Marketing Principles for Business: Apple's Strategies and Competitors

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of Apple's marketing principles and strategies. It begins with an introduction to marketing principles, followed by an overview of Apple's background and philosophy, emphasizing its focus on innovation and customer satisfaction. The main body delves into Apple's marketing strategies, including the application of the marketing mix (7Ps) and how these strategies contribute to customer satisfaction through segmentation, targeting, and positioning (STP) analysis. The report examines Apple's competitive landscape, exploring reasons for changes and implications related to its competitors. It concludes by summarizing key findings and highlighting the significance of Apple's marketing approach in maintaining its market position and achieving its business objectives. The report emphasizes Apple's commitment to product innovation, customer experience, and its unique value proposition in the consumer electronics market.

MARKETING PRINCIPLE
FOR BUSINESS

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
Task..................................................................................................................................................3
Background and philosophy of organisation ..............................................................................3
Marketing strategies and how it increases segmented customer satisfaction .............................5
Reasons and implication of changes with competitors ...............................................................7
CONCLUSION ...............................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9

INTRODUCTION
Marketing principles refers to ideas that form basis for most product promotion
strategies. These principles help in making aware about the company products to its end
customers. Companies use variety of marketing principles in order to optimize there market
performance of existing products and to help successful launch of new products in marketplace.
These are principles upon which product promotion strategies are based upon which help
companies in gaining competitive advantage over others. Apple is American multinational
company that develops, design and is in selling of consumer electronics such as laptops, phone
and others, computer services and online services. Present report will address to marketing
strategies adopted by company in accordance with marketing mix and how it helps company's in
increasing customer satisfaction. It will also throw some light on background/ philosophy of
chosen organisation and will lay reasons and implication of changes with that of competitors.
MAIN BODY
Task
Background and philosophy of organisation
Apple, was founded in year April 1, 1976 by college drop-outs named Steve jobs& Steve
Wozniak who brought vision of forming new company where it changed the way how people
viewed computers. Jobs and Wozniak ideas were based on designing computers that are small
and efficient enough for people to have them in their homes and offices. It was being formed as
business partnership between the two where companies first product was Apple I which was
being built and designed in Job's garage and was being sold without monitor, keyboard and
others.
With the launch of Apple 2 the computer industry was revolutionized by introduction of
first ever colour graphics in its system where sales jumped with huge numbers and was year
when Apple as organisation became public. Wozniak then in year 1983 left company due to
diminishing interest in day to day business operation of company where Jobs hired John Sculley
to be president of company which gave rise to controversy in lives of Jobs where it went on new
and big things and formed company named as NeXT & also brought Pixar which later on
became huge success in computer animation industry.
Plans of Jobs were all set in motion where its profits were becoming more and more.
Over the course of years Apple's market share suffered slowly after its peak in 1990 and by

1996. Apple has pioneered its way in computer industry not once, but multiple times throughout
its inception. Jobs has revamped the computer industry where it introduced iBook(a personal
laptop) and also jumped out in MP3 players known as iPods and media player software known as
iTunes. It believed in pushing limits of creativity and innovation so that they can create and
produce products that are interesting and valuable for societies. It is unbeatable that company has
profound impact on technology innovation which not only influences how computers and other
electronic products are used but also activities for which they are being used.
The company is based out of the philosophy that what matters most is what one love to
do in life where its Vision statement serves to “make the best products in earth and to leave the
world better than it found” where it is also being added by its vice president of environment,
social initiatives that “We aim to create not just the best products in the world, but the best
products for the world” Thus the vision of company are aligned with strategy of corporate social
responsibility which puts emphasis in sustainability of environment & overall improvement in
ecological impact of business.
Apple's Mission statement is “ to bring the best personal computing products and support
to students, educators, scientists, designers, engineers, consumers and businessperson in 140
countries over the world, where it focuses on computing products as organizational outputs
where term computing products not just encompasses smartphones and computers, but also other
products and services which are highly focused in technology. It focuses on changing business
landscape that lays down possibilities of what Apple as a company can do in near future. Its main
purpose is to make personal computing accessible to each an every individual so to implement
change that is being thought, learned, worked and communicated upon. The company's USP in
providing high quality products with exclusivity where it does not market or communicate it
through expensive advertisement but by providing products such as iPhones, iPads etc. which
really speaks out to them and provides unique characteristics to its products. Its value
proposition lies in its motto that is Think Different and also in providing high tech security as
compared with its competitors where it provides aspirational messages that believes that its
products should be more than collection of features (Apple Mission statement and Vision
statement,2019).

Marketing strategies and how it increases segmented customer satisfaction
It refers to forward looking, long term approach and overall plan of Apple which lays
down fundamental goal of achieving and sustaining competitive advantage by understanding
wants and needs of segmented customer to derive there satisfaction level (Yang,2018). It refers
to target markets & value proposition that is offered on basis of analysis of prevailing best
market opportunities
Customer satisfaction defines how happy customers are with company products, services
and offerings. It could be better understood by STP analysis on how they have increased
segmented customer satisfaction
Segmentation – It includes segmentation based on demographic, geographic, behavioural and
psycho graphic bases where its demographic segment is successful as Apple is developing
products on basis of age, life cycle and occupation of people where product distribution in on
basis on age, family size and others. Coming to geographic base apple have established its
business all over the world where it implements to choose a vertical growth strategy & began
expanding through its retail stores all across. In behavioural base it helps in deriving customers
satisfaction by providing good knowledge to its customers by advertising on various social
media platform as they have good brand image. Apple fulfil psycho graphic segment by
developing products on lifestyle of people such as Mac book for younger generation which helps
in deriving status symbol for same (Haryanto,Suhaimi,2020).
Targeting – The most prominent target markets for apple are teenagers who use iPods for
reasons to socialize with friends, listening to music and others, college students who are also on
target markets for as they use products such as iPads, mac-books, iPhones etc. Target market for
Apple also includes business person as its products derive high quality which is a source if status
symbol for them (A Study on STP strategy of Apple.Inc, 2018).
Positioning- Apple position itself in marketplace by providing products that are highly quality
driven and derive status symbol. It's product are positioned as premium which are generally
priced higher than its competitors which helps apple to avoid getting in price wars where it can
compete on innovation and unique selling proposition which serves as base for its positioning
((Wuryandani, Ismoyowati, Nugrahini, 2018).
Company recent marketing strategies can be understood better by using marketing mix
strategy of apple which includes 7 P's of apple.

Product- Apple has always been focused on its products, that are innovative and are highly
focused around satisfying needs of its customers and are appealing in nature. Company is
obsessed with developing innovative, easy to use and stylish products which have revolutionised
way how people use technology and which helps company in winning over competitors.
Price- Product prices of Apple are generally higher than its competitors as it provides with
quality that its competitors lack. These are price's of apple products that customers pay for to
enjoy the same. It uses minimum advertised retail prices which prohibits dealers and resellers to
advertise Apple products below a certain minimum price. It maintains skimming and premium
pricing strategy which means products launched inn market is relatively at high cost because of
its unique features, benefits to consumers or can be by new design (Tien,Long,Phuong,2018).
Place- Apple uses selective distribution stratgy, which counters to some degree of exclusivity
that limits its product market reach. Apple products are find out in apple stores, authorised
dealers, online apple store and others. Apple partners out with many wholesalers' to distribute its
substantial part of product and services in majorly all parts of countries. Its place of distribution
also includes third parties cellular networks such as Vodafone group and others who sell
products under their part of own packages.
Promotion – It also refers to communication mix of apple where it promotes its product through
various ways such as advertisements, sales promotion, personal selling and by building public
relations through various campaigns and other things where it uses google digital advertising
networks. Company has tie up with prominent websites to promote and advertise companies
products. Personal selling happens in company where its store staff provides and promotes
sufficient information about company products to influence visitors for purchase in stores
(Wu,Li,2018).
People- People aspect of marketing in apple is sufficient enough as they are highly trained and
educated as they understand needs of customers and deliver the best customer services and
creates value proposition. Apple has effective technical; support teams and company promotes
fun and relaxed culture for its employees and customers to get engaged
Process- The process at apple are efficient and effective which helps in smooth functioning and
smooth flow of business operations where its customers comes first and ensuring in enhancing
relationship. It gives high degree of importance to every aspect of development through
innovation and increasing customer experience.

Physical evidence- It is part of service utilised by apple customers who have the feel of brand
image portrayed by company which can be through on-line or in stores where environments
needs to be right enough for its employees and customers and which attracts same and beats its
competitors (Apple Marketing Mix: 4P’s.2017).
Reasons and implication of changes with competitors
The biggest competitors of Apple are Dell, Lenovo, Samsung, Sony and various others
for which company monitors closely and evaluate various criteria as market is uncertain and it is
never known on side of competitors who can anytime come up with new product and services
which can capture huge market base and can result in loss of loyal and steal of customers leading
to non smooth functioning of business operations and resulting company to face loss. Apple
always come up with innovative changes to beat market of its competitors and to capture market
share and to establish goodwill in marketplace by delivering products and services which serves
as sources of customer satisfaction of needs and wants which customers may feel lack in its
competitors products (Jacquemin,De Jong, 2016).
It also helps in ensuring and knowing where the products of Apple are standing and
whether customers are willing to purchase at price which is being quoted by company for new
product launch or they will consider competitors product at price lower. It also helps apple as
company to use knowledge to create marketing strategies that helps in knowing weakness of
competitors and helps apple to increase its performance level and to attract large customer
number of customer. Company can also understand the areas which needs to be improved in
terms of its promotion techniques in which they might be lacking where competitors can take
advantage of same and can promote its product in better way by use of various techniques which
may lead in loss of competitive advantage (Jain, 2016). Company also finds way of identifying
its strengths where apple in every product launch comes up with innovation which makes hard
for its competitors to compete on certain grounds leading in less preference of competitors
products on side of large number if customers. Major reason for change is it helps in
differentiating products and services with that of its competitors which helps in creating value
towards company products in minds of its customers.

CONCLUSION
From the above report it is being understood that for every company marketing plays a
vital role in influencing the decision of company. It should be monitored, reviewed and
continuously evaluated to ensure the success of company in various given situation as it helps in
reaching to prospective customers and turning them into full and final customers for company
products and services. It helps company in increasing sales which directly affects the revenue
generated as more company reaches out to its customers, the more the customers reach out for
same brand. It simply helps in creating product and services with best chances of making profits,
which takes into consideration target customers, what is that competition is doing and what
trends prevail in market.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Haryanto, J. and Suhaimi, H., 2020, September. Increasing revenue using a marketing plan on a
geotracker product based on the business coaching method. In Contemporary Research
on Business and Management: Proceedings of the International Seminar of
Contemporary Research on Business and Management (ISCRBM 2019), 27-29
November, 2019, Jakarta, Indonesia (p. 48). CRC Press.
Jacquemin, A. and De Jong, H.W., 2016. European industrial organisation. Macmillan
International Higher Education.
Jain, P., 2016. Resistance to Change in an Organisation. Available at SSRN 2740232.
Tien, N.H., Long, N.T. and Phuong, D.T., 2018Price policy in international marketing
comparative analysis between Samsung and Apple.
Wu, Y.L. and Li, E.Y., 2018. Marketing mix, customer value, and customer loyalty in social
commerce. Internet Research.
Wuryandani, S., Ismoyowati, D. and Nugrahini, A.D., 2018. STP analysis in marketing
pigmented rice as functional food. KnE Life Sciences, pp.128-135.
Yang, M., 2018. International entrepreneurial marketing strategies of MNCs: Bricolage as
practiced by marketing managers. International Business Review. 27(5). pp.1045-1056.
Online
A Study on STP strategy of Apple.Inc. 2018[Online]. Available
through<https://www.slideshare.net/SubhradeepBhattachar2/a-study-on-stp-strategy-of-
apple-inc>
Apple Marketing Mix: 4P’s.2017[Online]. Available
through<https://notesmatic.com/2017/02/apple-marketing-mix-4ps/>
Apple Mission statement and Vision statement.2019[Online]. Available
through<https://fourweekmba.com/apple-mission-statement-vision-statement/>