At my day job yesterday I was teaching a business oriented English class and came across the topic of marketing.
I decided to put a little spin on things and asked my student “What is the first company that comes to mind when you think of great marketing?”
She immediately answered “APPLE!”
She was totally right. Apple does have fantastic marketing. As a result we did some research on Apple’s marketing techniques and watched awesome commercials like these in order to make the class a little more interesting.
By the end of the day I was ready to test my research and bought a Mac.
Ok, I’m lying. Did you really think I would spend that much money on a computer to test some theories? Truth is I had my eye on a Mac for quite some time and finally had sufficient funds where I would not drown myself in debt or end up financially crippled. I can also use it as a major tax deduction for my freelancing business and they are Energy Star Certified. Furthermore, since my extra income comes from digital media, I figured I would go with the product known for, well, digital media.
So I bought one.
In fact I had planned for this so well that I was even able to book my flight to California in June (I’m a bridesmaid for one of my greatest college friends) and still have sufficient funds left over for investing.
All of this on a language instructor’s salary and extra income from freelance writing and running websites.
(If you would like to read some of my tips on how to set up successful financial savings goals check out my guest post for The Real Post Grad).
Anyway, say hello to my latest tax deduction.
And now that I can actually vouch for some of Apple’s claims, I will proceed to explain what YOU can learn from Apple’s marketing techniques and how to implement them in your blogging and side hustles.
Regardless of whether you are Mac or PC fan, one thing is certain: everyone can at least appreciate the marketing genius that is put into every product Apple makes.
What Aspiring Entrepreneurs Can Learn From Apple
1. Apple found their hook.
Let’s face it, Apple hasn’t come up with any new technology. Everything Apple does, PCs can also do and probably for much less. So why is Apple so successful? Simple. They found a hook.
They took something that already existed and put their own spin on it. Simple as that.
How To Use It: Ever heard the phrase “nothing is new under the sun?” It’s basically true, especially on the internet. So how do you overcome a saturated market like blogging or digital entrepreneurship? You find your hook. Your niche. Your unique voice.
This may require some thought, but should come out eventually because every person is a unique individual.
2. Design is essential.
The other thing that makes Apple great is their design. Whether it’s their packaging, their website, or the actual product, Apple’s design is unbeatable. In other words, even the damn boxes are pretty.
How to Use It: Don’t go cheap on your blog or website’s design. Remember, this is a representation of you, so if your design is crappy it basically reflects that you are crappy (especially since most of your readers and clients have probably never met you). I personally recommend Catalyst because it’s sleek, simple, easy to use, cost effective and totally customizable.
3. The entire experience must be pleasant.
From the moment you open the box to the second you need to call customer support, Apple strives to make the consumer experience as painless and pleasant as possible. It goes something like this:
Pretty Packaging -> Pretty (and fast) Product -> Pleasant People
They also make things incredibly easy for you. My Mac was completely set up in half an hour, where as setting up a brand new PC could have been a day long event.
How To Use It: I already discussed the importance of packaging and design, now we need to talk about content and interaction. Strive to make your reader’s (or client’s) experience as painless and and as pleasant as possible. Offering advice, responding to comments and emails, and being genuinely interested in their satisfaction are good places to start.
4. Keep it simple.
Mac makes people’s lives easier. Period. Point blank. In fact, one of the things I had to get used to was precisely that it was so freakin’ easy to use.
How do they translate this into their marketing? By using simple, short, and effective messages. From their slogans (“Think Different.”) to their product descriptions (“Revolutionary phone. Widescreen Ipod. Breakthrough Internet Device.”) Apple just gets straight to the point.
How to Use It: Don’t convolute your message. Whether it’s a blog post, a proposal, or a letter going out to potential sponsors, do not make your message more complicated than it has to be. People like answers fast and don’t like to have their time wasted, so just give it to them straight (Note: this by no means implies a a lack of professionalism or tact).
5. Let your consumers market for you.
You’ve probably noticed that those individuals who own a Mac swear by them. The mere thought of switching back to a PC may even induce an episode of hives.
Seriously though, Mac owners end up doing a good portion of Apple’s marketing for free. Macs even have entire blogs dedicated to everything Apple and it’s corresponding fanatics (i.e. Cult of Mac).
How does Apple do this? They keep their customers happy and adhere to their needs. They also keep everyone guessing, hence there is some sort of new product coming out every few months.
How to Use It: You will get word of mouth marketing by making your readers/clients happy. Provide quality content, listen to their needs, interact, encourage participation and most of all have fun. The free marketing will come before you know it.
And there you have it. Five Mac marketing lessons that will surely help you succeed in your entrepreneurial endeavors.
What are some of the ways you all market your blog or business?
P.S. Did you honestly think I would forget to take a stereotypical multi-colored photo booth picture?
Seems simple enough, doesnt it, but it can be a real challenge to apply each of these tips to your own product/blog/business. Especially ‘keep it simple’ – it’s so easy to get caught up in diversifying your product that you lose track of the essence of what you are trying to accomplish.
This is very true! People get so frazzled and excited that they forget to take baby steps.
I’m glad you’ve got this down pat!
Haha yeah let’s see how we apply this to our own business
These are some awesome ideas that are applicable in various realms of business/blogging. Thanks for the advice =) you’ve definitely got me thinking!
You’re welcome! I’m glad you enjoyed it