Balcom Agency

When I finally found the time to delve deeply into a recent Fast Company article on Apple, I was at once bemused, wowed, and inspired. The article, "Invincible Apple: 10 Lessons from the Coolest Company Anywhere," written by Farhad Manjoo, summarizes the key strategies, behaviors, and habits of Apple, and specifically its illustrious CEO Steve Jobs, that continue to propel the company to ever greater heights. 

At the risk of rewriting Manjoo's article, I want to highlight a few remarkable facts and ideas mentioned in an effort to help you rethink your approach to business. Each and every one of these anecdotes caused my jaw to drop, my head to tilt, and my mouth to twist in bemusement as I wondered at the sheer power of their meaning. 

1) Keep It Simple - In 2000, a newly-hired developer at Apple came prepared for a meeting with Steve Jobs with a comprehensive set of PowerPoint slides, ready to wow the CEO with the complexity and thoroughness of his new creation, the predecessor to iDVD. Before the developer could utter a word of his enthusiasm, Jobs wandered to a white board, drew a rectangle and said, "Here's the new application... It's got one window. You drag your video into the window. Then you click the button that says burn. That's it. That's what we're going to make." Thus, iDVD was born. The magic of Apple products are their simplicity. In a world racked with complexity, why not make your customer's life a bit simpler? 

2) Tune Out the Noise - In short, ignore your competitors, and sometimes, even your customers. This recommendation flies strongly in the face of conventional business wisdom. Deceased businessmen everywhere are turning in their graves. My colleagues at Balcom Agency have challenged me in this statement, most feverishly among them Apple-zealot Chip Hanna. So, let me explain. Though Apple stays abreast of trends in its industry, as well as the goings-on of tech up-and-comers and giants, it does not mimic them. As Manjoo states in his article, Apple developers "go into their caves," focusing almost exclusively on creating a product that they believe to be the future of technology. Similarly, unlike competitors Dell and Microsoft, Apple generally doesn't listen to customers' suggestions for product enhancements. While Windows 7 may have been your idea, the iPad most certainly was not. 

3) Take Inspiration From Your Hotel Concierge - Though Apple may not concern itself with its customers' product preferences, it does care about customer service. In an effort to revolutionize the customer experience within the computer industry, Apple's Senior Vice President of Retail Operations Ron Johnson asked customers what they remembered as their best ever customer service experience. The majority pleasantly recalled a hotel concierge. Violà, the Genius Bar emerged. At the Genius Bar, customers can have their iPods, iPhones, iPads, and MacBooks reviewed and repaired, free of charge. In fact, the Genius Bar is so cozy, you expect a Genius to bring you a cappuccino with extra foam, or perhaps even a cold beer. The reality is, if troubleshooting fails, the Genius might just bring you a brand new iPhone. Maybe it's just me, but this definitely beats haggling with Hyderabad over the telephone. 

4) Brand like a God - Martin Lindstrom, brand consultant and author of Buyology: The Truth and Lies About Why We Buy, recently discovered that brain activity within the minds of Apple devotees mimics that of religious fanatics. In short, Apple's branding has been so successful as to rival that of the Catholic Church. Ubiquitous Apple branding has created a monolithic image in the hearts and heads of consumers. From the iconic imagery of a half-eaten apple to the brushed silver of your MacBook Pro and the sleek white earbuds hanging from the ears of every passenger in a New York City subway, Apple has branding down pat. One of the most remarkable anecdotes from Manjoo's article: Apple purchased ad space on every bus bench near Yerba Buena Center in San Francisco, where it unveils its new products. As Steve Jobs speaks about new products like the iPad, Apple staff change the imagery from ads about older Apple products to ads about the newly-unveiled product. Apple's marketing efforts coincide with the ticking of clocks and the passing of time. 

5) Step To The Beat of Your Own Drum - Perhaps most shocking among the anecdotes revealed in Manjoo's article is the fact that HP, Microsoft, and Research in Motion (RIM) all delayed releases of iPad-challenging tablets immediately following the release of the iPad. These companies were watching Apple closely and following their lead. Deep in its cave, however, Apple had been listening closely to the beat of its own drum while its competitors got lost in the music. 

Whether or not the above ideas and anecdotes represent business truths is debatable, verging on contentious. That the iPad has generated buzz, however, is fact. And no doubt we can all take a lesson from the man steering a very powerful and seemingly indestructible ship. 

In other words, Think Different. 

Want to dive into social media, but not sure how? Below are a few best practices I've learned in my time as Social Media Manager at the Balcom Agency. 

Be Strategic – Consider your overarching social media strategy and goals when posting to social networking sites. Ask yourself, “What do I want my fans or followers to do when they see this post?” Each post should, in some way, further the goals of your strategy.

Consider Your Voice – When posting content to social networking sites, be mindful of the tone of your message. Ask yourself, “Is this message consistent with the personality of my brand?” A consistent tone of voice ensures fans and followers see posts as being representative of a cohesive organization. 

Provide Diverse & Rich Content – Vary the type of content you post to your social networking communities so as to keep your fans and followers interested and engaged. For example, if you’ve just posted a link to an article on your page, consider posting a photo or video next. The more diverse and rich your content, the more likely your fans and followers will frequent your page to stay abreast of updates and information, as well as share the information with friends. Rich content includes media such as photo, audio, and video. 

Leverage Existing Tools – Take advantage of the multitude of features offered on social networks. For instance, Facebook offers users many diverse features, including links, photos, videos, events, discussions, notes, polls, favorite pages, and the ability to create custom tabs. Twitter allows users to reply publicly to other Twitter users (@username), send a direct message to followers (DM username), and include hashtags to group tweets (#hashtag).

Post Frequently at Key Times – Research shows that posting at least two to three times per day keeps an online community thriving, as does posting at times when people are most likely to be engaged in social networking. Some research suggests that social networks are most active between 9 and 11am and between 4 and 6pm. Posts on weekends – especially Sunday evening - often yield the best results.

Ask Questions – Users of social networks want to share their thoughts and opinions. Asking questions is a great way to engage your fans and followers, show you care about their involvement in the community, and encourage robust dialogue between the organization and its fans and among fans themselves.

Monitor & Respond – Keep a close eye on your social networks and respond to fan questions and complaints. Monitoring Facebook comments and Twitter mentions offers opportunities for reputation management and brand growth. It is considered a best practice to respond in some way to fan comments or questions within 24 to 48 hours, even if the response is a promise to return with more information. Delete inappropriate or offensive comments, but be thoughtful before deleting a comment that disparages the organization. This can provoke further negative commentary.

Measure & Adapt  – Bi-weekly or monthly, measure the growth, fan engagement, and sentiment on your social networking communities. Use Facebook Insights to measure Facebook fan growth and link spikes in fan interactivity to corresponding posts to determine popular content. Use Twittercounter.com to measure Twitter growth and Bit.ly to determine successful tweets. Review fan comments to determine the overall sentiment toward your community. Adapt your content according to what spurs the most positive and prolific fan interaction. 

Keeping these key concepts fresh in mind will help you develop a thriving community on social networks. 

What best practices have you learned? 

A transplant from New York City, I've spent the past several years of my life walking to and from my office, nearby restaurants, shops, movie theaters, and my sardine-can apartment. Upon returning to Fort Worth after an eight-year absence, however, I felt acutely the need for a vehicle. After securing a job at the Balcom Agency, I began musing about the type of vehicle I would purchase. Ample research led me to a local luxury car dealership, where I intended to buy a shiny, certified pre-owned car. 

One evening, filled with gusto and enthusiasm for my intended purchase, I moseyed to the dealership to take a final look at the car I intended to drive home that evening. Initial proceedings were amiable and reassuring. Our salesman, a recent addition to the team, was exuberant and friendly, verging on self-deprecating and overly apologetic for his position at the bottom of the learning curve. He offered me a no-haggle price, to which I agreed, and proceeded to process my paperwork. 

The dealership was crowded that evening, and owing to a previous mishap in the office of the finance manager, I waited over four hours to sign the final papers that would allow me to drive my car off the lot and homeward. 

Upon entering the office of the finance manager -- the last step in a long series -- I came to understand why I had been left waiting. Though it was eleven o'clock, my eyes blurry, and my mind foggy, I felt immediately that something was amiss. The finance manager was an unusually quiet, awkward individual. He began asking me questions that I hoped would allow us to finalize my purchase. Soon, however, he was strongly urging me to reconsider my payment terms. "Why don't you pay for the car over the next six years?," he encouraged. I assured him I'd had plenty of time in my four hours of waiting to make a firm purchasing decision. He continued to push. My father, who had tagged along as a source of paternal support, glanced firmly at the employee as he haggled. "We'd like for you to move on, please," he urged. "But sir..." he returned. "Please continue," said my father, his voice growing agitated. 

And so we moved on. Next, the finance manager assured me, we were required to review additional warranty options, that would tack on hundreds or thousands of dollars to my purchase. Again, I assured him I had already decided on a warranty. "I don't want it," I told him, my voice beginning to shake. "I'm required to explain it to you," he urged, passive aggression morphing to aggression. After ten minutes of tense monologue, the manager again asked if I wanted his suggested additions. I responded firmly that I didn't. Frustrations then escalated quickly as the manager continued to push and my father admonished him for his inappropriate prodding. "I'd like you to continue," warned my father. "Let me do my job, sir," the manager threatened, like a dog baring his teeth.

We offered to leave the dealership without a car. After a few final attempts, during which my father and I stood and began to exit, the manager left the office to retrieve the final paperwork, finally acknowledging our seriousness. I signed the last page of paperwork as my heart raced and face flushed. We finished the transaction. 

Before leaving the dealership, we discovered our friendly salesman in the hallway and explained our unpleasant experience with the finance manager. Perhaps my emotions reached a fever pitch because it was nearing midnight. Perhaps a few tears started welling in my eyes because the excitement of buying a new car had been tainted by a pushy salesman. But, most likely, I cried because I felt scared, mistreated, and deeply disrespected. 

Despite profuse apologies from our friendly salesman, tears continued to stream down my face as I hunkered down into the fresh leather of my new car. Several days passed before my disappointment and frustration waned entirely. And you can be sure -- this blog post is testament -- that I will never forget that experience. You can also be sure I told all of my friends. Though I am happy with my car, I will never return to the dealership and will recommend others avoid it too. I'd prefer Jiffy Lube to overlooking the terrible customer experience I received at the luxury car dealership.

The lesson to be learned from my unpleasant experience is to sell with respect. Your customers are human. Most often, they know what they want. If they don't, you can educate them about what is available to them and even recommend a purchase, but always remember that no means no. And to supervisors, be sure to educate your employees about the delicate process of selling. I'm sure our rabid finance manager, who resembled a frightened puppy beneath his bared teeth, had been told selling was his only option. Somewhere along the line, a powerful mistake was made in the training of this employee.