Marketing Wisdom from Thomas Edison

July 30th, 2008 · No Comments

Although Thomas Edison was known as a prolific inventor, his words can also provide advice and guidance to marketers. See how you can apply these ideas to your marketing.

Genius is one per cent inspiration, ninety-nine per cent perspiration.
This is one of the most famous quotations attributed to Edison. Although he was referring to the process of creating inventions such as the phonograph, the light bulb, motion pictures and others covered by his 1,093 patents, marketing works much the same way. Study what other marketers do. Learn as much as you can about your customers. Try various ways of getting your message to your market. And be open when the, “Aha!” moment of inspiration arrives.

I have not failed 700 times. I have not failed once. I have succeeded in proving that those 700 ways will not work. When I have eliminated the ways that will not work, I will find the way that will work.
A key to marketing success is testing. If you get a disappointing response from one activity, you have learned what does not work. Rework the headline, try another delivery method, and continue tweaking the offer until you find what works. Make one change at a time so you can monitor the results from each change.

Just because something doesn’t do what you planned it to do doesn’t mean it’s useless.
Sometimes your marketing results might be compared to getting a watermelon vine when you thought you planted a sunflower. Even though you didn’t get the sunflower you expected, the watermelon is pretty good. Appreciate good results, even when they are not what you planned.

Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.
Sales processes may go on for months or even years before the customer buys. Be persistent. Giving up too soon means that you lose the sale.

Everything comes to him who hustles while he waits.
Too often, a marketer will take one action then sit back and wait for results to pour in. Don’t stop marketing because you sent out a mailing this week. Follow up with media advertising, a press release, e-mails to your customers, and other marketing activities.

There are no rules here–we’re trying to accomplish something.
The bookstore shelves contain hundreds of books that are full of marketing “rules.” Learn from them, but do not be constrained by them.

There is time for everything.
Everything that matters, anyway. Marketing is important. Make time for it. Even when you are busy, you should be marketing to keep prospects and new customers in the pipeline. If you neglect marketing during busy times, those busy times will pass.

I never did a day’s work in my life. It was all fun.
Do you have passion for what you do? When you do, marketing is not a chore, it’s fun. That’s because marketing is just telling people how you make their lives better. When you sincerely believe that, marketing is fun!