People buy what other people have.
P
RODUCTS
D
ON
’
T
S
ELL
.
P
EOPLE
D
O
.
Look carefully at Apple’s iPodcommercials. You’ll see lots of happy, energetic people dancingin silhouette against a colorfuland ever-changing background.Notice the distinctive whiteheadphones
fl
owing in unison tothe owner’s movements. Whatyou don’t see is a focus on iPod.No close-ups of how you selecta song or adjust the volumelevel. Why would Apple take allthe time to make a great userinterface only to
not
show it ontelevision? The reason is simple:Apple isn’t selling you an MP3player. They are inviting you toexperience the Apple lifestyleand to become part of the iPodcommunity. Use any other MP3player and you’ll hear goodmusic. Use an iPod and you’ll
feel
good. You’ll
fi
t in. Productfeatures don’t create fans. Focuson what people do and showhow they feel using your stuff.
S
HOW WHAT
M
ATTERS
.
Those white iPod headphoneswere not designed by engineers -they are a pure Apple marketingtrick designed to make thevisible part of their product astatus symbol. Wear whiteheadphones and you are amember of the club. Think back to the
fi
rst PowerBook - it was aunique dark grey color (it waspatterned after a colordesigned by Whirlpool’sRefrigerator research tohide or eliminate
fi
ngerprints) Inboth cases, the distinctive greyPowerBook case and the morerecent white iPod headphonesare status symbols (and uniquelyApple.) Even the glowing Applelogo was
fi
xed to be right-sideup for others (it’s upside downto you when you open your newMacBook because you are sellingthe brand to others for Apple. )Figure out how to addsomething to your product thatdoes for you what Apple’s whiteheadphones do: give people aneasy way to sell for you
while
making them feel like they arepart of an exclusive club. Moreabout this in Chapter 3.
This eBook courtesy of Steve Chazin, former Apple, Inc. sales and marketing executive. Page 3 Copyright @ 2007MarketingApple.com All Rights Reserved
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