Thomas Edison, the visionary inventor

A genius inventor, Thomas Edison was responsible for some of the greatest technical discoveries of the late 19th century. We owe him, of course, the light bulb and the first power station, but also the alkaline battery, the phonograph, the telephone (registered by Bell) and the ancestors of the camera and the cinema projector… With over a thousand patents in his lifetime, this hard-working man revolutionized the daily lives of his contemporaries. But beyond technology, his ideas still inspire the world of business and sales.

Edison and the art of learning from failure

A tireless self-taught man, Edison experimented day and night to find solutions. His quotations remain universal, notably on failure and perseverance:

“Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration.”

“I’m not discouraged: every unsuccessful attempt is a step forward.

“I haven’t failed. I’ve just found 10,000 solutions that don’t work.”

These maxims resonate with the daily lives of sales people: resilience and learning by doing are essential to success.

The true value of a product according to Edison

Among his many phrases, one is particularly inspiring for salespeople:

“The true value of a product lies not in what it is, but in what it brings. It’s not the price of the bulb that counts, it’s the price of the light.”

To put it plainly: we don’t sell an object, but the benefit it brings.

Sales lesson: sell the light, not the bulb

This vision applies directly to the sales pitch:

• We’re not selling a 4-star hotel room → we’re selling an exceptional moment in life.
• We’re not selling a car → we’re selling the freedom to travel.
• We’re not selling a night cream → we’re selling restored youth.
• We don’t sell orange juice → we sell energy to start the day.

The key: always emphasize the promise and the customer experience, rather than technical specifications.

A tip for your next negotiations

The next time you enter into a sales negotiation, think of Edison and his light bulb.

Reframe your sales pitch by emphasizing the light you bring to your customer, rather than the product itself. This simple shift in perspective can transform your results!