Wealth of Ideas Newsletter, July 2010

Over the last two decades, General Patent Corporation has had an informal network of people, businesses and other organizations that have referred business to us. Patent practitioners, inventors, IP litigators, licensing executives, business owners, technology transfer managers and others who know what we do have referred patent owners to General Patent.

We decided to formalize these arrangements via our new Affiliate Program. Anyone who might come across potential new clients for General Patent can sign on and earn significant income if the referral turns into new business for General Patent. You probably already know more potential clients than you think!

Perhaps you know someone, or know someone who knows someone, who could benefit from General Patent’s comprehensive patent enforcement capabilities. This includes any patent owner who believes his (or her or its) patent has been infringed and appears to have a viable claim.

How Our Affiliate Program Works

Let’s say you know or come across a patent owner who believes his patent has been infringed. If you refer that patent owner to us – and it is not someone with whom we have had prior contact – there are several points at which you can earn income for your efforts:

1. If the patent owner signs a Letter of Intent (LOI) with us, we immediately pay you a bonus.
   
2. If the patent owner decides to have General Patent manage a patent enforcement campaign on his behalf, you earn a second bonus.
   
3. You then also share in all revenue (awards, settlements, licenses, etc.) generated from the patent enforcement campaign, and this can be a significant amount of money since patent infringement settlements can run into the millions of dollars!

Who Should Become a GPC Affiliate?

Anyone whose contacts include likely owners of IP – inventors, business owners and executives, and tech transfer managers, for example – as well as people who are likely to know or come in contact with owners of IP are all appropriate candidates to become a General Patent Affiliate. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Patent Agents and Patent Attorneys
  
• Commercial and IP Litigators
  
• Licensing Executives
  
• Business Development Executives
  
• Tech Transfer Managers
  
• Inventors, Scientists, Engineers and Researchers
  
• Consultants in All Disciplines
  
• CPAs and Financial Planners
  
• Venture Capitalists and Other Fund Managers
  
• Retirees from Any of These Categories

Who Are Prospective Clients for GPC?

Any person, business or other organization that owns a patent – and believes that patent has been infringed – is a prospective client. While patent assertion is our primary business, we can also assist patent owners who want to sell or license their patents as well as businesses that need IP consulting and advisory services.

Getting Started

If you think you might know of some good prospects, but aren’t sure about how to promote GPC’s capabilities to them, we can help. Our Affiliate Marketing Guide leads you through all aspects of the process, including:

• Finding prospects – and identifying the right person to speak with at a company or institution
  
• Identifying the prospect’s needs
  
• Expanding your current prospect network
  
• Introducing General Patent to prospects in your network
  
• If you have a website, how to use it to promote General Patent
  
• If you are a business, law firm or consultant, how to integrate GPC into the package of services you offer
  

We are not talking about cold calling. We show you how to grow concentrically from your current network of contacts, and how to do so in a professional, collegial and friendly manner. We do not expect you to try to “sell” something a person does not want. The process is to match people and businesses with a specific need with the company best equipped to assist them.

GPC Affiliates also enjoy a comprehensive support package. For example, you can send us your e-mail contact list, and we will use our e-mail broadcast system to send fully customized e-mails on your behalf.

No Upfront Investment!

Just as General Patent requires no upfront investment from our patent enforcement clients, becoming a General Patent Affiliate involves no upfront investment on your part. And the amount of time and effort you devote to Affiliate activities is completely up to you.

You’ve probably built a significant network of contacts over the years. It’s now time to reap the rewards! Even a single referral can pay off handsomely.

To sign up for our Affiliate Program or learn more, call Rich Ehrlickman or Alec Schibanoff at our corporate offices in New York. The number is 845-368-4000. Rich is at Ext. 113 and Alec is at Ext. 116.