subject: Hanging A Picture Made Difficult: One Man's Story [print this page] If you are anything like me, hanging pictures can be difficult, frustrating, and even a bit scary. Banging multiple holes in a wall until the picture is "just where you wanted it" just doesn't seem right! I know the picture will hide my mistakes but it may be pride, or knowing I will one day have to patch and paint that is unsettling.
Once in the middle of a picture hanging assignment, (being easily distracted), I decided I should come up with a "better, easier way" to hang pictures. (Did I mention I hate putting holes in walls?) With the creative juices flowing, I came up with several ideas ranging form the use of lasers and heavy equipment to one that was simple and actually pretty clever.
Like any good invention, if it is going to be accepted and used, it must solve the customer problems.
1) Since you can't see behind the picture makes it hard to get the nail in the right place.
2) It needs to be easy to use.
3) It must be a value. (Cost and/or bonus use application)
4) Helps the user save time
5) Be able to use on all sizes and hanging options.
6) NO writing on walls required.
I can't be this lucky. My product solves all of these problems.
What do I choose as a name? One that people will remember.
Easy Hang - Not specific enough
Picture hanging aid - Dull
Transfer Triangle - That's good!
Now that I was a real inventor, why couldn't I take this to market? Finding a source to assist me in the development took some time and resulted in samples that looked the way I wanted them to but did not work properly. That took the wind out of my sales and resulted in my putting the project on hold for a while.
OK, two years later I have transfer triangles but no marketing plan. How hard can that be to develop? Flyers, radio, e-mails or maybe a web business.
Skip forward a year and a half and I have learned many things about internet marketing. The training (hundreds of hours) and skills I have picked up will be very valuable. (I'm sure) I didn't know there was that much to just putting up a website.
I can see it now: You Tube videos, radio spots, e-mails, samples mailed to your doors, all asking you to try our "new" transfer triangles. But you will know the true story.
