Let's say you have an innovation that you think some company might like to buy from you. Ex. Trying to sell the solution to the problem of the high costs of fuel cells to Honda. How do you get a company to let you do a demo, or even just listen to you?
One problem we have with doing demos to our clients is they don't have time to waste looking at demos. The software we sell usually involves 2 or 3 people from the company being at the demo, and able to provide input about how their business works (meaning they have to be high up in the food chain). These people don't have time to spare. Be direct, tell them it's a short demo, tell them straight away what you're selling and what the results they will see will be - they don't care about how your solution works inside, they just want to hear it will cut their costs by 30%. The demo is your chance to go into details (only if they ask - usually our demos include 2 businessy people and 2 IT/systems people and managers).
Now when you do this demo, chances are the CEO of Honda won't be present, at best you'll get some middle management pleb. His job will be to watch your demo, and make a report to submit to his bosses. So if you can write half of his report in advance, with all the figures and numbers, everything that could affect their business, his job will be half done and he'll be happier to put a report forward.
I have to catch the bus but I can give you more info when I get back.
So I should contact the company, tell them the benifits of what I'm trying to sell, and ask if I can do a short demo?
I would also like to know, if I have an invention which I don't have a patent on, what would prevent them from simply taking the idea if they like it. Do I have to file for a patent before I can safely do a demo?
Yep. And be persistant - if they say no, call again the next day. Ask to speak to people higher up.Originally Posted by MadCow257
I would get the patent anyway just to be safe. You could ask them to sign an NDA (Non Disclosure Agreement) but the overhead of this is often enough to scare prospective companies off.
