Go Agile with a Product Innovation Platform

Disruption is afoot in the manufacturing industry. But you already know that, whether you focus on consumer products or industrial applications. You also know that customer demands are shifting, production tools and techniques are evolving, and products are getting smarter. You know quite a bit, it seems. But do you know how to stay ahead…

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Pricing Strategy Guide for Product Businesses

It’s obvious that the price of your products have a lot to do with the profitability of your business. Exactly how to price products in a way that maintains or increases your profitability is a little less obvious. Here are the first two steps toward developing an effective pricing strategy for your small business. Do…

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Ice Cream Entrepreneurs: Phin & Phebes

Crista Freeman, an entrepreneur with an art degree and background in e-commerce, started making ice cream with her partner Jess Eddy in their kitchen. Now, it’s sold across the country. The ice cream market is tougher than it seems. Making it and shipping it to suppliers requires a large-scale operation: the product demands unique industrial…

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Forget the Consumer Internet of Things: IIOT is Where It’s Really At

Billionaire publisher Malcolm Forbes coined the saying, “He who dies with the most toys wins.” And upon his death, Forbes certainly had a lot of toys. But in 2016, not all consumers agree with that sentiment when it comes to Internet of Things (IoT) devices. Product manufacturers may be banking on consumers trampling over each…

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Evaluate All Your Products and Services Each Year

“Cut your losses and let your profits run.” ~Proverb Many businesses fall into the trap of assuming that products or services generating great sales revenue are also profitable. Truthfully, you cannot tell which products and services should be continued or eliminated unless you look at the profitability of each one. For this reason, I strongly…

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5 Essential Tips for Developing a New Product

As a small-business owner, one thing you don’t lack for is ideas—they’re the key to your success, and you probably wouldn’t have struck out on your own without a surplus of creativity. Yet aside from innovation and entrepreneurship, just about every other aspect of developing a new product can pose an obstacle to the small-business…

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Trademarks for Proprietary Products: What You Need to Know

Franchisors that are serious about developing additional revenue streams in their franchise will ultimately explore proprietary products. By creating new products either under the brand or as a stand-alone entity, franchisors can sell and distribute their own products to franchisees. An example would be a pizza franchise that sells their pizza sauce to franchisees and…

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