Steve Jobs led the
greatest turnaround in corporate history, taking a near-bankrupt Apple and
turning it into one of the largest and most profitable companies in the world …
but he didn’t look that great on paper. He wasn’t an engineer. He couldn’t
write a line of code. He didn’t have an MBA. He had no college degree at all.
He wasn’t a great manager, in the conventional sense. When it came to the
bureaucratic aspects of running an organization, he was useless.
greatest turnaround in corporate history, taking a near-bankrupt Apple and
turning it into one of the largest and most profitable companies in the world …
but he didn’t look that great on paper. He wasn’t an engineer. He couldn’t
write a line of code. He didn’t have an MBA. He had no college degree at all.
He wasn’t a great manager, in the conventional sense. When it came to the
bureaucratic aspects of running an organization, he was useless.
So what made him great?
His gift, simply put, was marketing. In the words of Guy Kawasaki, who worked
under Jobs at Apple: “Steve was the greatest marketer ever.” Here are 10
marketing lessons you can learn from him.
His gift, simply put, was marketing. In the words of Guy Kawasaki, who worked
under Jobs at Apple: “Steve was the greatest marketer ever.” Here are 10
marketing lessons you can learn from him.
1) Find good mentors.
Jobs may have been a genius, but he was also smart enough to find people he
could learn from. One of his first tutors was Regis McKenna, a legendary
Silicon Valley marketer. Jobs sought him out even while Apple was still just a
two-man operation in a garage. McKenna helped Jobs bring on Mike Markkula as
Apple’s first angel investor and marketing guru. Markkula was an engineer by
training but had worked in marketing at Intel. He joined Apple as an employee
(for a time he was CEO) and created a set of founding marketing principles to
which Apple still adheres today, 35 years later.
Jobs may have been a genius, but he was also smart enough to find people he
could learn from. One of his first tutors was Regis McKenna, a legendary
Silicon Valley marketer. Jobs sought him out even while Apple was still just a
two-man operation in a garage. McKenna helped Jobs bring on Mike Markkula as
Apple’s first angel investor and marketing guru. Markkula was an engineer by
training but had worked in marketing at Intel. He joined Apple as an employee
(for a time he was CEO) and created a set of founding marketing principles to
which Apple still adheres today, 35 years later.
Later, Jobs befriended
advertising expert Lee Clow of TBWAChiatDay, who created Apple’s famous 1984
commercial and “Think Different” campaign. Clow became a lifelong advisor and
friend to Jobs. Lesson: No matter how good you are, learn how to spot people
who know more than you do, and then listen to them.
advertising expert Lee Clow of TBWAChiatDay, who created Apple’s famous 1984
commercial and “Think Different” campaign. Clow became a lifelong advisor and
friend to Jobs. Lesson: No matter how good you are, learn how to spot people
who know more than you do, and then listen to them.
2) Make a great
product.
Kawasaki, who worked as an evangelist at Apple, says, “What Steve did that few
marketers understand is that he first created a great product. It’s hard to
market crap. Most marketers take whatever crap is thrown at them and put
lipstick on the pig. Steve’s ‘secret’ was to control the product and the
marketing, not just the marketing.”
product.
Kawasaki, who worked as an evangelist at Apple, says, “What Steve did that few
marketers understand is that he first created a great product. It’s hard to
market crap. Most marketers take whatever crap is thrown at them and put
lipstick on the pig. Steve’s ‘secret’ was to control the product and the
marketing, not just the marketing.”
