How to go from product idea to manufacturing business

One huge misconception is that manufacturing is on a downward spiral. However, it’s still one of the biggest industry sectors in the world’s booming economy. Manufacturing is a great business to get into if you have a range of product ideas that you want to turn into reliable products. Although there can be the element of risk involved, and it can be time-consuming, those small seeds can grow into fruitful results.

If you already have a product idea and have built up the finances to get started, here are some of the most useful aspects to think about when it comes to setting up your own manufacturing business.

You’ll need to take on a number of roles

When first starting out in manufacturing, you’ll probably be going it alone and have to take on a number of roles to get the business off the ground. The structure of your days will be determined by the number of different strands you’ll be having to take on.

Your time will be likely split between the creation of the product, PR and selling to customers. The manufacturing of the product is likely to need the least amount of time, whereas the research, marketing and finding customers will become some of the most time-consuming tasks you’ll be dealing with.

Location

There are two separate aspects to think about for the location of your manufacturing business – where the product will be created and where it will be sold. In the early days, you could set up your business from home. However, when larger equipment is needed, you may need to think about hiring a more suitable space that has all the necessary facilities.

The location of where you’ll be creating the product will need to be suitable for you, as this is where you’ll be spending the majority of your time.

Where to sell your product comes next. In the technological-obsessed world we live in, it would be a good idea to set up an e-commerce store. Take advantage of some of the more popular online selling stores such as eBay and Amazon, or even having a website made. However, regardless of which avenue you choose, you need to think about setting up a streamlined payment service for customers. In most cases, customers will purchase products via a credit card, meaning having to process chargebacks.

Hiring staff

Upon first starting out, you may not need to hire staff. However, as the business starts to grow, it’s likely you’ll need to have a selection of people working with you to grow your company into a full-time career. There are many different types of roles you may decide to hire for; including the likes of sales executives and market researchers to manufacturers.
With the assistance of more people, you’re taking the pressure off yourself, so you can focus on your main goals. Do be aware that the more people you choose to hire, the more profits will be taken out of your business – so hire wisely.