Integrate IP into your product development process

Product Developers - Let us be a part of your clients' success stories by seeing IP as an integral part of your product development process

When innovators have an idea for a new product, they will often use the expertise that you, as a product developer or designer, have, to make sure that a marketable product is developed, tested and designed.  There is obviously a cost associated with that, so how can you help your client to protect their investment.? Integrate IP into your product development process and let us become a small part of your clients’ success stories…

How does your client plan to protect their new product from being copied once it is launched into the market?  This is often a last-minute thought.  Or, worse, overlooked until someone else has copied the product.  Without intellectual property rights, all the time, resource, expertise and money that goes into developing a product could be wasted, especially if a larger competitor floods the market with cheaper copies. And if little or no thought has been given to intellectual property until the last minute, or even when it is too late, you and the client may have missed out on valuable insights, advice and options. 

By introducing them to IP early in the product development process, you can help your clients to protect their investment, and there may be some IP insights that arise along the way that could even help to guide the product development process.  We offer a free consultation service, and we can help you to help your clients integrate IP into your product development process. Let us become an integral part of their success stories.

Where there is a USP, there is (almost) always IP…

…but only if it’s properly captured and protected.  When a client comes to you with an idea for a new product, the development/design process often starts with concepts and proposals to try and capture the client’s vision and guide the development process. 

But have they given any thought to who/what their nearest competition may be? What their USP will be? Or how they’re going to stop others from copying their new product once it has been launched?  At that stage, it might seem like ‘early days’ for those types of questions, but without giving some thought to them, there is a great risk that their investment in the development process will be undermined and lost.  Introducing your clients to an IP attorney right from the start, and keeping the IP attorney updated as the development process progresses, can mitigate this risk.

Ther are a number of things that an IP attorney might want to consider, depending on the product, the stage at which the development process is at, the client’s budget and their commercial plans for the product.

For example, patent searching can be an invaluable design tool, as well as providing an idea of what, if anything, might be patentable about your client’s new product. The decision as to what intellectual property rights could be used to protect your client’s product is best made early in the development process, so that you and the client can focus on the unique protectable features.  Trade mark searching is also best done early, so that your client doesn’t commit time and money to a brand get-up they can’t ultimately use. And the timing of applications for registered intellectual property is often best decided on early on.

Start Early

By involving an IP attorney early in the product development process, and keeping them updated as you go along, means that the client gets early advice on the right IP strategy for them and can help them, not only understand their options, but also help them manage their cashflow and expectations.  Ultimately, you can help them to protect their investment in your services and offer a more comprehensive concept-to-market approach, by letting us become an integral part of their success stories right from the start.

Can we help you to help your clients?

We work with a number of product developers to enhance the service they can provide to their clients. This is what just one of them had to say about our approach:

I’ve worked with Vicki extensively for the last 8 years and can’t recommend her highly enough. Superbly professional but also highly approachable and exceptionally skilled in IP strategy, patent writing and registered design filing. We have recommended Vicki to a lot of clients over the years and she has always done an excellent job. I continue to be impressed by her honest approach and the way she always puts her client first.” Phil Staunton – MD of D2M

Are you a product developer or designer with clients that may need early IP advice?  Or do you have any other IP questions?  If so, please book a free initial consultation by using our Calendly link below:

https://calendly.com/strachan-ip-a-fresh-view-of-intellectual-property/30min

Or by emailing vicki.strachan@strachanip.co.uk , visiting our website at https://strachanip.co.uk/contact/ or calling +44 (0)7714 797135

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