In my first job, back in 1986, I was handed an Apple Macintosh Plus, with only 1 MB of RAM and an 800kb hard drive. It immediately connected with me, and I was hooked after I wrote my first-ever press release on it.
Since that day, most of the tech I use at Maxim’s office or at home has been Apple. I may have paid a premium over nearly 40 years of being an Apple advocate, but I don’t care as it works.
Apple’s founder Steve Jobs was a marketing genius, instinctively understanding people and why they purchase. He died aged 56 leaving an amazing legacy and some great lessons for the marketing of any business, which I’ve curated below:
Innovate or die
From the first Apple Macintosh to the Mac, the iMac, iPod, iPad, iPhone and iWatch, Apple has fostered an ethos of constantly pioneering new product categories. Apple doesn’t worry about being first – it pursues innovation through ruthless and rigorous R&D, creating design icons.
Each new product raises the bar and redefines what’s possible. The quantum leap came when it transformed itself from a personal computer company and launched the iPhone in 2007.
It doesn’t always get it right all the time, and the Apple Newton – the first Personal Digital Assistant – is a case in point, as was the quietly dropped Apple car. The Newton was ahead of its time in terms of its tech but failed to connect with the mass market, partly due to its cost. However, Apple bided its time, and the device was the precursor to the iPad.
Connect with your customer
Apple speaks the customer’s language, concentrating on benefits and experiences rather than features and tech specs. The iPod focused on the number of songs it puts in your pocket, not the amount of storage it offered. Apple recognised the customer doesn’t listen to megabytes, but melodies and songs.
Keeping it simple sells
Apple is all about simplicity; every product is stripped back to create a customer experience at every touch point – from its advertising, branding and purchase through to opening the packaging and getting started. For me, Apple products are irresistible.
Branding consistency
Apple’s products are instantly recognisable thanks to the company’s iconic logo and the naming convention of ‘i’. This dedication to the consistency of its products’ branding leads to familiarity, which leads to trust, a sale and loyalty. This trust has helped make Apple worth nearly $3 trillion, having successfully positioned itself as aspirational.
Apple’s products speak for themselves, with each simplifying their customers’ lives and connecting emotionally.
Focus on yourself, not your competitors
Very rarely, if ever, does Apple compare its products to its competitors, choosing instead to focus on how its products make a difference. Apple’s marketing is 100% customer-focused rather than product-focused, as it knows better than to play the comparison game as that reduces differentiation.
We can all learn from Apple when it comes to marketing our own businesses.
