5 Things to Learn from Apple's Marketing Strategy

Let's be honest: when it comes to creating a successful brand, Apple is an undoubtable leader. No matter how much criticism the brand sometimes faces for the prices of its tech innovations, Apple still knows how to create worldwide anticipation for its latest product releases, as shown with their recent #AppleEvent and announcement of the much anticipated iPhone 12.

Apple has truly become the gold standard for product marketing but what can you learn from the successful brand? How can you implement their winning formula to your own day-to-day marketing strategies? Read this post for more.

Simplicity is key

Complicated marketing strategies and campaigns with information overload can overwhelm customers and prospects; this is something you want to avoid because Apple certainly has. From early on, the Apple brand has understood that simplicity is key when communicating its products to its audience.

In Apple's marketing strategies, you won't typically find a lot of voice-overs, special effects, long product feature lists or colourful graphics that distract from the actual product being marketed. Rather, Apple choose to use ads and marketing copy that is simple yet straightforward, giving way for their products to do all the talking instead. If you want to incorporate this aspect into your own marketing, keep it simple - leave out the special effects that make it difficult to focus on your product, and use graphics and content that easily translate the message you are trying to bring across.

Focus on your unique value proposition

One thing you hardly see Apple engage with is the pricing of their products. No matter how many people think they are higher than their competitors, Apple doesn't budge because they focus on selling their unique value proposition - creating high quality, innovative products that are an experience from the moment you open the box.

Tip: Use a media intelligence suite to stay ahead of your competition.

With this in mind, Apple has also managed to focus on creating unique customer experiences that other competitors simply cannot replicate. From features to applications and the overall Apple ecosystem that works harmoniously to create a seamless experience across all of its products, Apple knows how to make customers feel like they are getting value for money. For brands wanting to do something similar, simply focus on what makes your brand unique.

Then, sell that.

It's not just a product; it's an experience

To elaborate on the previous point of creating unique customer experiences, this is something that Apple has done really well. From their 1984 Super Bowl ad, to their annual #AppleEvent, it's not just about the products. It's also about creating experiences for the customer that are memorable and give them a reason to keep coming back.

An important part of creating a memorable customer experience lies in using the art of storytelling to create these experiences that connect with customers and audiences through the sensors. It's the high-quality images that draw your eye when you see an Apple ad, or the feel of the products you get when you're in an iStore. This all helps immerse customers in an experience that doesn't necessarily feel like you're shopping for just a product but rather for something that excites you and will continue to excite you long after you've made the purchase.

Speak to your audience in the right way

Knowing how to speak to your audience in a language that they understand is important for creating meaningful connections with your audience, and encouraging more sales for your business. This is where doing your research into who your audience is or having a Consumer Insights tool to help gather this information, will greatly benefit you.

You want to avoid using terms, phrases and explanations that will confuse or overwhelm your customers. Instead, be like Apple and take the time to fully understand your audience, how they talk about your brand online and the features or products they mention in these conversations. Learn to listen to what your audience is most interested in and use the language they use to better communicate with them.

Create visual content with emotions

One of the ways that Apple has managed to create such loyal customers to their brand is thanks to their ability to reach out and connect with their customers through emotions. If you think about the Apple ads and visual marketing material that you see, it shows people happy to use their products, that they are having a good time using the iPhone or Macbook. Apple highlights this in their marketing efforts more often than focusing on the battery life or screen size of their products.

To follow Apple's lead, create visual content that primarily appeals to emotions, such as happiness or enjoyment. You want to incorporate these emotions into your content because the more you do, the more likely that your customers will share it with others to increase brand awareness.

Use strong, visually appealing content that is emotionally charged and speaks to your audience in a language that they understand, and you will be on your way to creating a marketing strategy that is as top-class as Apple's.