| Home > Technology > More ways to encourage switchers: It's time to bring back the Mac loaner program |
| More ways to encourage switchers: It's time to bring back the Mac loaner program | | Date Created: 16 Jan, 2005, 09:59 PM |
 A few years back, in a rather lame attempt to increase the rate of Windows users switching to the Mac, Apple Australia developed a marketing plan where it would loan customers a Mac to trial for the weekend.
This is an old ploy from the automotive industry where demonstration vehicles were loaned out, the theory being that being behind the wheel of a brand new car was seductive. Moreover, it invoked the social psychology concept of reciprocity, most widely written about by psychologist, Robert Cialdini. The theory goes that I would want to repay the kindness shown to me without any strings attached - a real example of trusting the customer in an industry known for its duplicity.
First, more ideas on Cialdini's rule of reciprocity and its relevance here:
1. the rule is extremely powerful, often overwhelming the influence of other factors that normally determine compliance with a request;
2. the rule applies even to uninvited first favors, thereby reducing our ability to decide whom we wish to owe and putting the choice in the hands of others;
3. the rule can spur unequal exchanges; to be rid of the uncomfortable feeling of indebtedness, an individual will often agree to a request for a substantially larger favor than the one he or she received.
I don't know any first-hand details of Apple Australia's marketing plan, but perhaps the thought was that after using a Mac (in this case it would have been OS 9) you would be reluctant to go back to using Windows.
The theory was sound, of course. But unless those Macs came bundled with the equivalent of MS Office (it was probably Appleworks) it would have been too much of a cognitive shift required in too short a time to make an impact.
In 2005, we face a very different situation. Apple is a "hot" brand once more, reaching across a variety of demographics firstly through its iPod range - further extended with the Shuffle - and now with the minimac breaking the $500 barrier. Add in the Apple Stores which allow customers to wander in without pressure and play with all the store products to their heart's content - a special form of reciprocity theory.
Think about it: the timing is such that many Windows users have literally had a gutful of malware and daily vigilance just to run their machines, something I have discussed in various entries in this blog. They are also curious about the Mac, and perhaps see it as a truly viable addition or even alternative to their current setup.
So now it's time to resurrect the loaner Mac program for potential switchers. With a few variations, of course:
1. Because the minimac comes sealed, no need for Apple to worry about loaners coming back with pieces missing (eg video cards). Its small size makes it easy to walk out the store rather than shlep one heavy box. Get it into people's hands means half the battle of influencing is won.
2. Bundle a demo copy of Microsoft Office 2004.
3. Bundle a limited edition of Pages, full-featured but somehow time-based so as to prevent copying.
4. Include whatever hardware, software and instructions to enable Windows users to easily bring files across from their Windows machines so they can use the same documents over on the Mac. Then explain how to wipe the minimac clean of their work when it's time to hand it back.
5. Include a gift certificate for the iTunes Music Store for letting an Apple product into the home to trial. Of course, users will have to set up an account which they can continue with back on their Windows machines...
6. Lend them USB-PS2 connector accessories for the weekend in case they only have a legacy keyboard and two-button mouse. Otherwise just point out that their USB equipment, and monitor, will work just fine.
7. Offer a competition for loaners who can come up with the best two or three minute iMovie showing how they used the loaner minimac. Develop several categories of movies - family, sport, business presentation, why I now want to switch, etc.
Now I'm sure there are enough marketing types out there who can springboard from these ideas and develop a real marketing plan, but surely the time has come to resurrect the loaner program and help Windows users make the switch.
More and more are thinking about it, and if they can be shown - by self-discovery assisted perhaps by a Quicktime movie guide loaded up - how OS X bests any flavour of Windows, how easy will it be for borrowers to ring their reseller and say,
"Hey, I'm keeping the little bugger! Here's my credit card details!"
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