---
title: How to Develop Your Products — Sky's The Limit Help Center
description: This guide will help you work with a mentor to research ways to manufacture your products, get quotes using your designs, and test out and choose manufacturers.
---

###### [Product Development](http://skysthelimit-21159137.hs-sites.com/project-guides?category=product-development)

# How to Develop Your Products

This project guide helps two Sky’s the Limit members work together through four meetings as they collaborate to make your products.

### **Meeting 1: ***Research ways to manufacture*

**Before this meeting: **

- Make sure that you’ve had an intro meeting. If you need help navigating your first meeting, visit this [**Guide to Your First Meeting**](http://skysthelimit-21159137.hs-sites.com/volunteer-resources/guide-to-your-first-mentoring-or-advising-session)**. **
- If you don’t already have a prototype of your product idea, complete the **Make My First** sale project first. 
- Review: [**Product Development**](https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1i00oX-o706LU0Av02rK7p1kuaHpoEkrM1q84sDqdnGk/edit#slide=id.p2)

**In this meeting:**

- Make a copy of the [**Product Development Starter Exercise**](https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1i00oX-o706LU0Av02rK7p1kuaHpoEkrM1q84sDqdnGk/edit#slide=id.p1) and use it to think through how you want to manufacture and ship your products.
- Try starting with [**Alibaba**](https://www.alibaba.com/)**, **[**Printful**](https://www.printful.com/), or [**Maker’s Row**](https://makersrow.com/)**.**

**After this meeting:**

- Research similar products and manufacturers.
- Note any agreed-upon next steps.

 

### **Meeting 2: ***Get quotes using your designs*

**Before this meeting: **

- Review: [**Prototyping for Physical and Digital Products**](https://www.oreilly.com/content/prototyping-physical-digital-products/)

1. Review your product designs. If you don’t have any, you can use [**Canva**](https://www.canva.com/) or [**Printful Mockups**](https://www.printful.com/mockup-generator) to start creating some.

**In this meeting:**

- Create or share your product designs 
- Review the top manufacturers you found in your last meeting. Many have online quote systems, but determine what steps you need to take to receive a quote. 
- Determine if your designs will work for getting quotes. Revise if needed.

**After this meeting:**

- Start sending your designs to manufacturers for quotes.
- Note any agreed-upon next steps.

 

### **Meeting 3: ***Test out a manufacturer*

**Before this meeting: **

- Review the quotes you received. 

**In this meeting:**

- Choose 1 -3 manufacturers you’d like to test products from. 
- Many manufacturers will send you product samples. Check how to receive them samples from them. 
- Follow their directions carefully to ensure product quality, and order Samples.

**After this meeting:**

- Show the samples to your products to your friends to see what they think.
- Note any agreed-upon next steps.

 

### **Meeting 4: ***Choose and manage a manufacturer*

**Before this meeting: **

- Review your product samples.

**In this meeting:**

- Compare and contrast quality and pricing for each sample and any feedback you’ve received. 
- Determine which manufacturer you would like to use. Consider the following: 
  
    - Product cost
    - Shipping cost
    - Product quality

**After this meeting:**

- Determine how many products you would like to have in your first order and place it.
- Be sure to mark your project complete, [**update your business tracker**](https://app.skysthelimit.org/home/milestones)**,** and start a new project!

 

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#### **Want to talk to someone who can help? **

Sky’s the Limit members are connected to a community of volunteer business mentors, more free tools and guides like this one, and exclusive funding opportunities.

[ Sign up to find a mentor ](https://app.skysthelimit.org/home/onboarding/signup)

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[

## How to Create a Sales Plan

](http://skysthelimit-21159137.hs-sites.com/project-guides/create-sales-plan) [## How to manage a project

](http://skysthelimit-21159137.hs-sites.com/project-guides/manage-a-project)