The Tools the Pros use.
The Tools the Pros Use.
We all want to use the Tools the Pros use. We are all susceptible to this phenomenon. Few things inspire us like doing and using things as our heroes do. It is fascinating that this behavior never leaves us when we first begin. When we’re really young, as little as 2 years old, we do as our parents do or as our older brother does. We are formidable sponges soaking up everything we can in our environment. We then do as we see and hear. Positive or negative, we do not know the difference. We only know others’ behaviors in our immediate environment.
Even when we’re 2 or 3, we desire to use the tools the pros use. Pros, within the context of a 3 year old, are anyone older than they. And the tools can be something as simple as a toy to something as sophisticated as an iPad. Nine year old brother? Oh, he’s a pro. What tools does he use? Parents are pros whether they desire to be or not. What tools do they use? I want those. Charles Barkley is a pro even if he still doesn’t want to be known like this. What tools does Barkley use? People still want those. People still want to wear his shoes.
Mentorship is often not a choice. If you have younger siblings or are a parent, it is foisted upon you. You can choose to whine about it, thinking you’re not a mentor, thinking you’re not a leader, thinking, “nobody would listen to me,” or, “How can I be a mentor when no one understands me?” Only these are false constructs created by sloppy, negative thinking. Older brothers are always mentors. Parents are always leaders. Professional athletes are always regarded as professional athletes, even after they’ve long since retired and moved onto analyzing and gossiping about professional and collegiate basketball on TNT.
Little sister plays up, and she will always play up. She never had a choice.
If you have children in which there is a sizable age gap, you know the younger sibling always wants to do everything the older one does. Big brother is on YouTube? Little sister wants to be on YouTube, too. Big brother is playing swords? Little sister also wants to play swords. Big brother is playing with friends? Little sister wants to play with these same friends. Little sister plays up, and she will always play up. She never had a choice. This annoys big brother, but, alas, he never had a choice. It is the natural way of things despite his protestations to the contrary. Saying, “I never asked for this” is moot, especially when it comes to babysitting.
The tools the pros use works especially well in celebrity product promotion. Celebrity promotions are yet another tic for us. Nobody wants to admit they bought or use a certain product because a professional athlete or movie star uses the product. We are all guilty of this, even me. I had recently been shopping for some new luggage. Not knowing much about it, I asked myself what kind of luggage I would like? I immediately defaulted to, “Whatever luggage Anthony Bourdain uses is good enough for me.”
I don’t know whether Bourdain has a deal with a luggage maker, but if he did, I’d still buy it.
Celebrities endorsing products save us time and the emotional energy spent making consumer decisions. Don’t know which golf clubs to buy because you’re new to the game? Pick the ones that Phil Mickelson uses. They’re good enough for him, so they’re good enough for you. Don’t know which suit to buy? Buy the one George Clooney wears. He, of all people, should know. It is his job to know. Don’t know which restaurant to eat at? The Real Housewives have plenty of suggestions in West Hollywood, even ones they don’t own. Hey, they ate there with the girlfriends, so it must be good (even though drama inevitably ensues, ending in who-was-too-stubborn-to-apologize-to-whom after the big cat fight). All these endorsements — expressed or implied — save us time and energy in decision-making. Call it what you will. Note that it isn’t going anywhere.
Perhaps more strangely, celebrity endorsements become unconscious. We don’t even think about it. We unwittingly select that which we’ve seen athletes and celebrities pick or approve. This isn’t right or wrong — it just is. It also proves the incredible power of celebrity endorsement. Like The Shark Tank, Oprah’s stamp of approval is an impeccable marketing machine. It has been for years, and it shows no signs of slowing down.
Tools the Pros use are a social value.
Tools the Pros use are a social value. We find value there because others do, too. It is classic social proof. When we’re unsure about a decision, no matter how trivial, such as which restaurant to eat lunch at, we look to our friends and respected colleagues for advice. We do the same for computers and mobile devices. We seek the consult of our tech-centric friends for they have much to offer in this space. God forbid we make the wrong decision and go with a traditional PC. Our tech-centric friends are usually happy to help, so long as you don’t go to them for troubleshooting post-purchase.
