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When you’ve set up a productive, successful business from home, or even if you’re considering doing such a thing, it’s important to know that, for the most part, no matter what niche you happen to be working in, you won’t be able to do everything yourself. This is particularly true when it comes to creating prototypes of your ideas. Often it can be much better to outsource this task to those who are better placed to create the product you have in your head.
Of course, this will cost money, and if you’re a startup or funds are tight, this money might not be readily available. In this case, you might consider not having a prototype made at all, and trying to convince investors that your idea is a good one without having anything to show them. Unfortunately, this idea will very rarely work, and a prototype will be required; the money spent on it will be worth it. Here are some more reasons why having a prototype is so important.
Test The Product
If you think that paying out to have a prototype made is an expense your business can’t afford, imagine if you skipped this stage and chose instead to start manufacturing and sourcing the materials you think are needed only to find that you were wrong, and the product doesn’t work in the way it’s meant to. The money you spent on creating it would have been entirely wasted.
Having a prototype made means that you can see exactly how the product will function and whether any adjustments will be made before you sign off on a bulk order. It will give you a chance to test the product thoroughly before you start advertising it or speaking to investors, because you can only ever offer one first impression, and you’ll want it to be a good one.
Adjust Your Budget
As a business owner, budgeting is all-important, and knowing how much your product is going to cost to make is the most crucial element of all; without this information, you won’t be able to set a price point and know you’re making a profit, and you won’t be able to request the correct amount of money from a bank or investor.
By having a prototype made, you can make sure that all the costs are accounted for. You should liaise with the production company to determine whether they can find alternative means to create the same product or speak to them about bulk discounts. They won’t know the answers to these questions until they make the prototype either, so it’s useful for both parties.
Advertising
You don’t want to have to wait until you have your complete finished order in hand to start advertising; you’ll want to make sure people are aware of your new product and how it’s going to benefit their lives much earlier than that – ideally you’ll want some pre-orders too.
A prototype will give you this opportunity. Once you’ve agreed that the prototype is what you want and you place an order for more units, the prototype itself can be used in your advertising. Whether you take photos, make videos, or attend exhibitions, having the prototype means you can give people an idea of what to expect ahead of time.
