Big idea? Try saying it in four words. Yes, really.
Steve Jobs. Photo: Getty Images
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When Steve Jobs began developing the first Apple Store, he hired Ron Johnson, a former Target executive, to lead Apple’s retail expansion. During one of their early meetings, Jobs asked Johnson how the Apple Store would be different from its competitors.
Johnson talked about exceptional service, educational classes, computer training, and “all the things that would make our stores feel like places where people could build relationships with technology.”
Steve listened and then offered a communication tip that made all the difference.
“Think carefully about anything you want to communicate,” Jobs said. “You should be able to communicate it in four words or less. Otherwise, you haven’t thought it through.”
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Johnson told me that story in a conversation about his new book, Shop Different, about how the Apple Store was created. He explained that Steve Jobs was obsessed with simplicity. “And simple, for Steve, meant four words or less.”
The two creators finally settled on just two words: Enrich lives.
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The phrase and the philosophy behind “enrich lives” shaped the features of the Apple Store that were truly different. The words explained why Apple Store employees didn’t work on commission, why Genius Bar help was free, and why half of the original store footprint was devoted to learning about the products instead of selling them.