Every entrepreneur dreams of the moment when customers will rush in on opening day or start buzzing about their latest creation, when the press will repeat their latest achievements. Long hours of customers waiting in lines in front of Apple stores for each release of a new product have become a classic for the Apple brand. But how does Apple manage to encourage consumer desire and include customer expectations in your marketing strategy?
When we look at popular perfumes, we see that their strategy is always the same: to arouse in consumers the desire to buy, but also to gain loyal customers who will be ambassadors.
The product and its design, a key asset.
If we look to analyze Marketing strategy Apple, we quickly realize that the product occupies a dominant position in advertisements and on all communication channels used by the company. The product is sufficient in itself, especially in terms of design. The requirements of Steve Jobs are such that his goods are no longer just mobile phones or computers, but truly become products of unique design, simple, refined and sophisticated at the same time, almost luxurious. Even the packaging is done to perfection! The strength of the Apple brand is precisely that it has put design at the center of the product to attract and then retain customers by offering them a tool that combines the most powerful technologies and the most ergonomic interfaces on the market.
The brand’s original universe.
In order to reinforce consumer expectations, it remains crucial to build a strong brand identity. Customers of the Apple brand are not just ordinary customers, but true fans of the world of Steve Jobs, from iPhone to iPad, including cases and other accessories! The slogan “Think different” also seems to show the extent to which Apple has been able to build a strong brand image, selling not just a product, but a way of life.
The fact that Apple products are required to be compatible only with each other also affects the consumer who, after buying a brand product, adheres to a certain universe. Imagine if some Apple customers queued up in front of stores for almost 15 days in New York to see themselves connected to their favorite brand! Proof that brand image is sometimes more important than the product you sell…
High prices, a sign of the quality of your products.
Apple products are truly luxury products made by the best engineers and with the best electronic components. The relatively high prices charged by the brand are not the result of chance. In our society today and in the minds of consumers, an expensive product equals a quality product. Due to its price, the product becomes a real greedy thing.
Your employees, your ambassadors.
In the Apple brand strategy, employees remain the first users of the product. One of the conditions for employment is that they like the brand. This makes it possible to unite employees around a business project, but also to spread the good word about the company’s products or services. Steve Jobs was also the first user of his products, and his enthusiasm for loving his own creations and conveying that satisfaction during these presentations and on social networks is a marketing strategy for himself that contributes to creating desire among consumers.
Employees, your first users
One of the conditions for employment is that they like the brand. This makes it possible to unite employees around a business project, but also to spread the good word about the company’s products or services. Steve Jobs was also the first user of his products, and his enthusiasm for loving his own creations and conveying that satisfaction during these presentations and on social networks is a marketing strategy for himself that contributes to creating desire among consumers.
Rumor, your ally.
Apple’s marketing strategy seems to be based on the notion of “hush-hush” with a strong desire to maintain the secrecy of its products. But not only. The company has become an expert in rumor marketing, which consists of revealing or releasing some information for attention bloggers so that they can then transfer them and take responsibility for glorifying the merits of the future product.
It happened that some iPhones were “accidentally” forgotten in California bars and were found by powerful bloggers. This gave rise to rumors that the company did not want to deny, thus taking advantage of the new rumours. This arouses the impatience of fans and the curiosity of new followers who can see for themselves. In 2010, the brand repeated the rumor process, revealing the price of the iPad ($1,000) via the Wall Street Journal. Steve Jobs announced the real price a few days later ($500), almost making his product look like a good deal.
“Marketing on hold”, your accomplice.
The concept of queuing marketing consists of using the moments in which the consumer is waiting (public transport, waiting rooms, cafes, etc.) in order to convey a promotional message to them. The main advantage of this: the waiting situation maximizes the perception and memory of the advertising message, which makes it easier to arouse desire in consumers. You can use different communication media, including digital ones, such as screens and tablets found in airports or at supermarket checkouts.