This is a story about the boss of a light bulb factory
(This is mostly second hand but I would guess it would be 70% accurate with embellishments)
“Sell me this pen🖋️”
Most people will start yakking off about the features. Some would in turn ask questions and try to understand the user and why they may need a pen.
Now sell light.
- Are you selling illumination?
- Are you selling security?
- Are you selling productivity?
Actually this story is D, none of the above.
What was sold was light bulbs, plain and simple. Simple LED light bulbs. E27 variety 100 lumen warm white. With nothing fancy. Intrigued?🤔
Light bulbs are cheap. But in huge quantities in a building it can add up. Across an estate the costs become enough to buy a Ferrari 🏎️. All that upfront costs is difficult to stomach. So how do you convince somehow to hand you the keys to a Ferrari? There’s of course hold someone at gun point. But between life and handing over money I don’t have, I think I would trade my life for a possible Ferrari (even my insurance payout does not cover the rims of a Ferrari sadly)
Factories are a beast who’s sole purpose is to churn out goods. They do not stop. They cannot stop. Channels need to be set up to off load the supply. The faster they are made, the faster they must be sold. Bulbs were piling up everywhere from floor to ceiling in the warehouse but sales were slow.
Give the bulbs away?
Give the bulbs away!
What’s the catch?
This must be a scam!
Even better, the individual does not need to fork out a single cent.
Now this has to be a scam!
LEDs are a quantum leap forward in terms of energy consumption. The cost savings would have return on investments within 2 years. However no one wants to wait two years let alone two seconds. To get people to pay for the bulbs upfront or even over extended credit terms and instalments is a hard sell. To get people to accept the bulbs for free, with instalment, servicing, maintenance is just too good a deal to pass on even if it sounds like a scam.
So where’s the money?
