Now is the best time.
The making of a good searchable website with tools to best display your products.
I have been investigating some websites lately, and I was surprised to see just how many technical product sites are so weak in displaying their products. In several cases the link to the products that the company makes was nothing more than a pdf link for what would normally be printed brochures. Why is this a bad idea you may ask?
One of the powers of the internet, and hyperlinked objects is the ability to go instantly to the item being sought, and then to see the features and specifications of that item. Have you ever gone to a website to look for a product only to be confronted by a search box or drop-down list for part numbers only? It is perfectly possible to have description searches as well, that would work equally as well.
I like to use Newark Electronics as an example of a company that has done a very good job of having product offerings searchable both by part numbers, or by description, with filters for types to narrow the search down.
For companies with high value items, the end of the search could easily include 3D models of the product that a user could examine, rotating, zooming in, walking around and perhaps adding and subtracting parts or options.
I offer that as a service as part of my practice. Call me at 905 409 8487 so that we can talk about how your needs can be fulfilled.
The importance of Intellectual Property
A client recently asked me how important it was to patent an idea. The answer is what would it cost you if a competitor took the idea and got to the market with it first. If you think the idea won’t hurt you if your competitor beats you to the market because you think the idea isn’t that good anyway, then don’t patent it.
“As time goes by, we often wish that we had seized the moment and set something in motion. For example it takes 5 years to learn to play the piano with any proficiency. I decided that that would be too long to wait. Unfortunately I made that decision about 5 years ago.”
I don’t remember where I first read that quote, but it is certainly applicable to most of us.