Key Tips and Strategies to Take from Apple’s Marketing

It is no secret that Apple is one of the greatest marketers of all time — and for a good reason. Steve Jobs’ marketing prowess has taken Apple to the height of success through some very simple, but powerful techniques.

But how do they do it? What exactly is Apple marketing, and what makes the Apple advertising strategy such a colossal achievement? Below we conduct our own Apple marketing strategy analysis by outlining their key marketing tips that you can apply to your own business.

Simplicity

For the 13^th year in a row, Apple has received the CMO Survey Award for Marketing Excellence. One of the key reasons it has accomplished this sustained level of success is through its practice of simplicity. This applies to their products’ design and features, the packaging, web copy, Apple stores, and promotion. One only needs to look at the marketing of Apple’s latest products to see how simplicity is promoted over tech specs, complicated jargon, or text about where and how to buy the product. A typical Apple billboard will simply feature a clean image and the name of the product.

The takeaway: embrace minimalism to create a simple experience for your customers.

Unique Value Proposition, Rather than Price

One aspect of the Apple strategic marketing plan is that they never get involved in price wars. While many businesses compete with each other over pricing, Apple has stuck to their own — even as prices exceeded its competitors — and focused on the value of their offerings.

This emphasis on value proposition, rather than prices, make it one of the best content marketing strategies around because of its emphasis on quality. Each product has been carefully engineered with intuitive top-of-the-line features and extensive applications. They also feature beautiful sleek designs with minimalist packaging, giving Apple a competitive edge in the market.

The takeaway: focus on value and what sets you apart from the rest of the market.

Use Product Placement

In August 2020, Apple became the first US company to be valued at $2 trillion. With such a huge amount of success under their belts, many people may be asking, ‘how does Apple advertise’? Surprisingly enough, Apple advertising consists of not advertising at all. Instead, they have made themselves a success primarily through product placement via TV shows, movies, and celebrity buzz.

For any other business wanting to mirror this kind of practice, getting onto the hottest shows may not be an option. However, you can still take advantage of product placement by approaching social media influencers. By targeting successful people on social sites like Instagram, Facebook, or Snapchat, you can get them to promote your products and potentially reach thousands, if not millions, of their followers.

The takeaway: take advantage of the power of social media and target influencers to market your product.

Generate Experience, Not Products

Another key area of the Apple branding strategy is their art of creating experiences, not just products. While a lot of thought and detail go into the design of their phones, laptops, iPods, etc., their marketing and branding strategies focus heavily on the generation of a unique user experience. They have led the way in this area, creating everything from concert-style product launches to classy billboards to inspiring in-store experiences to individual Apple users filming their ‘unboxing experience’ on YouTube.

The Takeaway:  How does apple attract customers? By creating exciting user experiences. If your business can do the same, it will keep them coming back for more.

Leverage Reviews

In today’s online market, customer reviews are vital. Most consumers will check reviews before they decide to purchase a product. One thing about the Apple and marketing strategies is that they have made the most of leveraging reviews. Any business can take advantage of this too by offering free trials or samples of their products in exchange for a testimonial. This can be an effective way of harnessing reviews and then using them to promote your business.

The takeaway: find ways to get testimonials and reviews from your customers by offering them an incentive.

Speak to Audiences in Their Language

Another notable Apple marketing strategy is the creation of its own lexicon to speak to its audience. Apple understands and knows its target market well, and they have found ways to talk to them in a language that targets not just how they use the product, but how it can improve their lives. For example, one clever Apple strategy with the iPhone is to say it is more than just a smartphone. It also puts the power of an Apple computer inside of it.

The takeaway: get to know your audience inside and out and speak to them in ways that they can relate to.

Target Emotions

Similar to the way they create experiences, one of Apple’s key strategies is to target the emotions of its users, rather than emphasize tech specs. Their imagery directly impacts the user by showing themes around happiness and enjoyment. A look at the old iPad ads, for example, depict happy, comfortable people who seem to enjoy using the device. The beauty of this Apple marketing plan is that the emotional stories associated with these products often go viral. They appeal to the hearts of their customers in an emotionally charged way.

The takeaway: focus on the emotional impact that your product or service can give your customers and look for images that will evoke that.

Create a Sense of Mystery

Apple are experts when it comes to creating a sense of mystery around the upcoming launch of their new products. When it comes to mobile marketing, for example, the next and latest iPhone release is usually steeped in anticipation. Their mobile marketing strategy is, therefore, to generate an aura around the next product, the details of which are then revealed at their next big unveiling.

The takeaway: create excitement amongst your customers by creating a mystery or aura around your products.

Final Thoughts

While Apple has carved out a hugely successful path when it comes to marketing, so too, can businesses of all shapes and sizes. By following the key tips and strategies above, you can take advantage of the same techniques as Apple and create your own unique pillar of success. Good luck!