Marketing Essentials

This study material covers the marketing essentials and strategies for Apple Inc. and Dell. It discusses the marketing mix and SOSTAC model for Apple Inc. to achieve its goals and objectives. The study material provides insights into the product, price, place, promotion, and people aspects of marketing for both companies.

Marketing Essentials

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
Part 1................................................................................................................................................3
Part 2................................................................................................................................................3
LO2..................................................................................................................................................3
P3 Marketing Mix........................................................................................................................3
LO3..................................................................................................................................................4
P4 Sostac Model for Apple Inc....................................................................................................4
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9

INTRODUCTION
Marketing is process of influencing sells behaviours of employees for the product or
services. In other word. Currently, most of the companies are investing huge funds in marketing
functioning so that they can make their brand more demanding in the business market so that
each customer tempts to buy their branded product only. Marketing is not only considered
essential part of advertisement but also create pressure on competitors. With the different
marketing functions, company earns high economic benefits and augment market share within
defines timeframes.
However, there is a great example of Apple Inc. and Dell which have implemented
different roles and responsibilities in it’s business in order to maintain brand functioning in the
business market.
Part 1
(Covered in ppt.)
Part 2
LO2
P3 Marketing Mix

Report

LO2
P3: Marketing mix
7Ps of marketing mix is very beneficial marketing strategies for different companies and
businesses. Currently most businesses are taking lots of advantages through this marketing
strategy (Elsehrawy, Seleem and HassanKassem, 2017). Basically, marketing mix strategy
involves seven Ps of marketing called; product, people, promotion, process, price, physical
evidence and place. In this situation, top-level management of Apple Inc. has to adopt this
strategy. There are these all seven Ps of marketing mix has discussed below in the context of
comparison between two companies called; Apple and Dell.
7Ps of
Marketing Mix
Apple Inc. Dell
Product Apple mainly provides premium
range of electronic gadgets called;
mobile phones, electronics, laptops,
ear pods, personal computers, work
stations etc. Currently this company
has the most reputed brand in across
the world. It almost all products run
with its self-made IOS system. Users
of Apple has required to download or
purchase different apps, files etc.
which runs on android. It has the
largest market share in the luxury
electronic gadgets market jus
because if its premium range of
products and services.
Dell mainly produces PCs and
laptops. Of course, it has also very
large market shares, but not as
Apple Inc. Basically, most products
and services of Dell targets people
who comes from medium or lower
level of income groups. Reason is,
this company is not able produce
premium range of products and
services. An ordinary person also
can simply buy different products
of Dell in market place. On the
basis of these factors, we can
simply analyse the product
efficiency of Dell.
Price For setting price of different products
and services, Apple mainly uses
value-based pricing strategy, because
The Dell company uses
competitive-based pricing strategy
within its workplace for setting

its most products and very expensive
and exclusive. Of course, company
charges very high price from
different customers but it provides
better services and products as well.
That’s why this is very efficient in
the terms of selling products in the
market with very higher rates.
price of its different products and
services. Dell’s main reason behind
using this strategy is to gain huge
competitive advantage in market
place. This is very essential to
company for setting prices of its
different products something
cheaper than its competitors
(Länsipuro, 2020). That’s why
company uses this strategy.
Place Currently Apple Inc. serves its
different products and services
worldwide. Top-level management
of this company always targets such
market places to sell its products and
services where local people has very
excellent living standard. Reason is,
currently people who come from
higher living standard and income
status are only able to afford prices
of different Apple’s products. In this
situation, it has very large market
share in the United Kingdom,
because most people here have very
higher living standard. However, it
has many customers in the whole
European contents, because most
countries in this continent has well-
developed economic conditions.
Dell company also serves in many
countries of the world. It has also
gained an effective market shares in
international laptops and PC
market. Currently the United
Kingdom, United States, China,
Hongkong, South Africa etc. are
key market places of this company.
However, top-level management of
Dell pus its huge efforts to widely
expand own business operations by
entering into new market places or
segments of the International
market. This company services in
all types of market places called;
places where most people have
higher living standard, medium
living standard and lower living
standard, because it has products in
each price range.
Promotion Apple Inc. invests very higher fund Dell’s marketing team is very

for conducting its different
promotional activities in very
effective manner. Currently Apple is
very unique brand, because never
compromises with quality of its
different products and services.
That’s why it already has very large
numbers of loyal customers.
However, company runs lots of
marketing campaigns to promote its
brand worldwide after having high
reputation in the market as well.
aggressive in its job role. This team
runs different marketing campaigns
in its various selected market
segments. Currently top-level
management of company passed
huge fund for its marketing team to
systematically implement its
various marketing plans. Marketing
team at Dell believes in using latest
or modern marketing strategies to
promote own brand in market
place.
Process It has very effective distribution
channel in across the world to
properly deliver its various products
and services to customers safely and
timely (Polec, 2019). That’s why
many of customers are very satisfied
with this company.
Dell also has an effective supply
chain which it has used for
systematically delivering its various
products and services in the market.
The main of company is behind
running supply chain processes is
to provide products to customers in
very excellent condition.
People Currently this company very
workforce of many talented, skilled
and effective employees, in which
these people or employee’s day and
night puts their lots of efforts for
achieving different targets of
company on time.
There are Dell also has an effective
workforce which it has used for
achieving its various business
objectives in the market place. Top-
level management at Dell believes
in using great relations with its
various stakeholders.
Physical
Evidence
Currently customers are very
satisfied with company’s different
services and products, because when
any customer visits in the Apple’s
Nowadays, many of customer has
satisfied with this company as well.
Suppose, when a customer visit in
its authorised store, then present

store, then existing staff or
employees of this company show
their interest in informing customers
about various features and attributes
of different products and services.
employees in the Dell’s store very
systematically and professionally
inform various features of its
laptops and PCs.
Evaluation
This marketing mix strategy is very productive to the Apple Inc. because it has involved
seven key Ps which aware the marketing manager about different productive way of promoting
own brand (Thamaraiselvan, Arasu and Inbaraj, 2017). Currently both companies Apple and Dell
takes many advantages through this marketing strategy.
LO3
P4 Sostac Model for Apple Inc.
It is a marketing framework that is designed to develop marketing plan. This plan directs
company to implement different strategies in the company which supports to achieve all framed
goals and objective within timeframe. This Sostac framework is used for Apple Inc. because
company has aim to increase selling of it’s products which ultimately augment market share of
company in it’s business market. This marketing plan will support in introducing and improving
selling revenue of new product segment in respect of Dell company (Vasilaki and Tsakalidis Jr,
2019). So, it wants to create marketing plan so that it can achieve it’s projected goals within
timeframe. However, this framework comprises six stages that are mentioned below:
 Situation analysis
Apple Inc. is a American multinational company which is headquartered in California, US. It has
strong online presence globally that is major strength of the business. Race model has used by
Apple Inc. to access those customers who are highly active on social sites and prefers to buy
through online sites instead of traditional shopping (Gonchar, Gorokhova and Ponomarenko,
2019). In addition, it has created own page on social media sites through it’s technicians supports

and offers touchpoints to the customers to improve number of followers which also bring
competitive advantage for the business. Whenever, company is planning to introduce something
extempore products and features in it’s existing products then aware customers in it’s official
page. the reason behind is that it creates excitement in customers for the products and most of the
customers priorly invest their money to use upcoming Apple’s products. Thus, company has
established strong online presence in the e-commerce market. With strong online presence it can
easily increase selling of it’s existing products in efficient manner.
Swot Analysis
Strengths: Apple Inc. has established strong brand reputation globally and become one of the
most reliable company due to it’s personalized computers and smart technology device (Dhakar,
Tripathi and Rathore, 2017). Due to high brand recognition has established millions of loyal
users or customers with steady increment. It is considered top technology because it was the first
who introduced highly innovative products that have brought advanced change in the world i.e.
iPhone and iPads. Still also it is famed for craft better and build more effective technology
devices as compared others.
Weaknesses: Apple’s products are considered one of the luxury products among others due it’s
premium costs. However, product price is quite hike but it can afford by middle and high-income
users but these products cannot buy by lower-class users because they do not have such income
through which they can buy expensive branded products (Jing, 2018). Company believes in
building loyal customer base while it uses limited advertisement resources because it thought
that to invest huge funds on advertainment is not appropriate. So, upper management of Apple
Inc. emphasizes on product quality and customer’s expectation so that can maintain brand equity.
They
Opportunities: It has opportunity to expand it’s distribution network which ultimately enhance
selling revenue of products in it’ sector. Currently, there have limited distribution networks due
to this Apple Inc. unable to sell it’s product in all areas of global market. Smart wearable
technology is another opportunity for the Apple Inc. through which it can develop new wearable
products at different prices.

Threats: Coronavirus outbreak has created major threat for the Apple Inc. because it is properly
dependent on China for the manufacturing as well as supply chain but currently all process have
closed in the China. Thus, Apple Inc. is facing heavy loss in it’s sector as compared others.
Samsung is becoming major threat for the company it offers all similar features in a mobile like
Apple Inc. at lower cost which directly impacts on Apple’s selling (Iarusov and Nasir, 2018).
Objectives
 To increase 30% sales revenue at the end year of 2022.
 By the end of 2023 there is going to be increased in the profit margin by 42%.
 To increase market, share up to 35% by the end year of 2023.
 To make Apple’s product sustainable by using green technology in efficient manner.
 Establish strong relationship with premium customers in order to gain lifetime loyalty
from them for the product.
These objectives are going to make company to have better functioning in the business market
and supports to gain it’s major goals within timeframe.
 Strategy
STP model is a strategic framework that stands for segmentation, targeting and positioning.
This model applies most of the companies because it supports to target specific market, audience
for the specific product segments. So, it is considered one of the most effective models in
business success. This model applies by Apple Inc. to target it’s market and audience. The model
is mentioned below:
Market segmentation: Apple targets two market segments i.e. demographical and behavioural to
target it’s specific audience for it’s existing product portfolio. There is a reason to target only
two market segments such as demographical segment use to classify customers accordingly their
age, gender, culture, income etc. On the other hand, behavioural market segment classify
customers according to their attitude, spending behaviour, education etc. These both segments
will support Apple Inc. to build large customer base (Amin and Munsi, 2020).
Targeting: With this strategy, Apple Inc. targets premium and job professional because this
target audience is ready to pay high cost on brand to maintain their decorum in society.

Positioning: Apple already has strong global presence that will support company to influence
new customers for buying it’s product and services.
 Tactics
4p’s marketing mix
Product: Apple has wide brand portfolio with extensive product features which will help to offer
choices to the customers through which can improve their spending behaviour.
Price: Skimming and competitive pricing strategy follows by Apple Inc. to sell it’s product and
services. With these strategies company can achieve advance competitive advantage in it’s
market.
Place: It is operated in multiple countries across the world that is major strength of the business.
So, it can provide high product availability to the customer in efficient manner.
Promotion: Digital and traditional promotional strategies will use by the Apple Inc. in order to
create awareness and influence customers to buy it’s products.
 Action:
Strategic and talent management will take all above-mentioned strategies in efficient manner.
Initially marketing manager of Apple Inc. delegates different task among customers so that
individuals perform different tasks effectively (Camilleri, 2018). However, marketing
representative implements 4p’s marketing mix elements to bring awareness in customers for the
product and services. Marketing research conducts by Apple’s marketer to understand brand
positioning and competitive action and takes reviews from customers about it’s products. thus,
company enables to build strong customer base. With the STP model Apple enable to targeted
it’s specific audience who supports to generate high revenue. On the other hand, upper
management cross checks all actions of different functional units such as individuals have met
proposed objectives or not. Thus, Apple has enabled to gain it’s all proposed objectives within
timeframe.

 Control
Human resource management plays significant role in controlling all proposed activities such as
they monitor all functional units’ activities at personal level and reports to upper management on
time. 360-degree feedback strategy is also followed by human resource managers to take review
from staff about organization and it’s activity which maintains their wellbeing in the workplace.
CONCLUSION
Apple Inc. and Dell have used marketing mix strategy for differentiating it’s brand,
product, services, organizational culture in efficient manner. However, Apple Inc. has used this
model promptly as compared Dell because it has achieved it’s all defined objectives in efficient
manner. Sostac model also has used to develop marketing plan for the Apple Inc. in respect of
Dell so that could gain it’s framed objective in creative manner.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Amin, M.R. and Munsi, M., 2020. Motivational Techniques for Business Organization–A Case
Study of Apple Inc.
Camilleri, M.A., 2018. Market segmentation, targeting and positioning. In Travel marketing,
tourism economics and the airline product (pp. 69-83). Springer, Cham.
Dhakar, G., Tripathi, S. and Rathore, N.S., 2017. Redefining Marketing Mix for Digital
Marketing. Pacific University Journal of Social Sciences, 26.
Gonchar, V., Gorokhova, T. and Ponomarenko, A., 2019. Segmentation and positioning in the
marketing practice of the company.
Iarusov, I. and Nasir, S., 2018. Marketing Plan: Case company: Standard.
Jing, J., 2018. A case study on Apple, Inc which affecting the world of Smati Technology Leader
or heading down?.
Vasilaki, M. and Tsakalidis Jr, G., 2019. Apple Inc. Equity Valuation.
Elsehrawy, M. G., Seleem, W. and HassanKassem, A., 2017. Effectof Marketing Training
Program on Total Quality Management Practice.
Länsipuro, H., 2020. Capability Maturity Model for data-driven marketing.
Polec, A., 2019. The Role of the Chief Marketing Officer in Higher Education: Leveraging
Bureaucratic and Network Power to Effect Change. (Doctoral dissertation, University
of Pennsylvania).
Thamaraiselvan, N., Arasu, B. S. and Inbaraj, J. D., 2017. Role of celebrity in cause related
marketing. International Review on Public and Nonprofit Marketing. 14(3). pp.341-357.