If I asked you ‘think of the most recognizable tech brand you can’ I’d hazard a guess that most of you instantly thought of Apple.
You are probably reading this on a mac computer, or on your iphone or ipad. All your friends and family are bound to be toting around some device with the distinctive half eaten fruit logo on it.
The sheer breadth of reach that Apple has achieved is astounding and left many marketers scrabbling to figure out and recreate the same hype for their own brands.
There are many areas where Apple excels, but today we’ll look at just a few of the marketing/sales lessons that they provide that businesses large or small, can learn from.
1- Know who you are talking to. Apple users are your mum and dad, your kids and teens, your average guy walking down the street. They just want something that is easy to use, does what they want and looks good while doing it. They just aren’t concerned about technical jargon like processing power or display resolution like a programmer would be. The apple customer won’t see or hear any spec numbers when viewing Apple advertising, but they do hear key phrases that sound exciting and quality, such as retina display or backlighting etc. Apple has changed how they communicate to suit their client base.
2- Their identity is consistent. Upmarket and desirable .Everything that Apple produces is finely crafted and streamlined from their actual products to their advertising. Heck, even their employees at the Apple stores are young, good-looking and well dressed. They simply don’t have any room for sloppiness or deviation from this brand identity. You can expect the same experience no matter who you are or where you buy from. This creates a strong impression on customers.
3- Diversify and expand. Apple doesn’t just sell equipment; they have itunes and control the app market amongst others. And all their peripheral business is so tightly intertwined with each other, that its nearly impossible to have one without the other. In very simple terms, it’s the ultimate add on sale. On a much smaller scale let s just say that you better stock a good range of wine racks if you sell wine bottles. In Apples case, they even have extensions and phone cases, attachable speakers and more that can be sold. All of course with the slick, clean Apple style. This is like a goldmine when you consider the customer that they Market to. An affluent market desperate for the next new gadget and add on.
We can all learn a lot from big companies successes and failures. Always be on the lookout for ways you can harness a little bit of that energy for your own business.
