The iPhone 4 comes out tomorrow, and Apple stores across the United States will be opening at 7 AM. Well before that early hour, lines will form outside of the stores and people will wait. They will chat with each other eagerly, energetically, united by their common anticipation.

Most of these people won’t be techies either. They won’t be early adopters. They will simply be passionate, loyal consumers.

Most of the people in line outside your Apple store tomorrow will be Apple Evangelists.

It is the only tech product — anywhere, ever — to cause people to line up and wait.

The only other product I can think of that can make people line up and wait are playoff tickets for their favorite team. But even then, it only happens in one city — maybe a few cities. We also line up at retail locations on Black Friday to take advantage of crazy low prices.

But there is no other technology — and no other product in any category — that can make people wait in line for hours for the chance to spend $200 to $300.

So the question is, what do you need to do to make people line up for your devices?

I know the answer, and it’s not easy or fast. (Much of the answer is laid out in this blog, and in my other work.) Many companies can do what Apple does, they just don’t.

You can do what Apple does. So why not take the steps to make people stand in line?