Apple Marketing: 10 Lessons You Can Apply When Promoting Your Business

My friends love to give me a hard time for being such an Apple fanboy. I can honestly blame it all on a good friend, Bill Dawson, who bought me my first Apple device – an AppleTV… and then worked with me at a company where we were the first product managers to use MacBook Pros. I’ve been a fan ever since, and now, outside of the Homepod and Airport, I have every single device. With each software and hardware upgrade, I’m amazed at the tightly integrated ecosystem Apple continues to deliver to its customers. I’m disappointed in professionals in my industry who continue to take shots at Apple while they quietly transform how we interact with our environment through technology.

As I mentioned in a thread to one of the naysayers, the day that your Fitbit, Google Home, Windows device, Android phone, and Roku will work seamlessly with one another will never happen. Apple is pushing innovation right in the weak spot of every competitor… the fact that they are all independent of one another. That said, there’s always room for innovation for Apple. I’d like to see much more innovation in home automation. In my opinion, Amazon is kicking their butts with the skills available for Echo.

Enough said about Apple’s innovation, let’s move on to their marketing. One thing I respect about Apple’s marketing is that it typically focuses on the beauty and elegance of their devices or the potential people are tapping into them. No doubt focusing on beauty helped… walk through an electronics store nowadays and every phone, tablet, or laptop you see is a replica of an Apple device. People are proud of their tools, and pulling an ultralight, thin, aluminum, unibody laptop from your bag with a retina display always feels good.

The potential in their commercials is always what gets me. Whether it’s just dancing to music from the original iPod commercials or their launch commercials that spotlight some of the most talented people on the planet, Apple taps into your emotions.

The Website Group gathered 10 Lessons from Apple’s marketing strategy that encompass all the company’s focus areas. In the following infographic, 10 Marketing Lessons from Apple, include:

1. Keep It Simple: Apple’s marketing strategy revolves around simplicity. Their ads and marketing messages are straightforward, focusing on showcasing the product and allowing it to speak for itself. By avoiding information overload about where and how to buy their products, Apple creates a clean, uncluttered message that resonates with consumers.
2. Use Product Placement: Apple leverages the power of influencer marketing to reach its target audience. Having influencers share and demonstrate the benefits of Apple products creates a sense of trust and authenticity, planting the seed for potential leads and customers.
3. Leverage Reviews: Apple excels at acquiring reviews from its customers and fans. Encouraging and showcasing positive reviews builds social proof and credibility, significantly influencing potential buyers’ decisions.
4. Focus on Unique Value Proposition rather than Price: Apple’s marketing strategy emphasizes the unique value proposition of their devices rather than focusing on price. They ensure customers feel the higher price is justified by their products’ superior features, design, and overall experience.
5. Stand for Something: Apple’s marketing communicates a clear message about what its brand stands for. By consistently delivering on their brand promise, they demonstrate to their audience that they can always be counted on, creating a strong brand identity and loyalty.
6. Create Experiences, Not Just Products: Apple goes beyond merely creating products; it focuses on creating memorable customer experiences (CX). By designing products that seamlessly integrate into people’s lives and provide a delightful user experience, Apple encourages customers to return repeatedly.
7. Speak to Audiences Using Their Language: Apple’s marketing language is simple, clear, and easy to understand. By avoiding technical jargon and confusing explanations, they reach customers on a level that competitors have yet to master, making their products accessible to a wide range of people.
8. Develop an Aura and Mystery Around What You Are Doing: Unlike many marketers who reveal everything about a product, Apple creates excitement by withholding information and encouraging speculation. This approach generates buzz and anticipation, making product launches highly anticipated events.
9. Appeal to Emotions: Apple’s advertisements focus on the emotional impact of their products. Rather than emphasizing technical specifications like memory size or battery life, they showcase happy people enjoying their iPads and iPhones, creating an emotional connection with potential customers.
10. Use Visuals: Apple recognizes the power of visuals in marketing. They effectively use videos, images, and compelling audio to strongly impact the customer experience. By leveraging visuals, they engage customers deeper and make their products more memorable.

Here’s the full infographic: