The MacBook Pro (from store.apple.com)

Well, I have finally made the decision. The decision I have NOT made with the last two computer purchases. I am finally switching to a Mac.

A MacBook Pro, in fact. Will probably happen sometime in the next month or two. And I can’t wait.

So I stopped by an Apple store at a crazy-silly-busy-suburban Atlanta mall yesterday with a friend. Not to make the purchase, but to ask some questions and learn as much as we could.

So, we walk into the store, only to see about 1,200 people in there. I almost turned around and left. But we headed in anyway and started looking at machines. And we were overwhelmed, to be honest.

[btw, the last Apple computer I had was an Apple IIc. It did enable graduation from college.]

Eventually we make contact with a gentleman named Matt. Young fellow. Just what you’d expect from an Apple employee (earrings, headset, cool hip Apple clothes, graphic designer by trade).

And if I had my wallet, I would have bought on the spot. He was the most engaging fellow, and man oh man did he know his stuff. Spent an hour with us. Answered every question. Answered every. stoopid. question.

I will just cut to the chase, so allow me to simply list the reasons our interaction with Matt solidified my conversion to a Mac. Pay close attention and apply his tactics to your situation:

1. He cared. He genuinely cared about our (my) stoopid questions. Never once losing patience with the inane crap coming out of my mouth.
2. He actually said “Hey no worries. I have nowhere to be. Let’s take our time!”
3. Being long-time PC users, we are burdened with PC thinking. He spent time explaining that the transitions would be easy ones…
4. But he also walked us through ways to keep as much of the PC experience, in case we needed to.
5. He really knew his stuff. I suppose Apple does a solid job training their people, but I don’t know this for sure. In any event, he knew a lot.
6. He was prepared for – and anticipated – all our (my) stoopid questions, with easy to understand answers and good metaphors to help goofs like me understand.
7. He didn’t upsell. Yeah, he could have sold us on higher priced equipment, but after carefully listening to how we use our machines, made it clear we would do well with less potent machines.
8. He. was. for. real. There was no “fake” in this guy. He sincerely came across as if he would rather be nowhere else.
9. He was passionate about Apple. I asked him about the iPad, curious to see how he’d respond, and wondering if he’d come across lukewarm. And frankly, after his passionate response, I now want one.
10. Apple salesmen do not work on commission. Which was glorious. Whoever decided on that policy ought to be commended. When I asked for Matt’s card, he said “Hey, I don’t work on commission. So remember, anyone here can serve you well.”

But the critical lesson here? He cared about us. He cared that all our questions were answered. And he cared enough to spend an hour of his day helping us learn, KNOWING we were not going to buy that day.

The point is, if you sincerely care about your customers and prospects, you will market yourself well. However that manifests itself…

A colleague recently told me he wasn’t expected to be creative, since that wasn’t his department. I told him he was wrong. He replied, “Oh please, give me one example over the course of a typical day how little ole me can be creative…”

1. When a customer calls with a problem.
2. When a sales call is stalled.
3. When a prospect asks “what makes you different?”
4. When you think you need to cut prices to be more competitive.
5. When you find yourself wanting to blame the economy for things being slow.
6. When you train new employees.
7. When a prospect says “Hmmm, I’m just not sure, let me think about this a bit more…”
8. When your store has a changeable marquee.
9. When an employee says “I just don’t have enough time to get all that done.”
10. When you think you have competition.
11. When your “competition” offers a new product or service.
12. When you don’t have much money in your marketing budget.
13. When your latest innovation is still popular and bringing in massive sales.
14. When you copy other people’s business ideas too often.
15. Whenever you have a chance to deliver a thirty second elevator speech.
16. When you design your next business card.
17. When you answer your business phone.
18. When you grow tired of networking with the same people at every networking event.
19. When someone asks you “So, what do you do?”
20. How you ask for referrals.
21. How you greet customers when they come into your shop.
22. When you record the message for the company voice mail.
23. When you have the chance to record some audio and/or video for your web site.
24. When you need to update your pricing.
25. When you decide to support a local charity.
26. When you need to upgrade the signage outside your shop.
27. When you can’t understand why blasting spam email just doesn’t seem to be working.
28. When it’s time to determine a new niche market to target.
29. When you have to create a mailing list for your next direct response program.
30. When it’s your turn to treat for lunch, where should you take your client/prospect for a memorable experience.
31. When it’s time to expand your service or product offering.
32. When you need to write the next post for the company blog.
33. What to talk about if you offer a seminar to the local market.
34. When you add a new tactical option to your marketing program.
35. Who you invite into your community with your company’s social media program.
36. What local event you choose to sponsor for your next PR outreach idea.
37. What to write about if you are invited to share thought leadership in a local newsletter.
38. What to give away at the next trade show.
39. What music to play when folks are on hold on your phone system.
40. When it’s time to rearrange your store floor plan.
41. How to acknowledge new customers. Old customers. New prospects. Referral partners.
42. What you can give away for free.
43. What to do when things are slow in the shop for an hour or two.
44. What to do/where to go on the next company retreat.
45. How to reward employees for remarkable work.
46. When you are working to improve internal communications.
47. How to make your web site ridiculously easy for customers to use.
48. When you are coming up with a process for customers to provide feedback.
49. How to organize and communicate to company prospects.
50. Oh yeah, how to be creative when designing new fancy schmancy print collateral…

Get the idea? Please share more ideas! Be Intrepid.

Be An Intrepid Marketer – Recommendation No. 10

If you ever stop learning, you will quietly fade away. There is always more to learn, more innovative ways to do the same old tasks. And so much material in books and on the Internet that you have NO excuses. But the intrepid part of learning is a phrase I heard from colleague Stone Payton:

Return the learning.

Be willing to share what you’ve learned – both from your successes AND mistakes - with your community. This is where you really grow – and where your community really benefits, learns, and achieves value from you.

You don’t always have to teach the right way to do things - you can teach by showing what not to do – oftentimes by storytelling. In fact, I learn more from stories of failure.

Return the learning!

Friday afternoon – time for another great sales and marketing video! [Warning - Adult Language]

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TROhlThs9qY&hl=en&fs=1]

This is the classic clip from Glengarry Glen Ross with the famous presentation of Always Be Closing and AIDA (Attention, Interest, Decision, and Action) from Alec Baldwin’s character.  This is one of those video clips I watch every now and then to get a small charge and motivate myself.  Most everyone in the sales and marketing arena know this scene well.  Enjoy!

Note: this post is dedicated to my friend RFC!

Todd Schnick.  Be Intrepid.  www.intrepid-llc.com

Today is Graduation Day!  As I have mentioned in a few previous blog entries, I have been enrolled as a student in Mark Walker’s Integrity Selling class.  And it has been a wonderful experience.

I have NEVER gone through any sales training in my entire career.  But this first exposure has been eye opening.  If you are at all familiar with Integrity Solutions, you have heard about the AID INC formula.  It will change the way you look at selling.

If you are interested in talking with Mark Walker about the course, you can find him at: http://www.jmwalkergroup.com/.

Todd Schnick.  Be Intrepid.  www.intrepid-llc.com

Just wrapped up my weekly Integrity Selling course with Mark Walker.  What an outstanding program to be going through.  If you or your organization are looking for sales training, you owe it to yourself to explore this program.  Contact Mark Walker at 770.578.1345 to learn more.

And if you are interested in attending next week’s Meet the eXpert Live Learning Event sponsored by GrowthANSWERS, go here: http://growthanswers.com/expert/

And most importantly, opening this week:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4jY8WxcFMo&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en&fs=1] 

Todd Schnick.  Be Intrepid.  www.intrepid-llc.com