Apple, by any standard, has built an amazing brand, but they’ve done more than that. They’ve built a following and a philosophy. When it comes to marketing, few even come close to what they’ve done. Here are some of the ways they market that every company can learn from:
Say no to the naysayers. No matter who you are or what product you put before the public, people will tell you to stop being foolish or that you can’t do that and make money. Apple heard all those remarks, from smart people who made it pretty big in life. But they kept right on going. Sometimes they didn’t make much for a time. Check the history of the iPod – it was in the red for a few years until another Apple product came along, you might have heard of it, iTunes.
Make it beautiful. Keep making it more beautiful with each innovation. If you’re not old enough to remember, the original cell phones were clunky, ugly, and cumbersome. They were not pretty. iPhones have gone through many versions over the last decade. With every step forward, the phones got lighter, slimmer, easier to use, and now you can get the Apple Watch that is also sleek and stylish. They’ve improved the quality of the experience with hardware upgrades and the aesthetics of the experience by making their products easier on the eyes too.
Go beyond. Apple does this in many ways. Buying an Apple or Mac is simple. When you make your purchase you know, you are getting quality. But they go a step farther, they don’t just make the products beautiful, they make the packaging beautiful too. Buy an iPhone and no one wants to throw away the box, it’s too nice. People actually video it when they first unwrap their Apple purchases. They post the videos on YouTube – it’s called unboxing. Probably no company other than Tiffany’s has such a big deal made about the packaging. Look for ways to go beyond with your product.
Speak your customer’s language. Not long after Apple started selling their first Macs, the cult began to form. There have been converts ever since 1984. Apple doesn’t take that lightly. It happens when businesses learn to talk to people in the way they want to hear things. Apple has been superb at this skill. They connect with their zealots, keeping them happy to buy the next new product – lining up around the block over and over again for over three decades now.
Make it worth the price. Apple unashamedly charges top llar for their products. They do so when many are pricing their products at the bottom of profitability ranges. Apple does that much like Rolls Royce or Lamborghini. When you offer luxury, people pay top dollar. You have a choice when you build your product or service. Will you go bottom dollar or luxury?
Apple is real marketing geniuses.