How Mickey Mouse lost a sale and why smart businesses avoid encyclopedias

Posted on | March 9, 2012 | 20 Comments

In the mid 1980’s my parents faced a tough decision: Do we give our kids fun or do we give them knowledge? I remember being about 12 years old, sitting in our dining room and watching them struggle with the choice.

They’d saved enough money for a Disney vacation but there was one major obstacle between me and a trip to sunny Florida: The door to door encyclopedia salesman sitting next to me. I wanted to throw him out a window as he went on and on about how “enlightened” my brother and I would become if my parents invested only $2,000 in his books. Unbeknownst to him, it was the same $2,000 earmarked for our trip.

Much to my chagrin, Mom and Dad opted that year for the encyclopedias. Remember those? A huge volume of leather bound books that contained the world’s knowledge. All these years later and I still feel a yearning for Mickey Mouse whenever I lay my eyes upon them.

In today’s world, the concept seems laughable, doesn’t it? Investing thousands of dollars in a heavy, soon outdated set of books? Encyclopedias and the salesmen who peddled them have gone the way of the dinosaur. Why, then, do so many of our training methods still follow this same archaic model?

For instance, take an industry related to my work: Foreign language development and support. Most organizations with overseas workers recognize that English skills are lacking, so they invest huge dollars sending a select few to expensive classroom programs. In a lot of ways, unplugging your workers from their jobs and relegating them to a classroom is akin to locking someone in a closet with a set of encyclopedias and telling them to learn as much as they can about language arts. An excellent strategy if you’re a game show contestant preparing for Jeopardy!, not so helpful if you’re looking for support that’s going to help you on the job.

My point is before jumping to the conclusion that our teams need knowledge to do their jobs, maybe we’re barking up the wrong tree. Is it knowledge that most of your employees need or is it real time, on the job support? Again using language training as an example, does your company benefit most if a select few spend hundreds of hours memorizing vocabulary terms or would your company benefit more if the masses were given instant access to powerful translation and social collaboration tools?

The best option for your company is debatable but there’s zero debate about which method is faster, less costly, and easier to manage.

Before you invest another dollar in formal, traditional training, as yourself if you’re buying encyclopedias in a world that now offers less expensive, more impactful options.

As for the thwarted Disney vacation, not to worry! This week my family, my brother’s family, and my parents (12 of us in all) will be storming the Magic Kingdom in matching “Lawrence Family Vacation” T-Shirts. Wish us luck ☺

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20 Responses to “How Mickey Mouse lost a sale and why smart businesses avoid encyclopedias”

  1. azat
    March 12th, 2012 @ 7:56 am

    Hi Ben!
    Many thanks.
    Please say this in other words.
    “Before you invest another dollar in formal, traditional training, as yourself if you’re buying encyclopedias in a world that now offers less expensive, more impactful options.”
    I can’t translate. Sorry.
    Sincerely yours,
    Azat

  2. Kenny Bachman
    March 12th, 2012 @ 8:32 am

    Enjoy Disney. After all, “it’s a small world”, pal.

  3. Ken Hartley
    March 12th, 2012 @ 9:39 am

    Hey Ben!

    As Azat has pointed out above, good old-fashioned proof-reading beats out the spell checker every time.

    Azat, make this change “…. training, ASK yourself …” in the sentence and then it should translate.

    Kiss Mickey for me, Ben!

    Ken

  4. pat mchale
    March 12th, 2012 @ 10:08 am

    The weather in Florida promises to be in the 80′s -Enjoy! Ths moral to your story is that all things come to those who wait! Hello to your mom and dad.

  5. Bob Livsey
    March 12th, 2012 @ 11:46 am

    Hey Ben,

    It’s been a while I hope all is well. May you guys have a blast on your vacation. Also if you would not mind would you drop me an e mail I have a question I would like to ask you.

    Warmest Regards and All The Best To The Family

    Bob Livsey

  6. Bob Livsey
    March 12th, 2012 @ 12:09 pm

    livseybob@yahoo.com

  7. Oswaldo Runha
    March 12th, 2012 @ 2:26 pm

    Ben,
    I appreciate all of your news letter and your marketing approach to us, your clients or prospects. Ben, I had excellent experience with you when we worked on a project for Caterpillar Inc., don’t know if you remind me. We never met personally. Anyways, I wish you good luck and a great experience with the family. Say hello to Mickey, Oswaldo

  8. Sudhanshu Mishra
    March 14th, 2012 @ 6:49 am

    Hi Ben,

    Completely agree with you. And as if on cue from your blog, Encyclopaedia Britannica, one of world’s oldest and most popular one of its kind, has decided to stop printing hard copies after 244 straight years of printing annual volumes. :-)

    Enjoy your vacation.

    Cheers,
    Sudhanshu

  9. Charles Kahl
    March 17th, 2012 @ 3:57 pm

    Great story Ben.

    Your point is well-taken. In our industry we still spend entirely too much time writing training documents which are obsolete almost as soon as the last proof reader has done their mark-up. Developing dynamic learning systems which keep pace with a changing business landscape are indeed the “grail” of our work. I too would have thrown that salesman through the window. It is incredible to consider how true your gut instinct was developing at such a young age. I actually considered purchasing a set of encyclopedias from a Goodwill store just to have a piece of history to show the grandkids. I am sure they will find it utterly obsurd to actually open a book for information. Hopefully we will discuss on our way to see Mickey!

  10. Bill Johnson
    March 18th, 2012 @ 1:22 pm

    Hi Ben:

    Saw the ‘T’ Shirt on Renee as she was taking Will back for a much needed rest. Sorry we did not get to see everyone; did manage to have a ‘nightcap’, actually 2 with Giff, while all others were ‘snuggled in bed’. Arrived home last evening. Best wishes, Bill and Nancy.

  11. Ben Lawrence
    March 19th, 2012 @ 6:13 pm

    Azat,
    Please accept my apologies for the typo. Ah, the power of collaboration! Many thanks to Ken Hartley for responding to your question. Wishing you a great week..

  12. Ben Lawrence
    March 19th, 2012 @ 6:14 pm

    Ken, All it takes is one ride through Small World to have that song embedded in my mind for hours. But you’re right, a small world indeed.

  13. Ben Lawrence
    March 19th, 2012 @ 6:15 pm

    Ken, You are hereby deputized as official proof reader. Thanks for your keen eye and quick response. Really appreciate it.

  14. Ben Lawrence
    March 19th, 2012 @ 6:16 pm

    Pat, It was a wonderful trip! Just returned yesterday and now in Brazil for business. Will post some pictures soon.

  15. Ben Lawrence
    March 19th, 2012 @ 6:17 pm

    Hi Bob, Looking forward to catching up! Will send you an email tonight..

  16. Ben Lawrence
    March 19th, 2012 @ 6:21 pm

    Hello Oswaldo, Yes, I certainly remember you! Our Miami connection at Caterpillar. I had a meeting recently with Maurice and Ruud and asked about you. They said you’re doing some consulting now, right? Really appreciate your kind comments and look forward to staying in touch.

  17. Ben Lawrence
    March 19th, 2012 @ 6:22 pm

    Hi Sudhanshu, The timing of that is uncanny. Perhaps the executives at Britannica read this blog and made the inevitable decision :) Wow, a 244 year legacy has come to an end. Welcome to the information age.

  18. Ben Lawrence
    March 19th, 2012 @ 6:25 pm

    Thanks, Chuck. I don’t think my gut instinct was developed at all beyond, “This guy’s ruining my trip to Disney!!” He coulda been selling the meaning of life and I would have had the same reaction.
    I heard a comedian recently ask, “Now that they’re not selling encyclopedias, what are injury lawyers going to stand in front of for their TV commercials?” :)

  19. Ben Lawrence
    March 19th, 2012 @ 6:26 pm

    Bill, Sorry we missed you but Renee did tell us about her bus encounter with the Johnsons. You know she’s looking for a construction loan, right? I assume you filled out a 1003 with her before she exited the bus :)

  20. Brad Fey
    March 22nd, 2012 @ 9:29 am

    Ben,

    Great story! I’m looking forward to an update on the Disney customer service / sales philosophy from the perspective of your latest trip.

    Brad

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    Ben Lawrence Ben serves as a Global Account Executive to Fortune 500 companies who are interested in becoming more competitive in emerging markets, with an emphasis on improving the productivity of non-native English speakers.

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