The main secrets of Steve Jobs

Carmine Gallo (Carmine Gallo) is a specialist in communication training. To prepare his new book, he spent many hours studying the reports and presentations of Steve Jobs. And now he will share with us all the secrets of the success of this master of public speaking, and in combination - the executive director of Apple.

Five elements present in all Apple presentations.

First of all, it should be understood that Steve Jobs does not sell computers. He sells impressions. The same can be said about his presentations, which are designed to inform, train and entertain. Apple presentations are very similar to theatrical productions: a great plot, heroes and opponents, the necessary stage props, exciting visual effects and the fact that it fully justifies the price for an entrance ticket.

Here they are - 5 elements of each presentation of Steve Jobs.
Try to include them in your speech when you present your product or idea - the way Jobs does.

1. The key phrase (headline).
Steve Jobs can describe each product with a key phrase that will fit into the post on Twitter. For example: Jobs described the MacBook Air as “the world's thinnest laptop.” This phrase appeared on his slide in a presentation, on the Apple website, in a press release. What is the most important thing you want people to know about your product? This headline should be contained in all of your marketing material and all presentations.
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2. Opponent.
In each classic story, the hero defeats the enemy. In 1984, the opponent for Apple was IBM. Before Jobs first introduced the famous TV commercial in 1984 to the sales team, he told them the story of how IBM set out to dominate the computer industry. "IBM wants to seize everything, and now it is directing its weapon at its main obstacle to controlling the entire industry - Apple . " Today, the role of the "enemy" in the stories of Apple plays Microsoft. Some may even recall the popular ad “I'm a Mac . " This idea of ​​defeating a common enemy is a very powerful motivational factor, and it turns buyers into ardent preachers of the idea.

3. Simple slides.
Apple products are simple, because of them removed all the excess. The same approach applies to slides in Steve Jobs presentations. They are strikingly simple, intuitive and devoid of bulleted lists. These are mostly pictures. When Jobs introduced the MacBook Air, no words could replace the photograph where the hand pulls out a laptop from a thin office envelope. Think about this: on average, a PowerPoint slide contains 40 words. In some presentations, Steve Jobs used just 7 words on 10 slides. So why do you pile up your slides with so many words?

4. Demo version.
Neurologists came to the conclusion that the brain is easily tired. Steve Jobs will not let you lose interest. During the presentation, he usually shows every 10 minutes the possibilities of a new product or a new interesting product feature, gives the floor to invited guests, and receives pleasure from it himself. When Jobs introduced the iPhone to Macworld in 2007, he demonstrated how Google Maps works on the phone. He opened the list of Starbucks stores (American coffee company and the same-name chain of coffee shops - approx.) And said - "Let's call someone." When they answered him, Jobs said, "I would like to order 4 thousand lattes with me, please ... No, just kidding."

5. The moment “well, wow!” (Original - “A holy smokes moment” - note)
In each presentation of Steve Jobs there is a moment that neurologists call an “emotional event.” Such an emotional event is a kind of sticker that tells the brain - remember it! For example, at Macworld in 2007 , Jobs could begin a presentation with telling the audience that Apple is the first to introduce a new mobile phone that plays music, games, and video. Instead, he created an intrigue. “Today we present three revolutionary products. The first is a widescreen iPod with a touchscreen. The second is a revolutionary mobile phone. And the third is a qualitatively new device for accessing the Internet. iPod, telephone, Internet communicator. iPod, phone, do you understand? These are not three devices. This is just one device! ”The audience burst into applause because it was so unexpected and interesting at the same time. By the way, the moment of "well, wow!" September 9 did not apply to Apple products. It was Steve Jobs himself, who appeared on the scene for the first time after a liver transplant.

And some more tips.

Focus on the merits. Your listeners ask themselves one question: why do I need this? Steve Jobs inspires us with the merits of a new product even before its appearance - and makes it extremely understandable. Why buy an iPhone 3G? Because "it is twice as fast at half price." What is special about Time Capsule? “All your permanently stored photos, videos and documents are automatically protected and easily recovered if they are lost.” The Apple website also focuses on the merits, presenting articles such as “10 reasons why you love“ Mac. ” No one cares about your product or service. All that matters is how your product or service will improve their lives.

Share the scene. Steve Jobs almost personifies Apple, but his presentations are rarely a one-man game. Jobs shares the stage with business partners, musicians, ordinary workers. In October 2008, Jobs invited the chief design guru at Apple, Jonathan Ive, to give the audience a brief overview of how Apple created the frame for a computer from a single piece of aluminum. Jobs could tell about it himself, but he prefers to invite on the stage those who played an irreplaceable role, or people respected by the public.

Create a widely discussed moment. The presentations of Steve Jobs always contain a moment, which will then be a long time to discuss and tell others. Such moments are always fully recorded in time. for example, when Jobs introduced the MacBook Air, he himself took out a computer from an office envelope to demonstrate its subtlety. This is the only episode from Macworld 2008 that everyone remembers. Plan such moments.

And one more thing ... Sell ​​your dream.
Charismatic speakers, such as Steve Jobs, work almost with the zeal of a preacher to create new experiences. When Jobs launched the iPod in 2001, he said, "We are following our modest way to make the world a better place." While most people see the iPod as just a music player, Jobs recognized it as a potential tool to enrich people's lives. Develop a sense of a great mission. Passion, emotion and enthusiasm are extremely undervalued in professional business communication. In addition, passion and emotion motivate others. Steve Jobs once said that his goal is not to die and become the richest man in the cemetery. There is always the feeling that he and his team have done something wonderful. Do something wonderful! Make your head think of something meaningful.

Translated from here

And from myself I will add - the secret of Steve Jobs is the constant use of epithets with respect to their products! Movie, which became a hit on Habré.