So often people come up with great product ideas but imprison them in their dreams instead of making them a reality. Why? Because too often women in particular find the process too intimidating and so don’t create their passion product. But manufacturing or product creation is really just a series of steps that need to be followed, and here are the 5 key steps you’ll need to follow to get started:

Sourcing – AKA where & who will make your product? You may have heard the word “sourcing” but didn’t know what it means. It simply means finding the manufacturer that will make your product for you. They’re the source you’ll go to for your finished designs. You can make them domestically, as in here in the good ol’ USA, or you can go overseas to do it. I make my handbags in the Philippines because a dear friend who grew up there suggested it. If there are countries or regions of the US that you and/or your friends are quite familiar with, consider looking for suppliers in those places. Embassies or consulates of countries you know or chambers of commerce in the US are excellent places to start.

Samples & prototypes – getting that first one made. There’s nothing more exciting than finally seeing that design you’ve been imagining for so long “in the flesh.” You can have your first official sample made before or after you’ve begun sourcing; it’s really up to you and what schedule you have in mind. What you need to do is provide a “plan” for them to follow. For my handbags, I do detailed sketches, including measurements and written out details of what I’d like. If you want to make cookies, get that recipe together. If it’s something more intricate – especially if it has moving parts – there are product specialists who can even put together a bit of animation for you to convey exactly how things should work. This is a very exciting part of the process!

Quality control. The trick is, after you have your sample, you need to make sure all the products that come after it are as brilliantly put together as this original. The supplier that makes them for you will of course do their own “QC,” as it’s called. But that’s a little like the fox guarding the henhouse so, in my case, I have my agent over in Manila do a second layer of quality control, just to be sure. That keeps your customers happy, and keeps them re-ordering. We love re-orders!

Legalities & regulations – oh joy. Protection, protection, protection. Contracts are your friend! Yes, a lawyer will cost you a bit. But think of what it’ll really cost you if you can’t protect your product. Also, you want to know what government regulations you need to follow for your particular kind of product. I make handbags and have them imported. So I have to have labels sewn in that say my company’s name and where they were made (the Philippines). If you’re creating a food product, check with the FDA. If you’d making clothing, there are usually flammability requirements. Make sure you know these things ahead of time to keep your product flying safely through the process.

Who’s making your product and why taking care of them is good for marketing? Quite honestly, the thing that’s sustained my company through this economic crisis is its sustainability. By that I mean the fact that my handbags are eco- and human-friendly, meaning they’re all made under fair trade conditions. Reporters love our story! So we’ve had lots of articles written about us. That means more people find out about us. Customers love that they can feel good about where their money’s going, that the bag they’re carrying isn’t made by someone making slave wages. Doesn’t it cost me more to have our bags made this way? Absolutely! But I wouldn’t have it any other way, and I can tell you our customers wouldn’t, either.

The world’s waiting for your wonderful new product – so what are you waiting for? There’s nothing quite as amazing as opening up the pages of a major magazine and seeing your creation there, or getting that first big order from a corporate client. But the greatest thing is knowing that you created jobs for people simply because you had the courage to follow your dream.

Vist www.manufacturingtherightway.com for more tips.

Marty Stevens-Heebner is president of Manufacturing the Right Way and the creator of the award-winning Rebagz Eco-Chic Handbag line (www.Rebagz.com). To sign up, visit her site at: www.ManufacturingTheRightWay.com.

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