From Prototype To Product
Do you have a great idea? So you have a sample, or prototype of the product? The prototype / sample has to be tested and approved by the Kenya Bureau of Standards KEBS) and other regulators depending on the type of and category of the product.
Once you have secured your approvals, before you get it to market you need to research whether there are others like it. As an entrepreneur you need to do thorough research to understand your potential customers and competitors. This will also enable you to tweak the prototype to perfection. Add some specs and features to ensure it differentiates itself from the rest.
If the product is something common like readily available household goods then you need to figure out how it will stand out from the crowd. Sometimes it’s as easy as value addition or tapping a market that is not being served.
The next step is to develop a good business plan that goes beyond the product. Having a solid business plan will help you and others decide whether the project is feasible or not. You will have to understand all the Nitty-gritty especially the ultimate cost of the product to the end user. You also need to take care of your entire supply chain, where you will source the raw materials, shipping, transport and logistics costs, local and international taxes, you will need to figure out full scale production and how you will distribute the product. Do not fret though. Design Village is here, having taken many products to market in the course spanning a decade and counting we can walk with you every step of the way.
How To Develop A Brand
We will assist you come up with a simple, short and relevant name for your product. We come up with several names and send them over to
Kenya Industrial Property Institute, KIPI for registration. KIPI registers your chosen name as a trademark, depending on originality and availability.
meaning it cannot be used or copied by someone else.
Registration of a trade mark is direct evidence of exclusive ownership in Kenya and helps keep off potential infringers who would be tempted to ride on the goodwill of your brand ones it takes off or becomes popular. The trademark enables you to protect your rights more easily in case someone challenges them since the burden is on the challenger to prove any rights in a dispute. The KIPI process of registration has thorough checks for conflicting trade marks to ensure that you have a unique mark that does not resemble any other parties mark and in so doing helps one avoid infringement of other parties’ rights. Use of an unregistered trade mark can lead to a lengthy, expensive legal dispute over who has the right to use it. A registered trade mark is also a valuable asset for business expansion especially through licensing franchises.
Upon having a registered trademark we embark on the process of developing the brand identity. This starts with developing a unique product logo. The approved logo is part of the trademark and can don the tag R or TM. The brand icon, custom font, style and colours can also be registered to keep fraudsters at bay.
The next step is packaging. We like to think of packaging like dressing your product and giving it a personality that will breathe life into it and help it communicate with potential customers. Packaging can make or break a good product. It is therefore prudent to leave it to experts who understand the target market’s expectations and doing what it takes to have it flying off the shelves. Depending on market standards, the packaging might also need to have a KEBS approved number, List of Ingredients and Barcode.
The finished pack can then be mass-produced and ready for distribution. At this stage Design Village will embark on aggressive marketing efforts to ensure the product’s success. These efforts need to be consistent to make the product a brand that people buy.
Summary
- Business Plan
- Develop a Prototype / Sample
- Get KEBS and Other Government Approvals
- Naming
- KIPI Registration
- Barcode
- Packaging Design
- Mass Production
- Marketing
