Sales and Marketing Lessons from the Apple Guy

One of the things I love most about fall is apple season. Apples are my favorite fruit and there’s nothing like having a crisp, fresh, delicious apple. Apple season only lasts about two months, so I appreciate it when it comes around.

When I was a kid, every Sunday after church in the fall, my mom would drive us to visit the Apple Guy, as he was affectionately known. His real name was Mr. Patterson.

Here are four Sales and Marketing Lessons I remember from the Apple Guy, that anyone can use:

Have a Beautiful Presentation – When you drove by, it looked like something from a Norman Rockwell painting; his car was off to the side of the road and the apples were lined up by type in baskets. He also had bags of various sizes ready-to-go. Everywhere you looked, there were apples. I remember him as a friendly man; wearing his blue jeans, plaid shirt, and baseball cap. It looked like he just came from the orchard (he did). His display was something that made you want to stop. Do you give your customers a reason to stop?

Be Helpful – He was the apple expert, but he approached customers with friendly, neighborly advice. He’d tell you what each one tasted liked (sweet, tart), if you could use them for baking, when certain types were going to be ready for harvest. McIntosh were my favorite but that wasn’t the first apple of the season. They were usually ready in mid-September. He’d say, “come back in two weeks, I’ll have the macs then.” He’d also offer a replacement. “If you like McIntosh, check out the Paula Red, or the Cortland.” Look at how you can be more helpful to your customers.

Hook ’em with a Great Offer – The Apple Guy knew how to entice his customers. He’d let you try before you buy. Not just one apple, he’d let you try all the different varieties he had. In the above example, he’d hand me both a Paula Red and a Cortland to try, so I could figure out which one I liked best. More often than not we bought more than one type of apple. What better way to get customers to fall in love with your product than to try it. He knew once you took a bite, you were hooked. What do your offers look like? Do they hook your customers?

Over-Deliver – He’d often give us more apples than would fit in the bag. He’d say those apples would be “for the road.” He’d even polish it up before he handed it to you. We always left feeling we got a great deal, and we’d have delicious apples for the week. Do you deliver or over-deliver?

Patterson Orchards is still in operation today. If you’re in the Milwaukee area you should check them out. Instead of a car on the side of the road, they have a small store that’s open each fall at the Orchard. Besides their own apples, they feature other fruits, vegetables, and bakery products from other local and regional businesses. Hand-written signs provide shoppers with information about the products, just like the Apple Guy used to do. It still feels friendly and neighborly.

I’m not sure if the Apple Guy is still around, but his orchard and his lessons in sales and marketing sure are. The lessons may be simple, but they sure are effective. Make sure you utilize them every chance you get.