Frequently Asked Questions About The Invention Process
June 5, 2008 by Victor123
Filed under Ask an Expert
It has always amazed me how many people have some kind of an invention idea. I am equally amazed by the fact that over 90% of these people never do anything with their idea.
Then I realized why people didn’t follow up. They have no idea how to get started!
So how does an inventor start? Where do go, what do you do? Of equal importance is what you should not do. Let’s tackle them both.
First the ‘Do Not List.’ It is short and simple.
1. Do not pay any money to an invention marketing or development company EVER
2. Do not go to a patent attorney just YET. You will later but only after your invention is completed in every aspect to make sure it works.
3. Do not expect immediate financial results if any at all. The entire invention process is lengthy and a risk.
That is the entire Do Not List. If you act on any one of the items you will succeed to fail.
How about the ‘Do List.’ It is also pretty short and but not so simple.
1. Write everything you do regarding the invention in a bound notebook.
A. Date each page.
B. Sign each page.
C. Have a third party witness sign each page as well.
2. Do your own preliminary patent search. You can go online to the United States Patent and Trademark Office and simply follow the links.
3. Spend a few dollars to obtain a professional evaluation from a reputable company. This should cost no more than a couple of hundred dollars. The results of the evaluation should tell you if you should continue your project or not. It is money well spent.
4. If you received a negative evaluation, your list stops here. If positive, continue.
5. Build a crude prototype with off the shelf components to see if can really work. You will also learn that the product will need some kind of modifications along the way as well.
6. Apply for a Provisional Application for Patent at the USPTO. You can do this on your own without the expense of a patent attorney. The filing fee is only $105.00 (as of this writing).
7. Research the type of companies that would be candidates to approach to license your product.
8. Develop marketing materials to be sent to those companies.
9. Construct a more complete working prototype.
10. Apply for full patent protection with a patent attorney.
Once you have completed the ten items above, the hardest part now begins. Simply put, convincing companies that they can make money with your invention. If you can do that you have become a successful inventor.
Victor Martel is a successful inventor with many patents. He can assist inventors with their projects in many different ways. His web-site http://www.inventionscamalerts.com is designed to help inventors. He offers an Invention Evaluation test. It tells inventors if they have an idea to pursue.
I Need To Hire International Auto Shipping To England
May 30, 2008 by drorklar
Filed under Ask an Expert
I am the only Anglophile in my family. My mother and father have been to England. My brother went with a college buddy simply to play golf there. But I’m really and truly in love with it. I feel like the U.K. is home; even though our family is ten generations removed from it and living on another continent.
So when my company advertised that they needed reps to go to the U.K. to live and work for one year, I was all but planted in the secretary’s office, begging that they choose me for this. I had been there twice, I said. I understood the language (some eyebrows raised at this). I could navigate the Tube like nobody’s business (shrugged shoulders) and I just loved curry and rice.
Well, I got it. Not because I begged so successfully, but because I was there constantly, like the drone of an aircraft that no one could get off of but wasn’t going anywhere.
Now there was the moving of me. I love my car and my first preoccupation was how to get it there in one piece and was it worth the money. I decided positively and buckled down to do the research. International auto Transport, International Auto Shipping, there were few enough of them to look at but the Internet popped out some numbers and I started making my way through them.
When I said where I was going, the shipper that I chose asked me to come in for a face-to-face meeting before going further. Nothing wrong with that, I thought. But I still wondered why. After 3 minutes with the guy I figured it out. I was buried in forms. Form C104A to clear customs; Form C, E386, and E388 in preparation for the registration process. (Not the registration process, mind you, the preparation for it.) Then there was the P11 form and Leaflet V277.
I think these last two were thrown in to even out your gait since you would be leaving the international auto shipping company at a distinct slant, papers tucked under one arm like homework.
Then there were the taxes to pay. And we thought that our gas prices were high. It would take a lot of full gas tanks to make up for the taxes that would float my poor car across the big wetness. The international auto shipper that I was working with was sympathetic but adamant about taking my checks.
I was constantly reminding myself of where I would be in a few weeks. And I spent hours readying my car for this. Back seat empty, trunk, clear, bumpers, erased of all green causes so I could start on new ones; and glove compartment scraped clear of all gum and candy wrappers.
In the end, all I could do was hand the international auto shipper my pile of forms, pat the poor girl on one fender and wish her a safe ride.
She hadn’t seen a wax job like that in years.
Nir Dotan is a writer and promoter of International Moving To England services, and
International Moving To England as well as nation Wide.
How To Choose The Right International Auto Shipping Company When You Need To Move Your Car
May 30, 2008 by drorklar
Filed under Ask an Expert
When relocating, especially to an international destination, it is very important to keep in mind the need to relocate the automobile. Most often the requirements for car relocation differ from that of other possessions. When you involve the services of an international auto shipping company to move your car, you need to keep certain basics in mind and research them thoroughly.
International shipping companies charge extra for relocation of automobiles, cars in particular and SUVs and other oversized vehicles. You need to ensure that the international auto shipping company engaged to move your car offers you a reliable shipping quote, either directly or via a dedicated transporter or broker, before you sign any contract.
It pays to investigate the dedicated Car Movers Directory. This directory lists automobile, car and other vehicle shipping companies for national and international destinations. The international auto shipping company engaged to move your car should offer services taken care of by brokers, who belong to the Auto Transport Brokers Association. The brokerage fee should be charged per vehicle.
When you work with an international auto shipping company equipped to move your car or an auto transport company directly instead of through a broker, you enjoy flexibility in price negotiation. However, most of the international auto shipping companies that handle car relocation charge the broker fee anyway.
You need to research on the accessible leverage when complaining about poor car shipping service and whether or not the international auto shipping company is legal. You also need to verify whether or not the chosen international auto shipping company equipped to move your car is registered with the Department Of Transportation. Always verify and double check on the Department Of Transportation or DOT number.
You can consider open car shipping. This mode is 60% cheaper than enclosed shipping of your car, especially to an international destination. Despite apprehension, the fact is that your car is not so badly off being transported on an open carrier. You would better understand this by imagining your car being driven down to the destination. The traveling on the open road and the road hazards involved are the same as those involved in the open car shipping option. Although, if your car is a vintage piece, then exclusive enclosed shipping has to be considered.
The enclosed car carriers to international destinations are equipped to offer you special transportation care and service, at practically twice as much as conventional car shipping. The car arrives at its destination in perfect condition. This type of international auto shipping service is especially good for specialty vehicles and sports cars that need to be relocated.
The chosen international car relocation company should offer your vehicle insurance that covers it in full. Brokers do not directly insure your car; however, they contract out with companies that do so.
When choosing the right international auto shipping company to move your car, you need to make sure that the set up is reliable and meets industry standards. There are many resources that offer instant quotes the moment you enter your contact information, vehicle type and destination. The resources can be tapped online and offline.
Nir Dotan is a writer and promoter of
Omega Shipping services, and
Omega Shipping Local as well as International Moving.
Forms Of Incorporation: A Simple Guide
May 23, 2008 by ramapati
Filed under Ask an Expert
Incorporation is a legal process leading to the formation of a corporation. Before incorporating your business an important question which arises in your mind is: There are various forms of incorporation available, which form should be suitable to my business?
To answer your question we have compiled a comprehensive guide to almost all forms of incorporation. To see the types of offshore investing companies click here.
A brief introduction and pros and cons of mostly used forms of incorporation are given below:
* Sole proprietorship:
- This is the most famous form of small enterprises worldwide. If you own a small or a part time business, dont want to expand it, and want to be free from the hassle of filing returns and maintaining records, a sole proprietorship is for you.
- The disadvantage of this type of business is worth noting. Sole proprietors are personally liable for all the debts of the business.
* Partnership:
- One of the most important forms of incorporation is partnership. When you want to inject investment in your business and dont have enough capital, you can add a couple of friends or other willing investors into your partnership business and share your profits and losses accordingly.
- A partnership is preferred when there is a family business and all of the family likes to be involved in the decision making process. Alternatively, when close friends bringing different skills to the business want to work together.
- A major disadvantage of this form of incorporation is unlimited liability.
- There is another disadvantage. There is no perpetual succession. In many cases a partnership is dissolved when any partner leaves or dies and a new partnership needs to be constituted whenever a new partner is needed to be inducted!
* Limited Partnership:
- This type of partnership is available in some countries nut not in others.
- A limited partnership has all the characteristics of a normal partnership except that the liability of the partners is limited to the amounts of the capital invested by them; hence there is no personal liability.
- This makes limited partnerships attractive and more practical than simple partnerships. However there is a limit to the number of partners that can participate in the company.
* Corporation:
- A company incorporated under the applicable company laws of a specific jurisdiction is known as a corporation or a company; it can also be referred to as company corp. Main characteristics of a company corp. are as follows:
- Limited liability
- Perpetual succession
- Separate legal entity
- Can sue and be sued in its own name
- Proper records are required to be kept
- Annual, semi-annual and quarterly returns are usually required to be filed with the registrar of companies, in most countries.
There are various types of corporations. Each type has its own advantages and limitations, some of these types are listed below:
- Private limited companies
- Public limited companies
- Company limited by guarantee
- Unlimited company
* Corporation not for business:
- Among various forms of incorporation, corporations not for business is that type which is often used by non government organizations (NGOs) and other non profit organizations for incorporating their non-profit businesses.
- Special privileges are available to no profit corporation almost every country except some offshore ones.
Ramapati Singhania specializes in creating and managing web businesses. His latest website http://www.incorporation-offshore-saves-wealth.com focuses on helping you to incorporate offshore companies in Seychelles, Mauritius and BVI. You can also visit his blog, http://www.ramapatisinghania.com
Business Incorporation Formation: A Brief Guide
May 21, 2008 by ramapati
Filed under Ask an Expert
A guide to business incorporation formation:
This is a process by virtue of which a business comes into legal existence. This legal existence in which the business takes birth is referred to as a corporation.
A corporation is also known as a company in many jurisdictions. Both words have the same implications and represent a body incorporated under the relevant company laws. Incorporation is abbreviated as Inc. and company is abbreviated as Co.
Business incorporation formation can be of many types depending on the jurisdiction in which you are incorporating your business. Some of the most common forms of incorporation are listed below:
* Business
* Non profit organization
* Sports club
* A corporation owned by the government
* A Foreign corporation
* Public corporation
* Offshore Incorporation e.g in Seychelles
If you are a novice and are looking for information about business incorporation formation you should not worry because an abundance of resources are available both on and off the net to help you out in the process of business incorporation formation, including for a registration offshore company.
Books entitled as incorporation how to, or how to incorporate your business are available in almost every part of the world which throw light on the process of incorporation for different jurisdictions.
The incorporation how to books can be very handy because all the requirements of law for best incorporation are consolidated in one place, making your work easy and clarifying all aspects of company incorporation procedure.
These books also enumerate the documents which should be prepared for filing for incorporation with the regulatory authorities.
The documents prepared for filing for incorporation, whether locally or offshore, have a great importance in the business incorporation formation process because correctly prepared and filed documents ensure smooth and timely incorporation of your business with minimal cost incurred.
To obtain the best incorporation services you can focus on locating resources for incorporation around the world. Many individuals, firms and companies that have specialized in the process of company formation and have provided such services for many decades.
These entities and individuals are professionally trained and authorized to provide business incorporation information, advice and services.
These individuals, firms or companies guiding you in the incorporation process of your business usually also undertake the entire process themselves and fulfill all the legal requirements for incorporating your business. Where they do not have there own offices, they usually have an associate. They are also known as incorporation agents or company incorporation agents in some parts of the world.
The company incorporation agent is generally a useful person who can guide you throughout the process of incorporation of your business in his jurisdiction.
He will be able to advise you of the various legal issues involved, complete all the relevant documentation and requisites for the company incorporation process and will also be able to file the documentation with the appropriate regulatory agency on your behalf.
Incorporation agents for both local and offshore companies are found in every part of the world. Some have global expertise whereas others are limited to a specific jurisdiction or a couple of jurisdictions.
These agents will continue to guide you even after the incorporation of your business. If you like they can also, in some cases, help you with the legal requirements about the running of your business and filing of legal reports to the government.
Unfortunately, it is difficult to choose a competent agent for incorporating your business via the internet because you dont always know much about him / her.
However, the internet is a fabulous place to obtain appropriate business incorporation information!
Ramapati Singhania specializes in creating and managing web businesses. His latest website http://www.incorporation-offshore-saves-wealth.com focuses on helping you to incorporate offshore companies in Seychelles, Mauritius and BVI. You can also visit his blog, http://www.ramapatisinghania.com
Moving to Bangladesh Are You Nervous?
May 17, 2008 by drorklar
Filed under Ask an Expert
When I first accepted the job in Bangladesh, I was very nervous. The company gave me a good relocation allowance, but I did not know what to do. Who is a good international moving company? Where is a good neighborhood for a foreign employee to live in? My first step was finding a good residence. Luckily, I stumbled across a few internet sites for ex-pats, which is what they call people living in a foreign country. I found a few ex-pat communities in India and Bangladesh, and even found a house next-door to someone from my hometown. After faxing a signed rental agreement, my next step was to select an international moving company.
Moving halfway across the world to a new country was nerve wracking enough, but then I began to wonder how I was going to move all of my things to Bangladesh. I had several suggestions about movers to avoid, but there was one international moving company that was praised by a number of people. I took stock of what I needed moved and gave the movers a call. They were immediately friendly and helpful, letting me know what I would need to prepare, explaining the process and offering inexpensive insurance on the items to be moved.
When the day came for the move, the international moving company sent several polite and hardworking workers to my house. After they reviewed what needed to moved, they immediately started quickly and carefully packing all of my things into sturdy boxes. After they were done, I signed a few forms and they quickly filed in and out of my home, stacking and securing the boxes in a truck for transportation to the airport. My house was mostly empty except for my luggage.
My sister arrived to take to the airport and I said my last goodbye to my home of seven years. At the airport, my brothers and a number of friends were there to see me off. After I checked in my luggage, we said our goodbyes to each other with hugs and tears all around. The flight was generally pleasant but rather uneventful. When I arrived at my new home, I was thrilled by the thriving neighborhood and even more excited about the beauty of my new place.
I gave the neighbor from my hometown a call and we went out for a light dinner at a local restaurant. I rented a nearby hotel room while I waited for my things to arrive in Bangladesh. When my house goods did not arrive on-time, I gave my international moving company a worried call. They politely explained that my electronics were held up in customs, apologized for the delay and let me know that my things would be delivered the next day. The next day, the movers arrived with all of my things. After a few more days, with my neighbor’s help, my things were unpacked and my house was in order. I was relieved my move was over and I was looking forward to life in Bangladesh.
International Moving Company services, and
Corporate Relocation Moving Services in New Jersey as well as nation Wide.
Secrets to Buying Phuket Apartments
May 16, 2008 by easyinbkk
Filed under Ask an Expert
One question we are constantly asked is if you have to obtain permission from the government before purchasing Phuket property. To buy a condo or apartment in Phuket is very simple if you are a non-Thai. Most projects have a 51%-49% ownership rule. If the Building is over 51% Thai owned, a foreigner can purchase and own the condo or apartment freehold. If not, you must purchase the apartment as a 30 year lease. Check with the local land office before you purchase if you are unsure about the title deed.
Buying direct from the developer has several advantages: you will get to see a range of properties in Phuket that suit your requirements; you have the benefit of many years experience, as well as a English speaking office to support you in your home country; it may help eliminate any possible misunderstandings; and it helps takes away the stress associated with purchasing Phuket real estate in country or abroad.
Transactions and payments are simply made by wiring from you home bank account. It is always better to let the Thai banks convert your money in Thailand then to let you home bank to convert it to Baht before you wire. This tip along can save you thousands of dollars when you go to wire a large amount. Some developers can lock in a rate for you before you wire. Make sure you can communicate with your agent by MSN chat, Skype or text message in case you have any last minute questions while at the bank.
The Thai currency system is based on the decimal system. One That Baht is divided into 100 satangs. Coins range in value from ten baht to 25 satangs and six bank notes are in circulation: 10, 20, 50,100,500 and 1000. Always keep lots of small bills as it is a very big jump for most thai vendors on the street selling noodles. It is a very big jump between 100 baht and 500 or a 1000. Most street vendors and taxis can not make change for 500 baht or 1000 baht bills. Most motorcycle taxies and car taxi’s can even break a 100 baht bill without having to stop and make change.
Personal effects, household goods and furniture may be imported duty free to phuket. There is very high duty on importing a car. I believe with the hassle of dealing with Thai customs it is better to buy what you need inside of Thailand and leave most of your personal effects at home.
Find out monthly secrets to Buying in Phuket apartments and properties. Subscribe to our monthly Phuket newsletter and get free tips and tricks of the trade. Some tips alone can save you thousands of dollars on your purchase.
Scott Riefler is an expert in
Phuket Real Estate. He has
written several informative articles. He
regularly contributes articles on
Apartments in
Phuket and Patong apartments. Sign up for our newsletter at:
Phuket apartments newsletter
How To Save Thousands On Your Holiday Purchase
May 16, 2008 by easyinbkk
Filed under Ask an Expert
One of the most obvious things most people don’t think about is buying direct from the developer directly and not using a local real estate agent. Most local agents are selling either their own projects they developed on their own or some other project that the agent is getting extra commission on. They will go on and on how they sell on unbiasesed basis but the truth remains the same. They sell the properties they make the most commissions on. Some agents do know the local market but are in the business of buying low and selling high. I remember going to see an agent in town when I was new in town. He showed me three different properties. All three I found out later he or his partner owned. So remember you will get the best deal if you go to see the developer directly and save.
Buy properties developers will wheel and deal on
Most developers are trying to make a big name for themselves. The only way to do this is to have successful projects in their portfolio. This means the developer needs to complete a project on time and that the customers who bought in on pre-construction are happy with their purchase.
New developers who lack many successful projects under their belt may be more willing to negotiate on the price. Best thing to ask the developer is what project they have completed in the past. They should be able to provide a few customer references also. If they cannot do this, they may be a new inexperienced developer.
Knowing this will allow you to save because you know you can make a great reference. By letting the customer use your name as a reference he may give you some extra discounts that a normal customer may not receive.
Check local Market prices
Know what the local prices are selling for in the area. Make sure to compare apples to apples however. Some properties and very little common area and other have as much as 25%. Knowing this will help you evaluate the property you looking to purchase. I found the best way to do this is looking at the price list sheets and either downloading them or printing them off. Put all the projects you like side by side and compare them. Also look in the local newspaper for news events and promotion shows. Most places will also have real estate or home shows every few months. This is a great place to pick up new information about projects that are just starting.
Buy pre-construction to save raising costs
There are whole books written about buying pre-construction properties. The pros and cons to both. I like pre-construction properties because you get in on ground level. One of the things you want to make sure here is that the building permit has been issued for the project.
You may even want to keep talking with the developer to make sure your stage payments don’t come until the project is at least 50% complete. If you’re buying in a western country they may even have escrow accounts that can keep your money safe during the early stages of construction. Countries like Mexico and Thailand do not so better to negotiate to keep your risk as low as possible.
Most developers will want 50-80% during construction and the balance due on completion. Thanks for reading and please sign up for my newsletter if you would like more information on saving on your holiday purchase.
Scott Riefler is an expert in
Phuket Real Estate. He has
written several informative articles. He
regularly contributes articles on
Apartments in
Phuket and Patong apartments. Sign up for our newsletter at:
Phuket apartments newsletter
Do You Share Your Expertise Enough?
May 13, 2008 by compassrose
Filed under Ask an Expert
Are you an expert in your field? Do you know your business inside out? Then you are an expert. One of the very effective ways to build relationships and build your business is to share your expertise. Creating articles, newsletters and information products are all ways to share your expertise with your current clients and customers but also with your prospects. When people experience your knowledge they begin to see you as an expert. You also foster your relationship with the prospect as they begin getting to know you better.
There are several approaches you can use to share your knowledge.
-Start a newsletter with articles in that you write
-Submit your articles with a resource box (info about you) to article directories on the internet
-Offer a free report or white paper on your website
-Offer an audio CD for a nominal shipping fee on your website or in your advertising
-Prepare Tips Sheets, ie. the top ten tips for
-Provide contacts with informational brochures or flyers or articles (the key word here being informational, not promotional)
-Write a book or books
-Write E-Books
-Offer information righ Tele-Seminars
And more
These types of approaches serve several additional functions:
Whenever someone requests information from you they become a qualified lead. They are more qualified than a prospect that you have met but hasn’t requested any additional information from you. When you are sending information they have an interest in what you have to say. You can then follow up with them to pursue the sale.
You can build your database of leads and prospects. When you build your database of leads you increasing the number of people that you can continue building a relationship with. Marketing is relationship building. Sharing your expertise is a strategy in marketing to further build relationships. When people feel you are an expert and they have an established relationship with you, the chance of doing business with them is increasing subsctantially.
There can also be benefits to your website. Submitting articles to other sites provides your website with back links. Having articles published on the web can improve your website ranking and increase your website traffic; giving you additional opportunities to build relationshps.
Several of these approaches can be fee based and generate additional income: e-books, tele-seminars, books, CD’s and informational brochures can all be offered for a fee or for free.
What type of information do you offer your clients and prospects? What could you offer? You have valuable information to share. Build your business relationships with valuable information.
Donna Price is a Business Success Coach working with small business owners and independent professionals. Request your copy of her free report: “The 8 Keys to Business Success”. http://www.bizology.biz/specialreport.html
Basic Internet Marketing Strategies You Need To Know About
May 12, 2008 by profitcatchers
Filed under Ask an Expert
If you are a business owner, operator or manager in the 21st century, you likely have come to realize the necessity of the Internet and World Wide Web as part of your overall marketing and promotions campaign for your business enterprise. To this end, it is important for your business to adapt and adopt only the best Internet marketing strategies. With that said, you may now know exactly where to turn when it comes to finding and implementing the best Internet marketing strategies. Through this article, you will be provided with some basic information about how to find and implement the best Internet marketing strategies.
In developing the best Internet marketing strategies, there are some facts and factors that you need to keep in mind. Through this article, you are presented with some of the facts and factors relating to the best Internet marketing strategies that are important for you to keep in mind.
First of all, when it comes to developing the best Internet marketing strategies, you may want to seek professional assistance. When it comes to developing what truly are the best Internet marketing strategies, you likely cannot do this on your own. You really do need to find an Internet marketing consultant that can assist you and your business in creating a marketing program that includes the very best Internet marketing strategies available today.
Second, when it comes to developing and implementing the best Internet marketing strategies, you will want to make certain that you budget accordingly. Unfortunately, many business enterprises end up skimping when it comes to their marketing and promotional budgets. There are business owners, operators or managers that simply consider marketing issues as something of a budgetary afterthought. But, if you want to implement the best Internet marketing strategies, you will want to make sure that marketing, promotions and advertising are and remain budgetary priorities.
Finally, in search for the best Internet marketing strategies, take the time to consider what your competitors are doing in the way of advertising. Because you will be meeting these enterprises head on in the marketing war, you will want to determine what they are doing. When it comes to the best Internet marketing strategies, these strategies oftentimes and necessarily takes into consideration what competitors are doing in the way of marketing, advertising and promotions at this point in time.
Keep in mind that everybody and their brother nowadays are claiming they have the “secret” solution to internet marketing, affiliate marketing, home base business sucess, list building, SEO, riches online etc…. The truth is that over 90% of them are just regurgitating what other unsucessful online marketers are doing and they really don’t have a clue how to really create a soild income online. It’s a vicious circle. My bit of advice to you… make sure you take a step back and review you potential business opportunity very carefully before you jump in with both feet, do that you’re guaranteed to save a lot of your precious time and hard earned money.
Terry Pierce provides helpful Strategies and Tips to anyone interested in creating a home based business or grow the home based business you already have. Find out how you can profit from an online business Today at my website which is at http://www.profitcatchers.com

