Apple Inc.’s sales and promotional efforts are focused towards profit maximization over short-term investments. This is mainly because of the short life-cycle of technological in today’s competitive and innovative market (VanCamp, Faisal, Dora & Lanera, 2012, p. 57). The company uses coupons and rebates as part of its promotional efforts; however, these two are offered subject to the end-user purchasing Apple Inc.’s products from a qualified retailer.
Apple Inc. also uses packaging to grow its brand. The packaging of most of its products is meant to depict sobriety in terms of environmental conservation. The company uses vegetable inks and pulp made from consumer streams to design its packaging material (VanCamp, Faisal, Dora & Lanera, 2012, p. 57). By doing so, the company seeks to tap into the growing trend of green consumerism.
This company does not have a loyalty program; the closest thing is has to this is its rewarding of first clients. After this initial purchase, the company lets its customer loyalty grow organically without the use of any program (Segall, 2012, p. 82). This is an effective strategy because in such a situation the client’s loyalty is voluntary and hence longer lasting than what would be achieved through loyalty programs.
Apple Inc. uses personal selling as part of its promotional mix. The sales people outside the United States are drawn from the host cultures (O’Grady, 2008, p. 41). This subsequently means that this people add value to the company’s products since they understand the diversity and uniqueness of the specific markets targeted.
The company uses cause marketing as part of its public relations. This form of marketing involves a partnership between the company and a non-profit organization to achieve mutual goals. For example, the company participates in the Product Red cause marketing campaign. As part of this campaign, the company’s clients can contribute directly to help reduce HIV/AIDS prevalence in Africa. A striking product offered by Apple Inc. as part of this campaign is the Red iPod which was retailed at $ 199; and for each purchase $ 10 went to support the fight against HIV/AIDS in the African continent (O’Grady, 2008, p. 63).
Apple Inc. has a website which, in my opinion, is considerably appealing. This is because the website provides the information required on various products such as pricing and usage. The website also allows for technical support for the end-user which is necessary for a company dealing in technological products. The color scheme of the website, which is mainly grey, is meant to appeal to clients from various age groups. Hence why Apple did not use bright colors as they would look too young or significantly dull colors they would look too old.
Sponsorships help show a company’s commitment to supporting activities that promote development in the society. Apple Inc. offers sponsorships as part of its corporate social responsibility. Sponsorship requests are received via a single email; the reason for this is to ensure fairness and that all requests get an equal opportunity for review and approval. The company also organizes trade events and seminars, and information on when and where these are happening can be retrieved from the company’s website.
In my opinion, Apple Inc. retains its customers through continued innovation and product differentiation to fit consumers’ expectations. As a market leader, the company ensures that it either comes up with the latest products or quickly innovates to catch up with market trends. As a result, the clients are always at ease that Apple Inc. has the answers to their technological needs.
Works Cited
O’Grady, J. (2008). Apple Inc. (Corporations that Changed the World). Connecticut: Greenwood Publishers
Segall, K. (2012). Insanely Simple: The Obsession that Drives Apple’s Success. New Jersey: Wiley
VanCamp, B., Faisal, A., Dora, J. & Lanera, J. (2012). Apple Inc. New York: CreateSpace
