There is no denying that Apple (AAPL) has an amazing hold on many computer users–a story about the company or its products can hardly be posted anywhere on the Internet without sites like digg, reddit and del.icio.us picking it up within minutes. Entire sites are built solely around speculation on what Apple will release next, leading to more free-press for this fascinating company. There are a number of computer companies releasing competing products yet only Apple seems to get the wild exposure and attain a cult-like following. Let’s take a step back and look at the aura that surrounds Apple, it’s notable leader, Steve Jobs, and the proponents that avidly support the company’s products.

The Key Is Creating Fans

Dell, HP, Sony and IBM all have customers but they don’t have the following that Apple has. I’m sure if you asked many of their customers how they like the products they’ve purchased, you would get a lot of great reviews. The problem is, these customers just haven’t made it to the next level–the fan.

Customers Buy Products–Fans Wait In The Rain

What’s the difference between a customer and a fan? A customer is in no rush to buy your product. When the customer needs the product, they’ll venture into a store or shop online amongst a number of competitors and ultimately make a selection. A fan will camp for hours in the rain to not only buy your product but to be able to say they were among the first to own it. The “fan effect” is amazing for a business for many reasons other than the sure sale a company gets from those select few. If someone unaware of Apple’s product line walks down the street in New York and sees fans camping out for an upcoming product release, that person will at least take notice and likely find out why those people are waiting. Any time people line up for something, others will always want to know what is causing the hype. This does wonders for branding and is an indirect way of letting future customers know about products.Have you ever met someone that just won’t let something go until you’ve at least given it a try? I’m sure we have all sat in a restaurant with a friend raving about how great his or her meal is–”Try this. You really have to try this. Wow, this is so good, try it.” It is easy to sell something like spinach dip to some friends at the bar but this concept carries over to Apple fans. How often do you hear of people encouraging their friends to buy a new Dell laptop. In my own experience, I hear people say things like, “I’m happy with my Dell. It does what I need it to do.” That’s the end of the Dell sales pitch! Apple fans on the contrary will not only encourage you to buy an Apple product but will go so far as to nag you to do so. When someone is this set on others buying a product, it makes for a very strong testimonial.

Can You Keep A Secret? Steve Jobs Can.

The good folks over at 1 Infinite Loop are very tight-lipped about new product releases and for good reason–this drives the fans nuts! Many companies would fear that these secrets would drive people away from the company in fear that their new purchase will become obsolete in a matter of days when a new, unheard of product is released. This just doesn’t happen. Instead, fans with web design skills (and even some without) will launch sites dedicated to the speculation on new product releases from Apple. Despite this information often being blatantly incorrect, it is free marketing for Apple. Readers get very excited and stay tuned to these sites just wondering what the next product release will be. When potential customers seek out advertising, a company knows they have succeeded.The secretive nature of the company and the many sites speculating on product updates build unmeasurable hype and often for little reason. Just last week, Apple updated their line of Macbook laptops. The processors were slightly bumped up in clock speed and the integrated graphics got a little boost. This wasn’t a major update by any means but your average consumer likely thinks this is big news. After all, it was covered all over the Internet! If Sony updates the processor and integrated graphics in their laptops, do you even know?One fact that frustrates advertisers more than anything else is that television viewers will change the channel when commercials air. This is the case with nearly everyone except for Apple fans. The Apple fan will not only watch the Apple commercials but will actually go through the trouble of seeking them out! Long before a commercial airs for the first time, numerous Apple sites announce the date, time and channel where it will first air so viewers can look for it. This is amazing power in the hands of Steve Jobs and he knows it.

How Can We Turn Our Business’ Customers Into Fans? In Short, Consistency

Apple is consistent with everything they produce–from computers to software, commercials, and even the look and feel of their stores. Compare a Best Buy store to an Apple retail store and you will instantly notice the difference. The Best Buy will surely have loud music coming from one corner, products on the shelves will be in disarray and getting service from the employees will be a challenge. Once you get the attention from an employee, chances are you will have a tough time getting a quality answer to your question. The exact opposite happens at an Apple store. The stores are amazingly neat–no wires laying around, clean open spaces and products displayed in a simple fashion. This simple display technique should come as no surprise if you’re familiar with the attire of Steve Jobs. Mr. Jobs delivers every keynote with neat jeans and a black shirt. The consistency is always there as well as the simplicity. If we take a look at the computers themselves, we again see this simplicity. The machines are not loaded down with bloatware like many other vendor’s products. Instead, the necessary software is loaded and no more. It is truly remarkable how consistent Apple is and the fans take note. From Steve’s wardrobe to his stores and ultimately to his products, this theme of simplicity and cleanliness remains true.Another way Apple has succeeded is in their training of employees. The crew is very knowledgeable and passionate about the products they sell–not only are they easy to find, but they tend to “mingle.” There is no hard-sell at an Apple store because the employees have confidence that the products will sell themselves.

You Can Lead A Horse To Apples But You Can’t Make Them Eat… Or Something Like That

Apple retail stores have taken a theme from Las Vegas and began educating you on-site about their products. When you visit a casino, the employees are more than happy to teach classes on the many games being played. Why? Because then you will be more inclined to spend your money playing! The same applies to Apple. Every Apple store maintains a full schedule of classes on a variety of subjects. By educating their consumers, they increase the odds of getting a sale while the customer gains an education. It is a fantastic win/win situation for the company and the consumer.

Do The Right Thing And The Fans Will Sit In The Rain

Steve Jobs and Apple Computer has accomplished something great. Although their company does not boast the market share of their competitors, it shouldn’t take long before their share increases to a more competitive number. The reason is simple–by providing consistently excellent products with clean interfaces and being consistently simple in all phases of design, Apple has turned their customers into fans. These fans grow by the day and will continue to be marketers of Apple products, even without earning a paycheck for their hard work.

Oh, And One More Thing…

Consider this final thought. We can all likely name may people that are anxiously hoping to switch to the Macintosh platform when they purchase their next computer. How many Macintosh users have you met that are hoping to switch to Windows?