| |
| |
|
Marketing Resource Center |
|
|
|
Wife's Marketing Prowess Helped Edison See the Light
It is well known that Thomas Edison was an inventor, a genius, and he never slept. Did you know that Mrs. Edison was a genius and never slept too? She was the marketing guru behind his engineering success.True, Tom had discovered what is today known as the light bulb. When he showed it to the Mrs. Mina Edison, his second wife, she asked "what are you going to call it?" Tom said. "I call it an affordable electrical home-lighting device." "Great," she responded, "with a name like that it will sit on the shelf at the patent office. We will just add it to the other money-losing patents you have conceived." "How will people know what it does? She asked sarcastically, "From its name? You need a short catchy description that customers (yes, even in the 1880s they were already called customers) will immediately identify with." This time Tom listened. The English inventor, Sir Joseph Swan, his arch rival, was ready to introduce a similar device and he did not want to lose out this time. Mrs. Edison started grilling her husband. "Why will people want to buy your affordable electrical home-lighting device?" "Well, it has the incandescence of 81 candles or 2.3 gas-burning lamps." he proudly answered. "Tom, I keep on telling you that those are features. Customers don't buy features; they buy benefits," she said. "How will this device benefit people?" "They will be able to stay up later and read more books," he offered. She glared at him. "Are you telling me that people will invest tens of dollars to bring wires into their houses to connect to your affordable electrical home-lighting device just to be able to read the latest Mark Twain novel?, she said. "I don't think so. My research shows that only 18 percent of adults can read on an eighth-grade level." She decided to bring in some of her neighbors and ask them their opinions of the device (history records this as the first documented focus group). Their comments were invaluable: "I will be able to put make-up on before school," said the high school debutante. A little 4-year old girl shyly whispered that she would be able sleep at night and not be afraid of the dark with an affordable electrical home-lighting device glowing in the hallway. As always it was the female head of the households who saw the benefits most evidently. "No more soot from the oil lamps means cleaner floors and therefore less of a need to wash and wax daily. Why with the extra time, I would be able to go to school and get a degree and work independently and therefore have the money I need to leave my husband," one said. Mrs. Edison was excited. This affordable electrical home-lighting device could finally make her husband an entrepreneurial success. However the focus group balked at the name. No way could they see themselves walking into one of those new Woolworth five-and-dime stores and asking for a dozen affordable electrical home-lighting devices. Mrs. Edison would not let them leave. "So what would you call it?," she asked in desperation. The responses were flying, "How about a non-candle lighting device" or a "Man-made bumble bee, or a ..." The little 4-year-old girl said it looked like her dad's bald head. He had started shaving his entire head for some unknown reason, and it gave off lots of light. Why not call it a bald light or a light bald? People stared nodding. They said the name was different and it would create a lot of buzz. They could see people walking into a store and asking for a box of light baldsPeople stared nodding. They said the name was different and it would create a lot of buzz. They could see people walking into a store and asking for a box of light balds. So the obvious question is: "How did light balds become what are today universally known as light bulbs?" Beats me. Hesh Reinfeld writes a syndicated business humor column. You can read additional examples of his columns on his website: http://www.heshreinfeld.com Or contact him at hesh1@comcast.net
MORE RESOURCES:
Marketing - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
A Look at Brochure Printing Services A brochure can be a wonderful promotional tool for a wide range of professionals, but getting them set up can be daunting. There are many brochure-printing services available that cater to both the amateur and professional. Marketing to the Affluent - with Wine With its association to an affluent, sophisticated lifestyle, wine can make a good accompaniment when marketing to an affluent audience. However, I am not talking here about ordering expensive wine at a client diner. How to Size an Emerging Market In developing their business plans, companies of all sizes face the challenge of determining the size of their markets. To begin, companies must present the size of their "relevant market" in their plans. Maximum Marketing - Minimum Budget Two years ago I started my small Virtual Assistant business with a non-existent marketing budget. I borrowed marketing books from the library, read countless articles on the Internet and joined a professional trade association of my peers. How to Use Business Cards to Network and Market Your Business You've had one thousand of the finest, most eye-catching business cards printed. Now, what do you do with them?Networking with business cards is one of the most cost effective means of marketing your business--and yourself. You're In Charge. Now What? For years now, you have been waiting patiently for that first opportunity to be put in charge of a group and show what you can do. It has finally happened. The Power Of A Story If you want your marketing to be effective, you absolutely must connect emotionally with your prospects. And one of the best ways to do that is by telling a story. Sell More Online By Offering a Big Fat BONUS! I don't know about you, but I secretly love watching infomercials. I enjoy dissecting how they sell, how they get people excited, how they entice people to take action now and pick up the phone and order something they completely don't need!As you know, these programs always offer a huge bonus or multiple bonuses for people who buy. Marketing Success - Marketing Strategy - Brand Identity Guru Marketing message x Credibility x Visibility = Marketing SuccessThese three variables, when working positively together, create success. Period. Using Business and Greeting Cards Effectively Business cards and greeting cards almost go hand in hand when being used for marketing and business purposes. With a few exceptions. How to Win a Price War Any economics student can tell you that price is a matter of supply and demand. The market will bear a certain price point and settle into equilibrium. Packaging Made Frozen TV Dinners Possible I was saddened to hear of the passing of one of the food industry pioneers Gerry Thomas, One of our unsung heroes credited with invented a "package" the frozen TV dinner that literally changed the way we eat. Never mind that it was considered by nutritionists as a step backwards, his invention still made a major shift in the food and food services industries. The 10 Cornerstone Principles of Marketing There are four parts to a marketing system and they rest on ten cornerstones. Marketing results are only as powerful as your marketing systems. To All Internet Marketers - How To Get My Business? More and more people are realizing that the Internet offers great potential to set up a healthy business for pennies on the dollar. This is good news for internet marketers - but it also means that they need to lift their game. Joint Venture Marketing: What and Why What is a Joint Venture? A joint venture is an agreementin which two or more businesses work on a project for aset period of time. Usually with a specific project orgoal in mind. Marketing on a Budget A successful marketing plan doesn't have to include an athletic superstar, prime-time placement, state-of-the-art computer graphics or a massive budget. Being resourceful and smart can be just as effective. What the Heck is a Campaign and Why Do I Need to Do One? Many people ask me, "What is a postcard campaign, exactly?" "And why do I need one?" As I have been educating my clients one on one for years now, I suddenly had the bright idea that I needed to explain this for more than just one at a time and in further detail. So here goes?Campaigns for marketing are, in a nutshell, a series of repeat mailings that are strategically planned so that there is maximum benefit (more new customers) for your business. Marketing the Government for Profit Steps and tips on marketing your business to the government.Fact: Federal, state and local governments buy over $450 billion combined in goods and services each year. The Right Logo The Logo: a little historyLogotype, commonly know as a logo, is a design, a graphic representation/image/trademark symbolizing one's organization. Designed for instant identification, a logo can appear on company letterhead, advertising material and signs as an emblem by way of which the organization can easily be recognized. Itchin For Some Nichin The whole idea of Niche Marketing is exciting! The possibilities are endless, as there are literally millions of people surfing the web, the vast majorities of whom are here for two reasons . .
|
| home | site map | Advertising Articles |
| © 2006 |
