Submitting inventions can be frightening. It’s something you’ve poured your life into, something you’ve produced with the power of your mind and the skill of your hands, and now the time has come to put it out into the real world. It’s no strange thing to be nervous at this point – and with good reason.

The first thing you’ll notice when you perform a web search for patent firms and invention submission companies is that there are a lot of them. Something you should be aware of is that a number of these may be scam artists or just simply not worth the money they’re asking. You can identify some of these by a few telltale signs – the most obvious of which is the old adage, “if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.”

But there are other ways to tell as well. Most real patent firms require a four or five thousand dollar retainer up front before beginning work. Scam companies will try to tempt you with something absurdly cheap – a few hundred dollars – and ask you for more later. Don’t trust these – reputable firms will be up front with the price from the start.

Of course, there are plenty of very helpful invention and patent firms out there who are dedicated to helping you make the most out of your invention. Be careful and choose wisely – this is one of the biggest business decisions you may make. If you’re smart enough to make a great invention, you’ve more than got what it takes to put it on the market.