BUSINESS MARKETING

In chapter 7, I read about the business marketing. Apple Inc. is a technology company that manufactures personal and business products. According to the definition, the business marketing is also called industrial marketing, which means the marketing of goods and services to individuals for purposes other than personal consumption. The perfect example would be iMac in our college. College purchased iMac computers and placed them in lobby for student’s convenience, to allow them to perform valuable researches like blackboard, and other business related work. Where as, the same products can also be purchased as consumer product with which students can also fulfill their personal work such as social networking like facebook, and others. This means that Apple doesn’t only sell their products for as business products but also the consumer products.

            Next comes, the role of Internet in business marketing. Apple Company’s main source of marketing is through the official website, which is www.apple.com. This allows the consumer to look up all the product lines briefly and see how each generation of product differs from the last one. Consumers can also place order online and get their desired products. Internet has made the purchase extremely easy and quick. Apple also has an application called Apple iCloud, which allows the users to remotely store all content in the cloud and access it from any other Apple device. In order to get back all the music, photos, contacts, calendars accessed to the new device or maybe to keep them for longer time of period. These types of apps attract more customers to the Apple market.

            Apple Inc. uses different ways to market the products and to spread the word around about the company. Such as:

·      The official website- allows reading about the product and getting all the information with pictures to see how the product works and differs.

·      Advertisements- the ad from the technician speaks details of Apple’s new product and also tells and convinces the people to become the customer and make life stylish and easy.

·      Apple HotNews- There is a site, which puts the latest news of how the products are doing so far, people’s feedbacks on the products, and the reviews on the retail stores of the company.  http://www.apple.com/hotnews/

·      E-mail subscriptions- this is another way Apple keep up in touch with their current customers and attract new markets too. Apple Inc offers the person to signup through email to get special offers, newsletters, and the product announcements are directly delivered to your inbox.

Apple Inc. is the best technology company that started in 1976 with a hope to sell their only one product. This company had ups and down but still never gave up instead as years passed, Apple Inc started making remarkable technology pieces and became successful through innovation. Apple is successful because it makes products that are easy to use, manufactures the products for everyone, treats all markets equally, keep things simple, offers great customer services and in-stores experiences, and always stays ahead of their competitiors J

 Last and most important, Thank you Prof. Joel for giving such an amazing project, a way to get to know a lot about the companies and giving my first semester the best start and making class fun J

SEGMENTING AND TARGETING MARKETS.

Apple Inc. is a technology company that has become highly famous due to their innovations. This company first started in 1976 with only one product line of computer.  Later added more product lines such as ipod, iphone, ipad that changed the time and the market for unique featured products has increased enormously. Apple targets its products in developed countries such as India, china, Italy, and of course USA for all age groups, race, and gender.

            The advertisements are the example of Apple approaching and marketing the new product to all possible individuals and groups. Apple’s mainly purpose is to introduce luxury lifestyle through high quality, creativity, colorful themes, and unique featured products. Apple Inc. usually follow demographic segmentation, it targets both male and female, ages 12- and onwards, middle and high-income people, and especially to people who wants classy and comfortable life cycle. 

            Apple Company ads play a very crucial role in catching and appealing to every viewer.It also has iphone ads in other language like spanish to attract more customers.  Marketing is important to succeed the business in every possible way. Apple markets its products through their official website, retail store, and online order website.   Apple Inc. is a worldwide known brand and sells products in all developed countries.

This map (at below) shows which countries have their own official Apple websites and online Apple

stores.A whopping 97 countries have an official Apple web presence of some kind. Only 88 have official sites. The other 9 only have official iPhone pages. Apple uses 27 different languages across their official websites.

The official sites of some countries are available in more than one language. For example, Belgium’s site is available in Dutch and French, Switzerland’s in German and French, Canada’s in English and French, Hong Kong’s in Simplified Chinese script and English.

Apple Inc. has a brief list of countries, where it has its business. They also have an option to choose the country and region on the official website. http://www.apple.com/choose-your-country/. Apple markets and targets people all ages, both genders, and in all developed countries have either an official website, retail store, or only a product line website such as only for iphone.

SOCIAL MEDIA AND MARKETING.

Apple Inc. is a multinational corporation.  It is very well known for its best-featured products. When it comes to making money and becoming famous for the technology, Apple does it with their products and through the advertising.

            According to the different blogs, news, and articles it is proven that Apple Company isn’t heavily involved with social media. Social media’s main purpose is to exchange information, collaborate with others, and have conversations. In return, the bloggers and company informers inform the viewers and consumers about the products, in return get feed backs of their experiences.

            The most popular online tool of social media is Facebook. For Apple Inc. the official facebook page does exist but its hard to find. Apple Company has only one official page but as I was researching for my blog post I couldn’t find the official page. But people and consumers have other pages for all Apple products such as Macbook, iPhone3 , iPhone 4 , and many more.

Apple Inc. although isn’t officially involved into blogs, facebook and other social media tools to attract more customers but they are doing a great job through the official websites which is www.apple.com. At this page, the viewers, customers, and consumers can find all information related to the products.

 The website page acts effectively by:

1) Apple support- in which, the customer’s gets reply within 24hours regarding any concern related to any product, also contains links for social interacting with other such as:

* Videos- to show how to use the products.

* Manuals- how to setup and troubleshoot the products.

* Communities- to socialize and interact with the people around the world to share experience and concerns about the products.

2) Hot news- the best and unique part of the Apple Company is that it posts and blogs about the lastest and hot news about the products, customers, and the company itself. Where you can find abundant amount of reliable information.

* www.apple.com/hotnews

            Apple Inc. isn’t strongly involved in social networking sites instead the official website page of the Company plays the role of social media and marketing.

DEVELOPING AND MANAGING PRODUCTS

Apple Inc. is the most valuable brand in the world. It has been designing, manufacturing, and marketing various media devices, personal computers, and a variety of related software which includes iphone, ipad, and ipod. The ambition of the Apple Company is to spread their new—featured products around the world, to improve the lifestyles and to make consumer’s life colorful. Since 1976, Apple mainly has released wide range of iphones and ipad to bring success to the Company’s name and make it known for its innovation.

The secret behind Apple's success is their ability to keep on innovating the market with their new

products. Apple is a company that never stops coming out with new ideas of how to make their products better and more efficient in order to satisfy the market's needs.Recently Apple has released iphone 5C, 5S, ipad Air, and ipad mini , which are sold in many places and are highly recommended. All these products add to the product line of the Apple Inc. In regards to the formation of the latest ipad air, iphone 5S . Apple Company mostly come up with an idea based on the feed-back recieved regarding the new products.

Iphone 5C- Apple Company had positive reviews from the costumers after iphone 5 and in order to make lives more colorful than only two colors( black and white). Apple Company came up with the creative idea of manufacturing the iphone 5s with variety of colors. As a result, using iPhone is that much more engaging and delightful. When it came to commercialization, Iphone 5S was highly praised because of the colors it had and they portrayed the way to making lives easily, stylish, colorful and branded. The features of new iphone 5s like new camera, thin size, itunes, complements the iphone 5 made it high demanded and is now sold in over 22 countries. It has also accounted for more than 60% of the 33.8 million iPhones Apple sold last quarter. So, this shows that Apple iphone 5S has got every aspect of the product development process right. This has just proven Apple Inc to be the #1 branded and innovative technology company.

PRODUCT CONCEPTS

           

 Apple Company has always been admired among all ages, various countries, and cultures. Apple Inc. was always been manufacturing thought provoking and stylish products, which eventually made it a brand and slowly but surely a global brand too. When it comes down to their brand – which Apple has artfully developed since their inception. Apple Company has been following their former tagline, “Think Different,” to come out with a new technological idea. Apple Company started with only one product APPLE I and now had sold a long range of products like macbook, ipod, ipad, iphones and many more.                                                                                                                                                    Apple has also built their brand through consistent designs. 

  Iphones are the one of the best-sold Apple Inc.’s products. Iphones are the consumer products because

it is manufactured for an individual to enhance their lifestyle with best-featured technology and to make them look classy, branded, and allows them to handle things easily with new version of phone. Iphones are also referred as shopping product mainly because they are expensive and are found in fewer stores but people always agree to purchase the new products because of their service, brand, features, design and colors.  As the following graph shows the revenue rate of the products over the years.

                                                                                                                                        This company has a long range of products, Apple Company manufactured the products that weren’t sold quite satisfactory and on the other hand side they also manufactured the products that just added more value to the brand, and brought more success to the company.                                                                     

Apple Company sells variety of technology pieces, in different sizes, prices, and contains different features.  Apple Company’s official page has different tabs for their technology, which makes the consumer to choose easily. http://www.apple.com.

Apple sells product mix:

1)    Macbook Air, Pro, Mac mini, iMac.

2) Ipod shuffle, nano, touch, classic.

3)    Iphone 3, 4, 4S, 5, 5S, 5C

4)    Ipad Air, mini, mini with retina display and many more.

Apple Inc . is still on its way to introduce new featured products, due to its products it has become the most valuable company and from Technology Company now it has been titled as “ a luxury brand.”

Personal Selling and Sales Management

In chapter 18, I read about the sales promotion in addition to using advertising, public relations, and personal selling, marketing managers can use sales promotions to increase the effectiveness of their promotional efforts. Apple Inc. as rarely offers promotional codes or discount coupons but they usually have special deals available for the products sold on the special occasions like Black Friday and Christmas holiday shopping season.

            Apple Inc. sells the products at the retail stores, online stores, and many other retail chains such as Wal-mart, Best Buy, T-mobile and many more. When Apple Inc. uses their sales promotions they usually target the ultimate consumers.

For the Consumer sales promotion Apple offers the gift cards, free delivery option, offers in-store pickup for many of the items available on the Online Store, they also offers return policy for the consumers. According to which, sometimes the product might not be what they expected it to be. In that case, such as for iphone return, you may return your undamaged iPhone with its included accessories within 30 days of purchase for a full refund but while returning the product will cancel the wireless account and wont be responsible for any additional fee. Apple Inc. mostly does this by their agreement signed by the consumers.

            The tools Apple Inc uses for their sales promotion are:

1) Rebates- As I said before, Apple Inc. very often offers rebates such as the famous one and the recent one was that if you buy a Mac for college and get a $100 gift card to spend on apps such as itunes. Or buy an iPad or iPhone and get a $50 card.

2) Premiums- As such Apple doesn’t give out extra items but with the purchase of iphones, ipod, and

ipad they offer AppleCare+ insurance for 1 year warranty that will covers the customer for repair or replacement of the device in the event of accidential damage or battery depletion.

3) Personal selling- Last and most important is the personal selling, which may work better than other forms of promotion. Apple uses extensively personal selling. The company's Apple Stores are home to many young and knowledgeable sales

representatives who are trained thoroughly in both product information and customer service. With the release of new products and upgrades the company produces every few months or so, it is important for sales representatives to stay informed about the latest technologies entering the market. Walking into any Apple Store will reveal that employees are often young and enthusiastic about the products.  Along with the great product the customer service at Apple Inc usually turns consumers into customers. This leads Apple Inc into the long-run as the best technological company.

Advertising, Public Relations and Sales Promotion

Apple Company is counted among top ten innovative companies in USA. It is a branded company and is highly praised among all ages and races. The two main aspects that contribute to Apple Inc’s success are the quality of product and the local advertising, sales promotion, and the public relations.  

          

  Apple Company advertises aggressively and is shows their products down consumer’s throat, they put a lot of thought, effort, and time, not to mention money into ad and publicity campaigns. The advertisement of few minutes captures the attention of its target markets. It affects consumer’s daily lives, inform them about new products and services.  As the ad for iphone 5C (attached above) shows the featured new phone, various themes, the colorful image of the new phone, and most importantly involves all the different ages and races to convey the message that Apple tends to sale the product to everyone including all ages and races.

           

Apple Company uses two major types of advertising, which is: The institutional advertising and product advertising. Institutional Advertising- Apple Inc. uses institutional type of advertising to promote the corporation as a whole and its design, to maintain the company’s identity. As compare to the first commercial of Apple Inc that took place in the Super Bowl in 1984. It showed the Apple Company as in black and white color theme but promoted a unique idea “ THINK DIFFERENT”.

Where now, in 2013 the Apple Company changed its identity, became a brand, competitive company, and highly recommended company this all happened due to the strategy of institutional advertising. Now, Apple Company has a colorful image.

  The other type of advertising is the Product advertising. Unlike the institutional advertising, Apple Inc. also promotes the benefits of the new product invented and also those advertisements appeal to show the new features, quality, design, style, and advantage of better capacity as compare to old products and other competitive brands.

            After this huge comparison shown in the video clips, it can be said and easily agreed on that Apple products are beautiful, elegant, precise, and they are everywhere. Apple Inc does this through the advertising, which is done through every possible aspect to connect with the public and to introduce them to the upcoming new products. 

Apple spent about $200 billion on advertising of iphone 5C only. Apple advertise through television, internet, radio, billboards, posters, social networking websites( facebook, twitter), commercials, magazines, newspapers and many more ways. Every single advertising help the Apple brand create better public relations and attract more customers.