Eight things to learn from Apple’s marketing strategy — Apple World Today

What is the age, gender, technology proficiency, and profession of your audience? How complex is their understanding?

If your product is a cloud-based contact center. What is that and what does that mean? Make it clear to your readers immediately.

Keep it relevant to the zeitgeist, too. Not long ago, no one would have thought that many doctors’ appointments would have moved online, but there has been a recent explosion of remote healthcare video conferencing technology.

To speak the language of the people using those products, supporting content regarding ways to set up a telemedicine workspace appeared alongside the products.

Keep it simple, stupid

KISS should be the mantra of anyone working with a product or service, but is often forgotten. Clean, concise, clear messaging is the way to get your product to stick in the mind of your audience.

Feature creep and attempting to market every single angle of a product will leave your customers reeling. A customer asking “What does this thing actually do?” is a fatality for a sale.

Everything about Apple is clean, clear, and simple. Look at the design of the Mac. Clear lines, bold shapes, and a self-contained unit.

Make your web pages simple, clear, and scannable. Create presentations that are explicit.

79% of readers scan a webpage, they don’t read it. Your content needs to be crisp and bold.

People won’t read overzealous product descriptions, let alone buy the product they describe. 

Build a community

Apple has hugely dedicated fans. Think about your customers and what you can do to build your fanbase.

You need people to promote your product and come back as guaranteed customers for your next release.

Develop a refined idea of your brand image, personality, and values, and you will soon be able to find like-minded people who align with it.

Engage with them on a personal level. Set up a web chat function or bag yourself a free business VoIP system. Talk to them. Ask questions of them. Respond. 

Become part of their daily lives, and find the best time to live stream. There are a million ways to connect, there’s no excuse not to!

Provide them with a quality product or service, and you too can gather some diehard fans.

While you’re at it, make sure your processes function smoothly, and get yourself a good order management system so the buying process is slick and complication-free.

Stick to your pricing guns

Don’t throw yourself into a race to the bottom by cutting prices. Remain true to your pricing and let your unique selling points and quality attract purchases.

Apple has never been ashamed of their high prices. That’s because they don’t make sales through the “low, low cost” mentality.

Find the USP that makes your product better than the rest, and use that to make your killer sales pitch. Justify your price with your incredible product.

Cutting costs and lowering prices can damage the quality image of your product, and cuts earnings while it’s at it.

Imagery

People think in images. Do you remember the early iPod marketing campaigns? (If you do, you might be showing your age; the iPod is old enough to go to college!) 

The campaign used powerful, striking, and clear images. Again, their marketing was concise. You knew exactly what the product did just from the images. Incorporate fantastic imagery like this into your marketing campaigns and you’re onto a winner.

Learn from the best

Whether you’re building the next trillion-dollar company or just want to boost your current sales, you can’t go far wrong when learning from the best. Emulate Apple, and you’ll get far.

John Allen, Director, Global SEO at RingCentral, a global UCaaS, VoIP and audio conferencing provider. He has over 14 years of experience and an extensive background in building and optimizing digital marketing programs. He has written for websites such as Charities and Toolbox.