Marketing Plan for Apple Inc free essay sample

Marketing Plan for Apple Inc Introduction Apple Inc. designs, manufactures, and sells personal computers, computer accessories and computer related software. The company also offers peripherals, networking solutions and other related services. Additionally, Apple computers designs, builds, and markets a wide array of portable digital music players, telecommunication devices alongside related accessories and services (Cameron Quinn 2011, p 288). Apple Inc owes its recent success in the highly competitive computer industry to its situation, marketing strategy and product mix that have gone a long way market the Apple brand as leader of good quality and satisfactory experience. The success of the company borrows draws a lot of inspiration from the ingenuity of its fallen CEO Steve jobs whom through his visionary leadership maintained imaginative ways doing business (Cameron Quinn 2011, p 288). Most importantly, Apple Inc is run through a combination of great strategy, innovative marketing, exceptional products and excellent product style and design. We will write a custom essay sample on Marketing Plan for Apple Inc or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Apple’s Marketing Approach According to Ireland, Hoskisson and Hitt (2008, p 10), Apple employs a customer focused marketing strategy. In so doing, the company focuses its operations on a specific area of expertise to emerge stronger in presenting the global market with a group of products that emphasize the superior technology through lean channels of distribution. Geographical segmentation plays a major role in the marketing approach by presenting geographical markets such as the US, Europe, Latin America and Africa with limited products varieties that include personal computers, networks, software, personal organizers, telecommunications devices, and other technology integration products (Ireland, Hoskisson and Hitt 2008, p 11). Apple’s target end user professional markets and students who keep abreast with high powered technological innovations. According to McDonald and Keegan (2002, p 48), Apple’s target market strategy focuses on broadly defined vertical markets where its high-tech products are marketed through new channel relationships across international borders. This strategy focuses on the company’s competitive strength as the designer and producer of high-tech products that promise better services for the global markets. The main tactic for achieving this marketing objective to remain consistent in promoting the high quality of its products through use of innovative technologies in the international communication platform such web based technologies (McDonald and Keegan 2002, p 48). Apple’s Marketing Orientation Apple has strived to remain customer focused in its marketing activities. As a result, the company exercises socially responsible marketing approaches through provision of superior quality products at fairly affordable costs (Schein 2010, p 230). To ensure that Apple’s products sell at customer friendly prices, the company has eliminated middle men to sell directly to its customers with a view of cutting down on the costs of distribution and hence end user prices. By selling directly to the end-users, the company understands the various needs of their customers and designs products that match their specifications and give the best value for their money. Additionally, Apple continues to respond to the specifications, needs and demands of its customers by promptly designing a range of products and services that fit the specific user segment. To meet the needs of the education customers for instance, Apple has designed innovative products such as one-to-one learning solutions, professional development solutions video creation solutions, editing solutions, iMac and MacBook to accommodate their learning needs (Schein, 2010, 231). Apple has effectively implemented an elaborate approach of reaching out to its customers through a purely customer driven marketing process. These process include using innovative communication technologies such as web based technologies to reach out to and educate its target customers on the strength and quality of its products. The company has additionally segmented its markets both geographically and in accordance with needs of its various customers to serve the specific needs of each market. Apple’s Brand Centered Marketing Culture Apple has over the years thrived on selling the strengths and quality of its brand. As such, the company huge sums of money advertisements to create strong brands for its products, which go a long way to establish brand loyalty among its customers. For instance, the late CEO Steve Jobs spent $ 100 million in advertisements for the iMac which eventually became an instant marketing hit. The company has continued to spend large amounts of money to run high powered advertisement campaigns that seek to create strong brands and endear the company’s products to the target customers (Schneiders 2011, p 10). For example the company recently ran the â€Å"switch† campaign urging customers to move to Apple products. In all these advertisements, Apple has remained focused on evoking lasting emotions and projecting the human touch from the perspective of customers who have literally believed in the charismatic approach of Steve Jobs that Apple’s products are designed for the convenience of the customer and for the love of technology.