By Andrew P. McCoy and Fred Sargent
Published On April 15, 2022

Fifty years after the five-season run of the TV show “Get Smart,” even folks who never saw a single episode of the original spy-spoof series will very likely recognize the silly image of detective Maxwell Smart making a call on his shoe phone. Back in the 1960s, when open-to-the-public telecom technology was not far enough along to support a real shoe phone, it was always good for a laugh.

Today, when producing a workable model of a shoe phone is eminently doable, it would not seem as funny. However, “Get Smart” fans may get a chuckle out of knowing that the actual shoe-phone gadget used on the set is currently on display at the CIA Museum in Langley, Va., which is definitely not open to the public!

“Get Smart” and Maxwell Smart’s gadgetry lead us right into two great metaphors for smart lighting and salesmanship.

First, recalling how viewers repeatedly returned to their TV sets for each weekly episode, the easiest place to sell anything is where you have sold something before. In this case, the best prospects for an upgrade to a smarter lighting system may very well be those customers who relied on your company—or another electrical contractor—for a lighting retrofit years ago. At the very least, they understand the inherent benefits of having an improved lighting system. Even more important, repeat customers know they can trust the quality of service your company provides.

Second, to help their decision-making process toward a lighting system upgrade, you may have more success if you can show off some shiny new gadgets in your toolkit. We have a few suggestions for some tools that will help your customers appreciate that revisiting their lighting system will not be like watching a rerun.