think that they're smarter than I am because I listen to them.-- And don't you feel smarter when you're talking and your listener is listening, attentively? Sure you do.

-- "Blessed is the man who, having nothing to say, abstains from giving us worthy evidence of the fact."
-- George Eliot

-- Have you observed that teachers in the classroom are asking leading questions? They prove to you that you are smart (or dumb) by asking you your opinion, -- "What do you think about..?"

-- By doing that, the teacher brings out the entire classroom: 1. Finds the smarter students to give the higher grades. 2. Makes sure that the homework is worked upon. 3. Re-emphasizes the important details. 4. Even the wrong answers will bring out the correct answers. 5. It drums in the knowledge.

-- Hold it -- Stop!! --> What is being gained from what was just stated?: Simply this, "That nothing will ever be sold until a good Salesman [teacher] sells it." The teacher masters this art -- this skill of selling when drawing out the main points. -- Some are born with it; most have been trained by selling experts.

-- YOU are our "Salesman" example.

-- Call it 'Marketing' and it still boils down to one-on-one selling. Especially when YOU introduce a new concept, new idea, new anything. -- YOU --

-- [Trade Secret: Feed your listener bits of information. Let them digest it. Let them comment. Tell them a little more. Let them comment. They'll get off the subject. Steer them back. Bring them back. Nod your head up-and-down positively. Notice them agreeing. Stop selling. Write-up the sale. Add positive features. Make listener feel good about what they did.]

-- Remember this: Sell Yourself, Sell Your Product, and Sell Your Company or Organization.

-- Because, if done in that order, YOU have the ability to go on. By that I mean, you can always find another great product to sell. You can always find another first line company or manufacturer to sell it from. You can (similar to a jugler jugling) take on more products and more companies. You can convince others to sell for you. You can copy those salesmen and companies that are the front runners. You can do more today within the scope of electronic medium than ever before, and what you don't know, find out about it. You will find that the experts are willing to share and tell you how they did it.
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The ABCs of networking

By Harvey Mackay

If I had to name the single characteristic shared by all the truly successful people I've met over a lifetime, I'd say it is the ability to create and nurture a network of contacts. I could lose all my money and all my factories, but leave me my contacts and I'll be back as strong as ever in three to five years. Networking is that important.

The alphabet is a great place to start as you build your network -- organize your contacts from A to Z. I've written two other ABC columns -- the ABCs of selling and the ABCs of teamwork. Now it's time for the ABCs of networking:

A is for antennae, which should be up every waking moment. Never pass up an opportunity to meet new people.
B is for birthdays. It's always advantageous to know the birthdays of your contacts. You wouldn't believe how much business our sales reps write up when they call on their customers' birthdays.
C is for contact management system. Have your data organized so that you can cross reference entries and find the information you need quickly.
D is for Dig Your Well Before You're Thirsty, my networking book.
E is for exchange and expand. When two people exchange dollar bills, each still has only one dollar. But when two people exchange networks, they each have access to two networks.
F is for Facebook and all other social media. These sites open unlimited possibilities for networking. Use them wisely.
G is for gatekeeper. There usually is a trusted assistant trained to block or grant your access. Don't waste their time, and make sure you acknowledge their significant role in reaching the boss.
H is for hearing. Make note of news you hear affecting someone in your network so you can reference it at the appropriate time.
I is for information. You can't (and shouldn't) talk about business all the time. Learn everything you can about your contacts' families, pets, hobbies and interests. Humanize your approach.
J is for job security, which you will always have if you develop a good network.
K is for keeping in touch. If your network is going to work, you have to stay plugged in and keep the wires humming.
L is for lessons. The first real networking school I signed up for after I graduated from college was Toastmasters. Dale Carnegie schools are designed to achieve similar goals.
M is for mentors. In the best of all possible worlds, your role models can become your mentors, helping you, advising you, guiding you, even lending you their network as you build your own. N is for a network of contacts. A network can enrich your life.
O is for outgoing. Be the first to introduce yourself, lend a hand, or send congratulations for a job well done.
P is for people. You have to love people to be a good networker.
Q is for quality. A large network is worthless unless the people in it can be counted on to answer in an emergency at 2 a.m.
R is for Reciprocity. You give; you get. You no give; you no get. If you only do business with people you know and like, you won't be in business very long.
S is for six degrees of separation, the thought that there is a chain of no more than six people that link every person. Someone you know knows someone who knows someone you want to know.
T is for telephone. Landline, cell, internet -- this is a critical tool for staying in touch with your network.
U is for urgency. Don't be slow to answer the call, even if you never expect to have your effort repaid.
V is for visibility. You've got to get involved in organizations and groups to get connected, but don't confuse visibility with credibility. You have to give in order to get.
W is not only for whom you know, but also for who knows you?
X is for the extra mile. Your network contacts will go the extra mile for you, and you must be willing to do the same for them.
Y is for yearly check-in. Find a way, even if it's just a holiday card, to stay in touch.
Z is for zip code -- do you have plenty represented in your network?

Harvey Mackay's Column Nov. 8, 2010 Minneapolis Star Tribune

Mackay's Moral: "You don't have to know everything as long as you know the people who do."
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-- "Networking as Your Sole Marketing Vehicle" --

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-- "Discover your inner child in negotiations" --

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-- -- "Your customers are changing... Why aren't you?" --

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-- "Social Media Success Don't Just Attract Followers Engage Them" --

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-- "Telling a Story" -- THE BIG ROCKS OF LIFE --
-- "Okay, time for a quiz."

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-- Learn about "The Six-Degrees of Separation."

-- Psychologist, Stanley Milgram, over thirty years ago began an experiment to uncover the connection in our personal network of friends and acquaintances. It reveled that we each have three-hundred acquaintances of which we are on a first name terms. That suggests we're just one handshake from three-hundred people, two away from 90,000, three from 27 million and so on.

-- Viewed this way, it only takes as many as five or six handshakes to connect every American to every other. -- An average of four would connect up to 250,000,000. -- Everyone on Planet Earth is separated from everyone else by no more than six degrees of separation, or six friends of friends. :-) IT'S WHO YOU KNOW AS WELL AS WHAT YOU KNOW.

-- "Be sure" by networking with and through the IASL. - We'll shake on that. ;-)

-- "New Social Networking Site Now in Business ... for Business" --

-- "Making a wrong decision is understandable. Refusing to search continually for learning is not." -- Philip Crosby, Reflections on Quality

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-- "Those who respond to the customer's needs are going to make money." --

From: Terry Livell
Sent: Monday, June 22, 2009 11:35 AM
To: president@inventorsconnection.org
Subject: RE: Questions on how to proceed.

Dear Sir,

My name is Terry Livell. I am a disabled Vietnam veteran. I have a prodict (tool) that I want to sell the manufacturing right to, to some coamapny. I had a product feasibility and patent search done ane it came back open and was agreed with as to its positive need and sales potential.

I am trying to take my drawing, and tool to sell the limited manufacturing rights to a companies such a Mikita, Black and Decker, or simular tool makers. I would like to find someone to guide me through the proceedure for bringing my product to fruition.

Please advise.

Sincerely,

Terry Livell
636-333-2034h
636-368-1218c
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From: Robert Scheinkman

To: Terry Livell

Sent: Wednesday, June 24, 2009 11:06:33 AM
Subject: RE: Questions on how to proceed.

Terry Livell

Spend a few minutes (or hours) reading the Inventors Association of St. Louis's website. You'll be glad you did.

http://www.inventorsconnection.org/Topics/53215.1080.html

http://www.inventorsconnection.org/

Then come to our IASL Meeting on July 16th, 2009:

http://www.inventorsconnection.org/Topics/42646.html#Meetings

Robert Scheinkman, President/Director
Retired Chief Personnelman, USNR-R
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From: Terry Livell
Sent: Monday, October 5, 2009 2:37 PM
To: Robert Scheinkman
Subject: Re: Questions on how to proceed.

Dear Sir,
I have read over and over the info on the email you have sent me, but, I still do not understand how to proceed. Please advise me in a clearer way, I don't seem to fully understand.

Sincerely,
Terry Livell

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To: Terry Livell
From: Robert Scheinkman
Subject: Re: Questions on how to proceed.
Date: Monday, October 5, 2009 3:20 PM

Terry Livell:

How to Proceed !!

1. Forget that you thought of "a good idea." Millions of others are out there thinking up ideas, too, so check it out. ---> Yours may be already thought of?

2. If you can't give up this dumb idea that you have, realize that someone else thought-it-up a long time before you and published the information.

3. Therefore, you can't get a patent for even a genius idea when it was described more than 365-days ago. --> The USPTO says that you can't!!

4. O.K. You are still determined to make it and sell it and make money from it..

-- There is no law that says that you must get a patent for it. All it says is that you must not infringe on another's live patent.

5. The chances are very good that the guy or gal or company that received that U.S. Patent didn't take it to market. Look them up and offer your services..

6. The way it works is that you can take a patent that has expired and have it made according to the directions on the patent. You don't have to pay a dime to the previous owner of the patent. --> How about THAT!!

7. Look out for the upgraded patents on those patents that you do want to copy. Those newer, alive patents, have teeth in them and can bite you.

8. There are many "alive" patents that can be licensed to you, if you pay the patent owners.

9. You are 'small potatoes' to the big inventors and it will cost them more in legal fees in making you quit copying their live products than to let you be. They will ignore you or threaten you with a legal proclamation to cease and desist. (You'd better get a defence lawyer if they do. - You would have a big problem then.. with legal fees.)

10. And another thing: You can put out a Google search and it's a bet that somewhere in this world there is 'a one of that thing' that you think should be invented (by you.) --> Purchase it.

At this point, if you want to be a successful inventor, read what I have written. Take your time. Do Inventing for a Hobby.

Or/And

Go to a Patent Attorney and pay $175 per hour, or more, plus the Patent Fees in his or her attempt to get you a U.S. Patent.

Once you have your Patent, you will be called an Inventor. --> Now, what will you do with that certificate? --> Frame it and put it on the wall. Be proud of it.

"There must be more," you say.
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To: Terry Livell
From: Robert Scheinkman
Subject: Re: Questions on how to proceed.
Date: Monday, October 5, 2009 7:43 PM

Terry Livell - Terry

Go to:

http://www.inventorsconnection.org/Topics/53267.1190.html#PatentMyths

Robert Scheinkman, President
president@inventorsconnection.org

http://www.inventorsconnection.org/
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-- Inventors Forum, February 2011
From: Olafur Torfason
Date: Tue, 1 Feb 2011 10:24:38 -0500

Dear forum and prestigious inventors,

first of all, I would like to say that I´m new here in this forum as well as to the industry. But I would like to ask you some questions which are burning at the moment. I´ll try to explain as best I can.

The thing is, I have been working on an invention. When I had developed the concept, and had explored if there was a market for it, I came to the conclusion that this it is possible. Looking into the various ways of how to get the product to market, I off explored acquiring a patent. As I was along the way, I found an existing patent, that describes the function that I currently have in mind. The patent holder is a prestigious inventor, and holds numerous patents and the assignee is a major corporation.

However, this product that I have in mind is not on the market. The reason for why it is not on the market, I believe is simply because the market for it is still emerging. The patent, is dated some years back, before this market had emerged and this is a complementary product for this particular market. This is the reason that I think why it has not been commercialized. (For instance, products/functions that my product would complement are only 2-3 years old on the market, while the patent is is 10+ years old).

Now, I have looked up the Inventor and I am thinking about if I should contact him to try to form some sort of a collaboration. But as I´m new to this, I do not know what I can expect from the agreement or even if he would be willing to enter an agreement. But then another dilemma strikes again, as he is not the assignee.

So my questions are:

1) Which one should I contact first. The Inventor or the Assignee?

ANSWER: You have an idea to improve upon an existing patent. There are some 'idea people' - like yourself - that have it all backwards.. The way it works is that the 1st patent owner is supreme and you pay him when offering your idea to him, not the other way around. Why would he want to share his patent? -- Why would he add expence to a profitable present invention?
Improvements call for another patent for either of you and you aren't bringing anything to his table but an untried idea. You must show him that he will make more money! Proof is what sells.

2) Can I enter into an agreement, without disclosing too much information.

ANSWER: How much is too much?!! -- What will you say that will not jeopardise the essense of your idea? If he is smart enough to understand your idea, he will be aware that he holds all the winning aces and not you.

3) I´m thinking 25% that I would get from the patent in relation to this specific product if it would launch and 25-35% of any additional patents that would be acquired from this existing patent. (If necessary). Does this sound reasonable? And could I ever get him to agree to these terms with out disclosing too much information?

ANSWER: You ain't heard a word I said..

I could never take on a corporation as they would bury me with legal costs if they would ever see it fit and have much more experience, even if I could find away around the patent (which I´m not a big supporter of anyways). But is there anyway I can contact them and meet with them, explain my idea and share the profits if they would like to go through with it? Or will I always hold the shorter end of the stick?

ANSWER: You, Olafur,.. you are the reason why the IASL website was created.. to bring sanity to the Inventive World.. to straighten-out guys like you.

Thank you so much for your time, and if you have read through this all I give you all my respect!

Best Regards.
Olafur

PS: Additional Question: Is there anywhere I can find out in which countries the patent is valid?

ANSWER: All patents are valid until they expire. Your opponent's patent may be found at the USPTO for whatever stage it presently is in. -- A Patent Lawyer is what you need for your "idea-to-invention problems."

-->> *New idea and don’t know where to start?

The Inventors Assistance Center of the USPTO, 1-800-786-9199, can send you basic information on filing patent applications. Its website http://www.uspto.gov/ also has information on the patent process. Patent Depository Libraries (locations on their website) can also provide you with information. In addition, local independent inventor organizations are a good resource to help you get started with patenting and promoting your invention.

--> Visit InventNET Bookstore -

Want to help us help you better? - become a member:
http://www.inventnet.com/membership.html

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--> "Inventor-Mentor" --
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Aha! This is the reason, my friend, for this IASL Website > >
> > to make you aware of the marketing of your invention -->
for only 2% of those who receive a patent make enough money to be reimbursed for the money that they have outlaid in getting their patent.

==============================================
To: inventors_council@yahoogroups.com
From: fotobyhand@aol.com
Subject: [Inventors Council] invention help company
Date: Thursday, August 25, 2011 2:23 PM 

Anyone ever done business with this company? Can anyone give any input on its legitimacy?

http://www.money4ideas.com/

Quite honestly, as everyone here has said and heard, I've got a great idea, but I've just got so much on my plate, don't have the time or energy to pursue it.

Donna

CONTACTS:
Inventors Council (a nonprofit organization)
e-mail: swfday@aol.com
listserver: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/inventors_council

POST YOUR MESSAGES:
It's so simple! Send an email to:
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SPREAD THE WORD: Please invite your friends and co-workers! Forward this message to people you know would profit from our resources. Have them visit: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/inventors_council

LEGAL: Please know that nothing in this message shall be considered legal advice. The Inventors Council of Dayton is not a law firm and does not dispense legal counsel or patent counsel. Posted messages may contain information helpful to some people under some circumstances. Please use extreme caution when evaluating any information, such as: business opportunities; links to news stories; links to services, products or other web sites; and postings by group members. No endorsements are ever issued from the Inventors Council, expressed or implied.

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-- 10 Habits Of Top Producing Salespeople. Do You Practice Them? --

-- Allen Minster, partner with Frontline Advisors, was hired by a large insurance company to selectively interview and survey the company's top producing sales people. This company defined "top producer" as a sales representative that generated over $250,000 in commissions (not salary or bonus)! As a result of this study, he identified 10 habits that top producers practice on a daily basis.

-- 1. Continual Prospecting.
-- Most sales people know that they should prospect daily, but few have developed a tightly defined system of approaching people that they have never done business with.

-- 2. Close Attention To Detail.
-- Top producers consistently take care of the "little things" that mean so much to existing customers and prospects. A well-timed birthday card, news article about the client's business, etc., means so much in demonstrating concern for others.

-- 3. Consistently Ask For Referrals.
-- Very few sales representatives ever ask for referrals? We believe that the reluctance to ask for referrals is the same reluctance that keeps sales people from prospecting. All salespeople that want to rise above the average must overcome this reluctance..

-- 4. High Activity Focused On Interest And Qualified Prospects.
-- Top producers qualify a prospect's ability to buy (authority and resources) before they invest time trying to build interest.

-- 5. Maximize "Face Time" With Prospects.
-- The only time that matters is the time that you spend with a prospect. Any activity that is not with a prospect or client is better done after prime selling hours.

-- 6. Meticulous Follow Through.
-- It is imperative that sales organizations build an effective selling system that ensures that persistent follow through.

-- 7. Focus On Customer Retention And Satisfaction.
-- To build market share, companies must focus on new business and customer retention. There is no value in gaining five new customers if six are leaving due to poor customer service.

-- 8. Always Respond With Appropriate Personal And Courteous Contacts.
-- It is surprising what a birthday or anniversary card will buy. Enough said!!!

-- 9. Extremely Time Conscious.
-- Top producers do not waste time on useless activity that does not move them toward their goals.

-- 10. Goal (Outcome) Oriented.
-- Effective sales producers understand the importance of knowing exactly what they want to accomplish.
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