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10 Things Apple Could Teach CES Exhibitors
By Don Reisinger on 2012-01-12



Each year, the Consumer Electronics Show comes to Las Vegas in January. And each year, Apple is the only major consumer electronics company that doesn’t go to the show. The move is debated by people who believe the company should attend and give the show more legitimacy, while others argue that it only devalues Apple’s brand. All the while, Apple has stayed quiet on the issue, deciding instead to pretend like CES doesn’t exist. But just because Apple isn’t there, it doesn’t mean the Cupertino, Calif.-based company doesn’t have something to teach those firms that are. From how they should market their products to the value of secrecy, Apple’s business practices can be held up as a template for other companies. After all, Apple is wildly successful and generates billions of dollars in profit every quarter. Isn’t that something every other company at CES is trying to achieve? Here’s a look at how Apple could teach CES exhibitors a thing or two about doing a better job of promoting their products both at the huge event and all the rest of the year:
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1. It’s All About Design


One of Apple’s key success factors is its superior product design. If companies want to make a splash at CES, they need to stop talking about design and just deliver it. The best-looking products will win out -- every time.

2. Be First with a Huge Improvement


Apple has shown that being the first to announce a major improvement makes all other products look obsolete in comparison. Apple did it with the iPhone’s touch screen, Siri, and many other improvements. What company at CES will do the same?

3. Make It Unique


Uniqueness matters. And yet, most of the companies at CES are making products that look the same as all the other tech out there. They need to focus on just how important uniqueness really is.

4. Differentiate


Differentiating a product is another art form that Apple understands and most of the companies at the Consumer Electronics Show just don’t. It’s fine to have a smartphone running Android, but what can a company do to make it special? So far, none of the firms at CES have decided that. And it’s about time they do.

5. Be Simple But Flashy


Apple has found the way to deliver both simple and flashy product in one. It ditches plastic for the most part for unique materials such as glass or aluminum. Simple lines and form factors contribute to the effect. It’s a lesson other companies should learn.

6. Product Marketing Matters


Apple is a master at marketing. From its television commercials to its print ads, the company knows what consumers care about and gives that to them. Other CE companies at CES would be smart to learn from Apple’s example.

7. Being an Exhibitor Isn’t Enough


Apple isn’t just an exhibitor at events; the company delivers keynotes to promote its products. If a company at CES combining its exhibit with other promotional efforts, it won’t do as well.

8. Save the Best Announcements for Another Day


CES is great, but it’s overcrowded. Making your product or announcement stand out is nearly impossible. Apple, on the other hand, typically waits for CES to be over before announcing a new product, and Apple’s product then stands alone.

9. Keep Secrecy Going


Over the last several years, CES’ pomp and circumstance has bred a mentality among exhibitors that they need to show off anything and everything. Apple, meanwhile, only shows off what it must, and leaves everything else to the imagination.

10. Don’t Go to CES


Instead of going to CES, maybe companies should spend their money elsewhere. After all, there are so many companies there already that it’s hard to stand out. Perhaps the smart move is to simply wait for the show to end and offer up some products then. It works for Apple.

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