jamesridgers

Putting the ‘Why’ before the ‘What’

Today, Apple announced their latest product; the iPad 2. As with almost every Apple product launch, the blogosphere buzzed with news of the improved product, while Steve Jobs described the device as ‘magical’, ‘unbelievable’, and ‘legendary’.

The thing that I love the most about Apple as an entity is the way they sell their products, and the absolute belief by everyone involved in what the company does. They’ve mastered the art of communicating the ‘why’ before the ‘what’, and staying true to that vision through a product’s entire lifecycle.

Many companies get this in reverse order, including Apple’s direct competitor, Microsoft. They communicate the ‘what’ first. “Here’s our product. Isn’t it cool? Would you like to buy one?” This is the orthodox sales technique. It’s what most traditional sales people have been doing for centuries, and is the equivalent of cold calling.

What Apple have done is communicated why they’ve made their product, and invited you to be a part of their movement. “Here’s what we believe, and here’s how we think technology can improve our lives. Would you like to join us?” It’s a risk, for sure, but it’s a significantly bigger statement than just the device. For those who decide that they want to be a part of that vision, they can purchase some really cool technology - iPads, iPhones, MacBook Pros etc.

The fact that the first generation of iPads outsold every single competing device combined in its first year is testament to the power of vision. It’s testament to the power of belief. As Apple have managed to get millions of people to believe the same thing as them, it’s propelled their device to the top of the market by a very large margin.

What does this tell us? For me it shows the value of believing in what you’re doing and selling, even when it seems to go against the trends. Steve Jobs himself exemplified this today in his closing statement.

“A lot of folks in this tablet market are rushing in, looking at this as the next PC. Hardware and software are done by different companies, talking about speeds just as they would with PCs. Every bone in our body says this is not the right approach.”

Do you see that? “Every bone in our body says this is not the right approach.” It takes courage to stand up for what you feel is right, not what everyone else says is right, and in this respect the iPad was and is the embodiment of innovation. And successfully so.

Here’s what I’m getting at; stand up for what you believe is right, and sell your vision, not your product. Getting people to buy in to your belief is far more powerful than getting them to simply buy your product. A product can start a trend, but a belief can start a movement. Movements, as we’ve seen throughout the world in the last few weeks, can lead to revolution, and revolution, as history shows us, leads to change.

This post, incidentally, was written on my iPad. Well played, Apple. Well played.