Marketing Plan for Apple Inc.: Expansion Strategy in Iran

This report presents a marketing plan for Apple Inc., focusing on expanding its business into countries where its products are not currently sold, specifically highlighting Iran. The report begins with a brief overview of Apple's background, market size, and the reasons for its absence in certain countries. It then outlines the target market, segmentation criteria, and required resources for the plan's implementation, including time, budget, social networking, and an efficient marketing team. The core of the report details the marketing strategy, which includes improving communication, establishing Apple stores, building relationships with governments, improving export relations, combating counterfeit products, and establishing international payment systems. The report also discusses marketing metrics, leadership styles, and innovative implementation plans, such as hiring staff with knowledge of the target countries and creating engaging social media content. The conclusion summarizes the key takeaways and emphasizes the potential benefits of the proposed strategies for Apple's expansion.

MARKETING PLAN FOR EXPANSION STRATEGY
•In 1976 the company was established by
Ronald Wayne, Steve Wozniak, Steve Jobs.
•It ranks highest as the largest IT company by
revenue.
•It is also the second largest producer of
mobile phones after Samsung.
•Apple recorded a revenue growth of $229
billion for the year 2017 (Schell and
Mathias,Apple Inc, 2014)
APPLE INC

Countries not selling Apple products are:
• Syria
• Sudan
• North Korea
• Iran
• Angola

Reason for not selling Apple
• Countries like Iran do not have international
payment system.
• Smugglers are disallowing direct sale of apple to
the countries.
• These countries neither has an apple store nor a
apple product reseller.
• The trade experts and technology were reluctant
to research and find the reason for not selling
the products in the countries.

Target Market
Market size that need to be reached
Segmentation Criteria Demand for device
Demographic- Age20 -45 Gender-Males & Females
income high earners
occupation proffesional,managers
Behavioral- Degree of loyalty- ‘Hard core loyals’
‘Switchers’
Psychographic- Social class -Middle and upper classes
lifestyle - aspirer, succeeder.

Market size
• The annual revenue of Iran is $61.95 billion. This shows
there are consumers are earning a good amount of
disposable revenue and apple has a good market in that
zone.
• Although they do not have a huge fascination for brands
but proper marketing can increase the customer interest
for Apple products.
• Iran is a women dominated country and it is evident that
the demand for smart devices like Apple products will not
be as high among the women as it would be among the
men.

Resources required to implement the plan
Time
Budget
Social networking communication systems
Proper planning
Efficient marketing team
Online buying system

How to reach the plan??
Time: The time management of a company determines
the efficiency of the company. Apple has to maintain
a proper time management system to build relation
with the countries. A time of 3 months will be
required to market the product and 6 months will be
required for building the stores.
Social networking communication systems :
Communication is a basic factor for marketing. If the
company has to market its product to the countries
they have to use social cites for marketing and
communication.

How to reach the plan??
• Proper planning: The proper planning will help the
company to expand its business in an efficient
manner and proper utilization of resources and
minimum cost.
• Efficient marketing team: A team will be required for
marketing the product in the companies. The new
product must require a proper marketing to reach
the customer and gain their trust (Baker 2014).

How to reach the plan??
• Online buying system: it will not be possible to
directly sell the products to few company at the
initial stage. Thus, online buying system will be highly
beneficial.
• Budget: The company must have a proper financial
support to expand the business in the required areas.

Marketing Strategy
• Proper communication between the countries-
There must be a proper communication between the
countries for transacting business, marketing and
resolving issues faced by the buyers.
• Increase of Apple stores or authorizes resellers-
Many times the countries are deprived of the
product because there are no retail store of Apple in
the country. Thus, retail stores must be introduced to
those countries.

Marketing Strategy
• Building a healthy relation with government of the
countries- the government should legally allow the
sell of the product in the country, for that a good
relation must be made with the government of the
countries (Solomon et al 2014).
• Improving the export relation with these countries:
the export and import system of the companies has
to improved. The company must take initiative to
build a good export system with the countries.

Abolishing smugglers selling fake products using the brand
name: Third party seller are taking advantages and selling
the product at a high price. The company must take legal
action against such illegal actions.
Establishment of international payment system- the
company must take initiative to encourage the countries to
introduce international system by using credit cards and
other e payment system.
Disallowing false brand product from the countries and
prevent the customers from getting cheated: The company
must take serious legal step to stop third parties selling a
false product will the similar brand name.