Apple provide “registered” Apple User Groups with access to a wealth of information and resources through the Apple Sales Website.

The ASW provides a single representative from each User Group with access to resources like fully prepared presentations; training courses; discounted software and marketing material.

Sales Presentations
A number of pre-prepared presentations are available for User Groups to download and present at their meetings. Recent topics have covered;

• AirPort and Time Capsule
• MobileMe
• iLife ’09
• iWork ’09
• iTunes 8 – What’s New
• iPod Family
• Apple TV
• Final Cut Studio
• Aperture 2
• Logic Studio

Quite often full blown scripts and demonstration material are supplied as a download, or purchased on a DVD and make presenting even easier.

Even without scripts, the presentations are comprehensive, yet simple enough, that anyone with a reasonable knowledge of the products before hand can easily give a quality presentation.

Sales Training
Part of the ASW is a dedicated site called “The Apple Sales Training Online Program”, which is a self-paced learning program specifically designed for individuals who sell, support, and recommend Apple products and solutions.

Participants are awarded points for the completion of online course quizzes and specified learning activities.

By accumulating points, participants will attain levels of achievement, recognizing them for their participation in these learning activities but it is not a certification program and it’s intended for personal enrichment only.

However, Apple Ambassadors can use their points and successfully pass the MobileMe exam and thus earn a year’s free MobileMe subscription for your User Group’s use.

Discounted Software for Review
From time to time Apple offer the current version of Mac OS X, iLife and iWork at a steeply discounted price.

In return for these discounted prices, Apple ask that you write and publish a review of the products.

There are also some applications like Apple Remote Desktop and XSan that can downloaded free of charge, but are supplied with expiring serial numbers that need renewal every six months via the ASW.

Also available are various marketing materials like posters and pamphlets you can display at your meetings.

Obtaining Access to the Apple Sales Website
First of all your group needs to be registered with Apple by completing the User Group Registration Form.

You’ll need to appoint an Apple Ambassador – someone who will the primary contact for Apple to communicate with. More details about the role of the Apple Ambassador can be found at the Apple User Group Leaders Question and Answers page.

Once you are listed on the Apple User Group Listing page, have your Apple Ambassador contact the appropriate Apple Regional Liaison, which in Australia’s case is Graeme Moffat, and advise him you’d like access to the Apple Sales Web and he’ll get the ball rolling for you.

Shortly afterwards your Ambassador should receive login details to the Apple Sales Website and they’ll have access to these great resources.