How to Sell Absolutely Anything
Pop Quiz: Who invented the light bulb?
a) Thomas Edison
b) Alexander Graham Bell
c) Humphry Davy
d) Cuthbert O’Lightbulb
If you picked a), you’re wrong.
That may seem unfair, because you’ve
likely heard from lots of different sources in your lifetime that Thomas Edison
invented the light bulb.
That’s a classic story about the super-genius inventor
from Menlo Park who churned out innovation after innovation from his amazing
brain.
The actual inventor of the light bulb was Sir Humphry Davy.
So why is it
that we all think, “Thomas Edison invented the light bulb,” when actually,
Humphrey Davy invented it forty-five years before Edison was even born?
Advertising.
First of all, Thomas Edison was definitely awesome.
He just wasn’t
awesome for the reasons you’ve heard. Let’s get the real deal on his
accomplishments.
In the 1880’s, electric lights were already in department stores
and on city streets, but because they were hugely expensive and unreliable, most
people had to use gas to light their homes…which was great if you like your
lights with a side of potential fireballs in your bedroom.
A lot of inventors knew
that gas lighting was less than ideal and that there would be big money for
whoever solved this problem.
Edison had already had his first taste of fame with
the gramophone, and so he promised all the newspaper reporters that he would
solve the problem of the electric light in no time at all.
Fortunately, Edison wasn’t working alone. He had assembled a giant team of top inventors to work in
his Menlo Park laboratory, and together, they attacked the problem.
It was
obvious to everyone that the quick-to-burn-out filament was the one thing
keeping the light bulb from being in every home.
So, Edison and his many
colleagues carefully tested over 10,000 different types of filament until they
found success with one of the most unlikely materials: carbonized bamboo.
Having the resolve to stick with this problem through ten thousand different
attempts is, in itself, an impressive feat.
But if the light bulb was going to take
America by storm, people would not only need to buy the bulb, but also wire
their entire homes for electricity.
In other words, it wasn’t an easy sell. What’s
more, while patience is certainly a virtue, the slogan “Hundreds of men spent
thousands of hours figuring out how to make this thing work a little better than
before!” wasn’t really as catchy as, say, Nike’s “Just do it.” Edison needed a
good advertising campaign.
Fortunately, Edison knew how to use the newspapers to his own advantage.
To generate buzz about his inventions, he paid the newspapermen with shares in
his company; in exchange, they would write stories about how the answer to
America’s lighting needs came to Edison in a sudden flash of inspiration.
There
he was, just sitting at his workbench, when suddenly, his geniusy self just knew
what to do.
“Oh! Partially burnt Japanese panda lunch! It’s so obvious!!!” This
was the start of an ongoing media blitz that secured Edison’s genius status and
earned him the nickname, “The Wizard of Menlo Park.”
As Edison’s notoriety skyrocketed, so did the sales figures. If the product
came from a wizard, then everyone wanted it. Suddenly, Edison’s genius
reputation wasn’t just motivated by vanity, but also by business strategy.
The
other inventors at Menlo Park were quietly kept out of the public awareness.
By
the end of Edison’s life, his team had patented hundreds and hundreds of
inventions, but as far as America knew, all those inventions came from Edison
alone.
Having a genius as the face of your company was great for business, and
to keep the profits rolling in, it was crucial to make Edison seem superhuman.
Over time, people’s awe of Edison became a part of the country’s lore, and
just like a game of Telephone, the story of Edison was passed down, simplified,
and changed.
That’s why what you hear generations later is simply, “Thomas
Edison invented the light bulb.” That’s why what you know is a lie.
Pop Quiz: Who invented the light bulb?
a) Thomas Edison
b) Alexander Graham Bell
c) Humphry Davy
d) Cuthbert O’Lightbulb
If you picked a), you’re wrong.
That may seem unfair, because you’ve
likely heard from lots of different sources in your lifetime that Thomas Edison
invented the light bulb.
That’s a classic story about the super-genius inventor
from Menlo Park who churned out innovation after innovation from his amazing
brain.
The actual inventor of the light bulb was Sir Humphry Davy.
So why is it
that we all think, “Thomas Edison invented the light bulb,” when actually,
Humphrey Davy invented it forty-five years before Edison was even born?
Advertising.
First of all, Thomas Edison was definitely awesome.
He just wasn’t
awesome for the reasons you’ve heard. Let’s get the real deal on his
accomplishments.
In the 1880’s, electric lights were already in department stores
and on city streets, but because they were hugely expensive and unreliable, most
people had to use gas to light their homes…which was great if you like your
lights with a side of potential fireballs in your bedroom.
A lot of inventors knew
that gas lighting was less than ideal and that there would be big money for
whoever solved this problem.
Edison had already had his first taste of fame with
the gramophone, and so he promised all the newspaper reporters that he would
solve the problem of the electric light in no time at all.
Fortunately, Edison wasn’t working alone. He had assembled a giant team of top inventors to work in
his Menlo Park laboratory, and together, they attacked the problem.
It was
obvious to everyone that the quick-to-burn-out filament was the one thing
keeping the light bulb from being in every home.
So, Edison and his many
colleagues carefully tested over 10,000 different types of filament until they
found success with one of the most unlikely materials: carbonized bamboo.
Having the resolve to stick with this problem through ten thousand different
attempts is, in itself, an impressive feat.
But if the light bulb was going to take
America by storm, people would not only need to buy the bulb, but also wire
their entire homes for electricity.
In other words, it wasn’t an easy sell. What’s
more, while patience is certainly a virtue, the slogan “Hundreds of men spent
thousands of hours figuring out how to make this thing work a little better than
before!” wasn’t really as catchy as, say, Nike’s “Just do it.” Edison needed a
good advertising campaign.
Fortunately, Edison knew how to use the newspapers to his own advantage.
To generate buzz about his inventions, he paid the newspapermen with shares in
his company; in exchange, they would write stories about how the answer to
America’s lighting needs came to Edison in a sudden flash of inspiration.
There
he was, just sitting at his workbench, when suddenly, his geniusy self just knew
what to do.
“Oh! Partially burnt Japanese panda lunch! It’s so obvious!!!” This
was the start of an ongoing media blitz that secured Edison’s genius status and
earned him the nickname, “The Wizard of Menlo Park.”
As Edison’s notoriety skyrocketed, so did the sales figures. If the product
came from a wizard, then everyone wanted it. Suddenly, Edison’s genius
reputation wasn’t just motivated by vanity, but also by business strategy.
The
other inventors at Menlo Park were quietly kept out of the public awareness.
By
the end of Edison’s life, his team had patented hundreds and hundreds of
inventions, but as far as America knew, all those inventions came from Edison
alone.
Having a genius as the face of your company was great for business, and
to keep the profits rolling in, it was crucial to make Edison seem superhuman.
Over time, people’s awe of Edison became a part of the country’s lore, and
just like a game of Telephone, the story of Edison was passed down, simplified,
and changed.
That’s why what you hear generations later is simply, “Thomas
Edison invented the light bulb.” That’s why what you know is a lie.