1. WIN: Wal-Mart Innovation Network, Route 2, Box 184, Everton, MO 65646 Molly, 417-836-5671. Fax 836-7666. This university sponsored program will professionally evaluate your idea or invention, and may refer your product for possible sale in Wal-Mart stores.
ADVERTISING, PACKAGING & SALES SHEETS
2. The Copywriter's Handbook: Guide to Writing Copy That Sells, Robert Bly 201-599-2276. Also, offers free hotline advice on how to write great ads.
3. How To Write A Good Advertisement, Victor A. Schwab, Wilshire Book Co.
4. Marketing Without A Marketing Budget, Craig S. Rice, Bob Adams, Inc., 260 Center Street, Holbrook, MA 02343; 800-872-5627. Good ideas for marketing your product "on-a-shoestring".
5. Standard Rate & Data (SRDS), Standard Rate & Data Service, 3004 Glenview Road, Wilmette, IL 60091; 800-323-4588. Ad rates and info on all major magazines, newspapers, card decks. Get an old set from an ad agency as the SRDS is updated quarterly.
6. Direct Press, 69 Dorman Ave., San Francisco, CA 94124; 415-641-7600, 800-227-3520. Economical source for full-color catalog sales sheets on your product; includes photo shoot & 4-color separations.
7. Graphics International, 216-333-9988. They will create a black and white line drawing of your product for use in ads, sales sheets, catalog slicks.
8. PCS, Inc (Bar Code Art) 201- BAR-CODE, 800-524-0599; Fax 201-575-4718. They provide prints and negatives of your bar code for use in your packaging design.
9. UPC Bar Code (Assignment) Council, Dayton, OH; 513-435-3870. They assign a unique bar code that identifies your company and product to store scanners across America.
10. Export Hotline, 800-872-9767 (USA-EXPOR). They will help you find potential customers in other countries.
11. Feeco, Ltd., Kim Shephard, 603-427-2460. Agency for sourcing manufacturers in Hong Kong and China to make your product.
12. US Dept. Of Commerce, Trade Opportunity, Attn: DIBA 266, Washington, DC 20230 202-482-2753. Get their updated list of export and import opportunities via online, fax or voice mail.
13. Fad Money: How To Make Money From Fads, Crazes & Trends, Howard J. Klein, Franklin Watts, 730 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10019 (1979). Learn how to launch a fad item, and when to bail out.
14. How To Create Your Own Fad & Make a Million Dollars, Ken Hakuta, Morrow Press (1988). Sound advice from the man known as "Dr. Fad", who brought Wacky Wall Walker" to America's youth.
15. Encyclopedia of Associations, Gale Research Inc., P.O. Box 33477, Detroit, MI 48232-5477; Carol A. Schwartz, Ed., 1-800-877-GALE (1994, $340). Describes 22,400+ special interest groups, any of whom may be the perfect market for your product.
16. Bacon's Newspaper and Magazine Directories, 332 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL 60604; 800-972-9252 (1800 pp, 2 vol., $270). Lists every paper and magazine in the nation by market and audience served. Identify exactly which publications and editors may be interested in a news release about your new product. A PR must have!
17. Media News Keys, Television Index, Inc., 40-29th St., Long Island City, NY 11101; Timothy Hunter, Ed., 718-937-3990. Tells who to contact to get on Radio and TV news and talk shows.
18. The Publicity Manual, Kate Kelly, Maverick Mail Order Bookstore, 425 Cedar St., P.O. Box 909, Buena Vista, CO 81211 ($29); 719/395-8374. How to write news releases that get printed.
19. Radio-TV Interview Report (RTIR), Bradley Communications Corp., 135 E. Plumstead Ave., #102., Lansdowne PA 19050; 215-259-1070. A low cost ad here may get you on the air with news talk show hosts at 3,800 radio and TV shows!
20. Hollywood Duplicate Photo, Box 2670, Hollywood, CA 90028; 213-466-7544. Mass duplication of low cost, b&w, 8x10 glossy photos for your publicity purposes.
21. Inventor Assistance Source Directory, Battelle Pacific Northwest Laboratories, Innovative Concepts Program, Box 999, K8-11, Richland, WA 99352; Dr. Robin Conger, Ed., 509-372-4328, Fax 509-372-4369. Write for a copy of their directory of inventor clubs and organizations that provide assistance and services for inventors.
22. California Invention Center, Office of the President, Golden Gate University, 536 Mission Street, San Francisco, CA 94105-2968; 510-538-5200.
23. Inventors' Digest, , 310 Franklin St., Boston, MA 02110; Joanne Hayes-Rines, Ed-Pub., 800-838-8808, 617-367-4540, Fax 617-723-6988, E-mail: InventorD@aol.com, http://www.inventorsdigest.com. (6x yr, $22). Chock-full of informative articles covering all aspects of inventing.
24. Dream Merchant Newsletter, 2309 Torrance Blvd., # 104, Torrance, CA 90501-2520; 310-328-1925 (6x, $15.95)
25. Today's Inventor TV Show, 800-269-2648, http://www.mgl.ca/~invent/
Features inventors and new products.26. Catalog Age Magazine, 11 Riverbend Dr., Stamford, CT 06907; Kathleen Joyce, Ed., 203-358-9900.
27. Catalog Marketer Newsletter, 522 Forest Ave., Evanston, IL 60202; Lori Boyko, Ed., 708-866-1890.
28. Direct Mail List Rates & Data, Standard Rate & Data Service, 3004 Glenview Road, Wilmette, IL 60091; 800-323-4588. Directory of thousands of available mailing lists.
29. Golden Mailbox: How To Get Rich Direct Marketing Your Product, Ted Nicholas, Enterprise Dearborn. ($39.95, 1992)
30. How I Made $1,000,000 In Mail Order, E. Joseph Cossman, Fireside Press. ($13, 1992)
31. The Lazy Man's Way to Riches, Joe Karbo, 17105 S. Pacific St., Sunset Beach, CA. The book that started it all for many future mail order millionaires!
32. Mailing Lists Catalogs: American List Counsel , 800-252-5478; Edith Roman Assoc., 800-223-2194; The SpeciaLists, 800-888-3462; Wholesale Mailing Lists , 800-553-2123 (FREE). Sources for names and addresses of people who have purchased products covering hundreds of special interests and needs.
33. Marketing on the Internet, J H. & M V. Ellsworth, John Wiley Sons, 605 Third Ave., New York, NY 10158 (1995, 404 p, $24.95). How to set up a business on the Internet.
34. America Online, 800-827-6364. Hosts Microsoft's Small Business Center.
35. CompuServe, 800-368-3343. Hosts the Working From Home forum and on-line patent and trademark searches.
36. Genie, 800-638-9636. Hosts the Home Office-Small Business Round Table.
37. Prodigy, 914-448-2496. Hosts the Entrepreneurs' Bulletin Board and The Home Office by the editors of Home Office Computing magazine.
38. Search Engines, http://search.com. Helps you locate what you are looking for on the Internet.
39. U.S. Patents & Trademarks, Crystal Mall, Bldg. 2, Rm. 306, PTO, Washington, DC 20231· 703-557-4636 (24 hour, Message #88), http:// www.uspto.gov/. Call to locate a Patent & Trademark Depository library near you.
40. SCI3, Sunnyvale Center for Innovation, Invention and Ideas, 465 South Mathilda Avenue, Suite 300, Sunnyvale, CA 94086; 408-730-7290. Offers patent & copyright searching by computer.
41. Brands and Their Companies, Gales Research Inc., P.O. Box 33477, Detroit MI 48232; Susan L. Stetler, Ed., 1-800-877-GALE (2900 pp., $369) References over 255,000 brand names, tradenames and registered trademarks.
42. Patent It Yourself , David E. Pressman, Nolo Press, 950 Parker St., Berkeley, CA 94710; 800-992-6656 ($34.95, 1992).
43. "Submitting An Idea", American Bar Association, 1155 East 60th St., Chicago, IL 60637.
44. Awaken The Giant Within, Anthony Robbins, (1992), How To Win Friends and Influence People, Dale Carnegie, (1981), Psycho-Cybernetics, Maxwell Maltz, (1975). Fireside Press, Simon & Schuster, Rockefeller Center, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020; 212-698-7313.
45. Think And Grow Rich, Napoleon Hill, Napoleon Hill Foundation (1989)
PREMIUMS & ADVERTISING SPECIALTIES
46. Advertising Specialty Institute, 1120 Wheeler Way, Langhorn PA 19047; 800-326-7378
47. Impact Advertising; 800-222-6228
The "insiders" trade magazines for selling your product as an ad specialty or premium.
48. The Counselor, The Advertising Specialty Institute, NBS Inc., Bucks County Business Park, 1120 Wheeler Way, Langhorne, PA 19047; Arn Bernstein, Kaleidoscope Editor.49. Business-Incentive Strategies, 1515 Broadway, 33rd Fl, New York, NY 10036
50. Potentials In Marketing, 731 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55403; 612-333-0471.
51. Brookstone Tools, 800-846-3000. Catalog of hard-to-find tools, such as clamps, grinders and precision drill bits.
52. Edmund Scientific, 609-547-8880. Catalog of scientific tools, gadgets, lens, lasers.
53. Parts Express, 800-338-0531. Electronic tools, meters and parts.
54. Surplus Center, 800-488-3407. Pumps, electric motors, gears.
Resources for locating a sales force to rep your product.
55. Agency Sales, Manufacturer's Agents National Association (MANA), P.O. Box 3467, 23016 Mill Creek Rd., Laguna Hills, CA 92654; Bert Holtje, Ed.56. Rep World, , P.O. Box 2087, Sinking Spring, PA 19608; Thomas C. Reinhart, Ed., 215-678-3361.
57. Salesman's Opportunity Magazine, 1460 John Hancock Center, Chicago, IL 60611. The above three magazines are read by sales reps who might handle your product. Request a free copy.
58. Thomas Register of American Manufacturers, Thomas Publishing Co., One Penn Plaza, New York, NY 10119. (33,000 pp. $225) Lists 140,000 companies under 48,000 product headings.
59. Small Business Administration, Answer Desk & SBA Publications, Box 30, Denver, CO 80201-0030; 800-368-5855, 800-827-5722, http://www. sbaonline.sba.gov/. Top source for expert advice, assistance and even funding.
60. Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE,) 800-827-5722. Free SBA program. Retired business executives will help you with writing your business plan, developing domestic and export sales, and answer all kinds of business questions.
61. 101 Home Office Success Secrets and Organizing Your Home Office For Success, Lisa Kanarek, Penguin Books USA, 375 Hudson St., New York, NY 10014 (1996, 160p, $8.95). Filled with success strategies for running a home-based business.
62. AMACOM, American Management Association, 135 West 50th St., New York, NY 10020. Publishes a wide variety of books on managing a startup business, developing products and marketing.
63. Entrepreneur's Small Business Catalog, 800-421-2300, Fax 714-851-9088. Free catalog of 200 start-up guides, books and software to help you succeed in a business of your own.
64. Government Giveaways for Entrepreneurs and Lesko's Info-Power II, Matthew Lesko, Information USA; 800-862-5372, 800-879-6862. ($37.95). Thousands of sources of free assistance and expertise to help your business.
65. Homemade Money, Barbara Brabec, Betterway Books, 1507 Dana Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45207 ($19.95). This "home business bible" tells you how to select, manage and build a home biz.
66. How to Write a Business Plan, Mike McKeever; How To Form Your Own Corporation Without A Lawyer, Ted Nicolas. Nolo Press 800-992-6656. Free catalog of self-help law and business books and software.
67. The Portable Office: Take Your Office on the Road Now and for the Future, Jefferson D. Bates & Stuart F. Crump, Acropolis South (1987, $16.95).
66. Insuring Your Business, Insurance Information Institute, 800-331-9146.
67. Product Safety Up Date, National Safety Council, 444 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL 60611; 800-621-7619.
70. Annual Tradeshow Directory, Forum Publishing, 383 E. Main St., Centerport, NY 11721 (85 pp.,$20). Describes over 750 merchandise tradeshows by product.
71. Directory of Trade Shows & Exhibits Schedule, Bill Communications, 633 Third Ave., New York, NY 10017; Stan Itzkowitz, Ed. (700 pp., $130). Lists 18,000 meetings and key contacts.
The book, Stand Alone, Inventor! provides over 800 additional key contacts, resources, organizations and valuable references every inventor needs to know to successfully launch a new product.
