Once again the Cupertino juggernaut is taking a bold step forward in technology marketing. Apple’s App Store revolutionized the way that owners of the iPhone (and later the iPad) purchased applications for their devices. Now owners of Apple computers have the ability to purchase software the same way.
Apple automatically installs the App Store icon in the operating system’s Dock. A single click takes you to the App Store. The App Store presents you with a list of “New and Noteworthy” applications. These range from games like Angry Birds to mainstay Apple programs like iWork and Aperture. You can also search for software in a variety of categories such as business, education, finance and many more.
The first time a you click the App Store icon you are asked to either log in to your existing account (yes, you can use the same account you use for purchasing iTunes music and apps on your handheld devices) or create a new one. Apple will make sure your credit card information is correct and current.
Clicking on the title of an app takes you to a page with brief description of the software, screen shots and customer reviews. Each of these sections can be expanded to give even more detail. And, of course, there’s the subtle but very visible “Buy” button. With just a couple of clicks the software is purchased and the download begins automatically. Quick and easy as you please. The App Store even tracks your purchases and notifies you whenever an update is available,
The genius of the App Store is that it makes purchasing software for your Mac quick, easy and affordable. For example, the version of Keynote (Apple’s presentation software) on my iPad was newer than the one on my MacBook, so presentations created on one platform couldn’t be run on the other. This was certainly inconvenient, but to get the latest version of Keynote I would have to buy the iWork package containing Pages and Numbers — two programs I don’t really need. This package is $80 retail. And I wasn’t up for fighting the Christmas crowds to get to the Apple Store at the mall or paying to have it shipped. But with the App Store I was able to download just the new Keynote program for $20 in just a couple of minutes without ever leaving my desk.
Now my e-mail inbox is peppered with ads for for all kinds of apps. Most of them are $10 or less and sound pretty cool. For the cost of a triple mocha, I can now get an app for work or play delivered directly to my computer instantly. No more driving to the store only to find the program out of stock, no more waiting for (and paying for) UPS or FedEx to deliver. Apple and its affiliates save money on production and fulfillment. They make money by selling more software. Customers are happy because it’s so easy.
This is great if you’re Apple, sell Apple software or use a Mac. But what can the average business owner learn from this? My take on it, put simply, is make it easy for your customers to do business with you. If you’re selling something on your website, don’t make me scroll through endless product details and reviews before I can find a link to buy. Don’t make me click multiple links to get to a page where I can order your product. Once I’ve decided to order your product, don’t make me fill out endless forms to complete the sale.
If you are a business that sells products and services locally, you can still make it easier for people to do business with you. Make sure your employees are well informed about what you do or sell and can share this with your customers. Potential clients want to know what you have to offer without having to dig for it. Look for ways to unbundle products or services. Like my Keynote example, customers may not want the “full meal deal.”
The bottom line is that what has passed as conventional wisdom is facing significant scrutiny. Consumers want easy and inexpensive solutions. As business owners, we need to look beyond “the way it’s always been done” and what “they” say we should do. Look at what your customers really want and not what you or some expert thinks they want. That means listening and looking at your offerings from a customer’s perspective.
Sven Mogelgaard is president and CEO of Byte Slaves Inc. Contact him at 425-482-9529 or 877-972-7767 or go to www.byteslaves.com.
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