The first reaction of businesses in tough economic times is to cut the marketing budget. This is a major mistake. The businesses most likely to survive a downturn are those that market smarter, more aggressively, and utilize this time to out-smart the competition.

If you are the business owner and the "rainmaker", you are working IN your business, not ON your business. By doing so, you are an employee of the company. Working ON your business makes you the business' leader and strategist which will improve your bottom line. Without this change, when it comes time to sell your business, all you will have to sell is a job.

Small and medium size business owners frequently tend to be mavericks, confident, and have great difficulty giving up control. In addition, they deal with an internal struggle between seeking help when they need it and thinking that they are supposed to have the answers. As a result, when they experience the challenges that face all businesses, they become very stressed. There is a solution...

After meeting with inventors, many patent attorneys realize that an inventor's product concept may not be solidly patentable. Others even question the concept's commercial viability. I am very pleased that so many ethical patent attorneys send inventors our direction before proceeding with the patenting process.

It never ceases to amaze me how many inventors call our office and get angry with us because they think marketing services should be free and that we will work for them for a percentage of profit. The Red Flag Warnings, the USPTO and the Inventor Protection Act have mislead inventors to think that unless a marketing agency offers free services that they are a scam.

The seminars are the best part of these inventor shows for the educational value. Unfortunately, most inventors are lead to believe that company decision-makers and investors will be there and the inventor will get his/her product licensed.

Stephen recommends filing your own provisional application. My recommendation to inventors is to get a good patent search and opinion first and then, under a non-disclosure agreement (NDA), seek expert marketing assistance to determine feasibility.