If you have a good business mind and are creative, then the odds are probably high that you have gone into stores in the past and thought of a product that would be better than what is available, or which would fill a hole in the market. You should be able to take your initial product concept and get it manufactured, but there is more to manufacturing something than pitching the idea to an executive.

Engineering and Prototype

Any manufacturer who may be interested in your product is going to want to see a working prototype of your product, whether it is a complex robot or a simple toy tea set. A prototype proves that the concept you have is tangible (i.e., that it is able to be produced based on the given technology and materials available). A prototype also allows you to pitch the product without spending too much time explaining technical details. Remember that the executive to whom you pitch the idea is an executive because of their business skills, not necessarily because they are technological wizards--they have employees who worry about the technical details, so they're much more likely to respond to a simple, hands-on demonstration than a lecture on specifications. However, you should be able to produce blueprints or drawings of the product, as well as a written description, since a manufacturer needs to have something to give to his engineers. Hiring engineering and writing consultants will make your materials seem polished and professional, and these people can assist in the making of the first prototype.

Patent

Manufacturers will avoid your product like the plague if your design infringes on a patent. Do your research and come prepared with a list of similar products and how your concept is different from those products. Be sure to file for your own patent ahead of time so that you have some legal footing with the manufacturer. If you can, hire a lawyer who can testify on your behalf that your product is original and complies with United States patent laws. (You will want a lawyer anyway to settle your manufacturing negotiations if the manufacturer is interested.)

Finding a Manufacturer

With the invention of the Internet, the days of door-to-door cold call marketing are becoming numbered. You still can contact manufacturers who produce items similar to yours directly, of course, but you can save yourself a lot of time and expand your company possibilities by using online databases and websites such as Idea Trade Network. These websites and databases let entrepreneurs post their concepts so that manufacturers can pick from what they need, or they provide information on how to contact the manufacturers and what they produce. Remember there are plenty of overseas markets if United States manufacturers don't seem to be interested.

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Inventor's Spot: Great Product Idea? What to Do Next

Entrepreneur: 5 Steps to Selling Your Idea