Recently, I went to the Apple Store to get a new pair of AirPods. For me, going to the Apple Store is the equivalent of an English Major going to the library; it’s an opportunity to learn.
Good news! I will share a couple of takeaways from my visit and things you can incorporate into your business to make more revenue and improve your customers’ experiences.
Here’s a tip: if you’ve never been to an Apple Store and you’re running your own business, make it a point to visit one; you’re bound to learn something.
Let me share something with you: they were PACKED with people! I said to myself, great, this will take forever, and I considered leaving.
Nevertheless, I walked in and was greeted within 15 seconds, probably less. I was asked about my intentions, asked for my first name, directed to a part of the store, and told the name of the associate who would be helping me… “in just a few minutes.”
Here’s what’s so powerful about that interaction. Even though there was a crowd, I was greeted warmly and professionally, and my concerns about the crowd immediately dissipated.
Think about this for a moment: the greeting didn’t change the amount of time I waited. But it eliminated any concerns that could have grown when I was waiting to be helped.
Does this make sense to you?
For example, I didn’t stand there and wonder if anyone knew I needed help. I didn’t worry about the process they used to help people; if I had been left alone, those worries would have grown on top of my concern about the crowd.
And most importantly, without the information I received from the Greeter, I might have walked out… sale lost.
Let me ask you this question: have you ever walked into a busy establishment, stood at the bar, and watched the staff working hard but never acknowledged you or your existence? This has happened to me many times over, even as a bartender prepared drinks less than an arm’s length away from me.
The fact is, if someone walks into your establishment and is not greeted, they feel ignored. What is their first impression if this is the first time they’ve walked into your place? What do they say about first impressions?
You must train your people to ALWAYS greet someone as fast as possible, and you must follow through and do this every chance.
Please, don’t think saying hello satisfies things; it’s better than ignoring people, but imagine if every person walking into your establishment experiences something like this: “Hi, my name’s X, what’s yours?” “[Customer’s name], give me a minute or two. I will be right with you, and I’ll be happy to help you. Is this your first time with us?”
The result? Whether it is their first time visiting you or not, folks will be calmer, feel like they will have the experience they’re hoping for, and feel appreciated and cared about.
Can you see the massive difference between the two experiences? Apple does it right, do you?
Let’s move on and talk about how you should sell beer like Apple sells AirPods
Suppose I’ve just walked into your establishment for the very first time. I’m looking at your beer list; I’m sure there’s a name, some description including ABV, and my pour options.
How many pour options do you have? What is the psychology behind choices, and how does a consumer behave?
Here’s Apple’s AirPod options, and what makes this unique?
As I was talking with my Apple consultant, weighing my options, as you can see, there were four options, three very similar and one wildly different.
Take a guess which one I purchased.
Whichever one you think I purchased, why do you feel that’s the model I chose?
I chose the AirPod Pro 2nd Generation, and here’s the key… it’s the second most expensive option. Had only three options been available, I might have said I don’t need the top-of-the-line model; the AirPods 3rd Generation are ‘good enough.’
My purchase would have been $80 less if I had chosen the middle of the three options. By providing the fourth option, not offering a middle option, I was willing to pay to be in the upper half, so my purchase was almost 50% more!
This is something you need to give some thought to, according to UnTapped.com.
Overall, considering how to price your products this year is going to be one of the most important business decisions you make. And it’s a tough thing to nail. If you price too low, you leave money on the table. But if your product is too expensive, it won’t sell.
Are you offering only two or three pour options? How come?
By the way, that’s a picture of pouring options at one of my favorite brewpubs. It’s a great place, and they do tons of things correctly. But I’d consider a different set of pour options. They’re offering a 12-ounce and a 16-ounce option.
What if this brewpub offered four options instead of two options, 10, 12, 16, and 20 once options? This does two critical things for you from a psychological and practical point of view:
You’ve made the 16-ounce product more appealing, and some 12-ounce customers will go for a pint because a pint’s no longer the ‘large.’ Folks think like this.
You will sell 10-ounce pours to people who:
Want one more, but only a partial one (12 ounces is the most popular size of beverages available in the US.
People will buy a 10-ounce pour of a beer that they want to try, particularly if they’re a regular customer who’s familiar with your other beers.
I hope you’re starting to see that providing four rather than two options will result in the following:
More beer sales and a greater percentage of profit from your pours. A 20-ounce pour, compared to a pint, those four ounces represent almost all profit.
Customers will experience more of your beers, inevitably leading to more sales and a higher average ticket sales.
Here’s the bottom line: those are the two takeaways that I wanted to share with you so you can have more people experience your great beers and build the business of your dreams.
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