Ch. 11 - Developing and Managing Products

Product Development 

 A new product takes a very long time to come to life and when we are getting a new product on the market chances are the company is already working on or has already been working on a new one.  Products define a company and if your products are as good as you claim they are and live up to the public's expectations then that company is very likely to succeed. 

Apple has been known for their product development and how exciting it is for their fans every time a new product is launched. By having unique and luxurious products Apple makes you proud in owning one of their product and make their fans go " crazy " for them to the point of making lines for days outside of their stores. 

Apple is one of the most the innovative company there is and they know their consumers well and give them what they want every single time no matter which product is launched, from their iPhones to their iPads to their Macs. They never fail to impress a big part of their Market. 

Ch. 18 - Social Media and Marketing

Apple's Lack of Social Media

Apple is knowing by its high standard, and as mentioned on my previous blog, for their uniqueness. Social Media is not something they wanted to change I assume. When you go to almost every website there many icons where you can click to " share " the product or their page on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest .. the list goes on, and they are usually visible. If you go to the Apple website, you can say that the feature does not exist even though it does. Being that they keep their image as high end, maybe all those little icons might seem " tacky " in such website. 

The lack of  use of social media has obviously not impacted Apple in any way. Apple's executive do not blog and barely use twitter and most certainly are going around advertising their Facebook Pages. Steve Job didn't even have a Twitter though their new CEO created one but as said above barely makes any use of it. 

As big as social media is these days Apple has not gotten to the point of using it and as we all know, it has not made a difference in their sale. I believe Apple's customer to the marketing for them by posting pictures of their new bough Apple products and talking about them to friends, family and on the social networks. 

 

Ch. 10 - Product Concept

Apple's Branding & Concept

Apple's key to their success has been their uniqueness.When you buy any of their product you know that you can't get anything like it at another place. From their high end physical materials to their unique software. Their " Think Different " campaign definitely relates to their products, when you are using any of them you are required to think different. 

Apple's has made their homework to make complex simple. Their products are simple to use but at the same time you look at it and it may seem complex which is what makes them different. Steve Job once said " the best technology is invisible, things work like magic " and many of the features of the Apple's software makes you feel like that. Apple has been very unique and different from their competitors and have stayed on top of their game even when not everyone agree on their uniqueness. One thing is certain, UNIQUE has worked for them . 

Apple's logo is recognized worldwide without needing to put their name under it. When you go to their retail Store most of them if not all of them only have their " APPLE "  logo in the front which lets us know how successful they are. They take branding to another level from their logo, their retail store, online store and all the way to how their products are packed. The Apple experience does not end on the purchasing, the unpack-aging experience is pretty amazing as well. 

Ch. 17 - Personal Selling and Sales Management

Selling - Personal  & Management 

In order to be successful selling a product a company's personal selling must be at its best. 

When you walk into any Apple retailer, or at least from my experience, all the employees are hands on with the products. One must know the product very well in order to have the " personal selling " side of their company well managed. 

Apple trains their employees to make their customers feel at home and even when you are not buying they make you feel very important. When you buy an Apple product their employees make you feel as if your coming into a new family where you are going to be taken care of as long as the life of the product and I believe they stay true to that . +

Apple's Genius Bar is a key element to their selling, I personally buy their product because there is a comfort in knowing that if anything is wrong with the product you purchase you can just make an appointment or walked into one of their retail store. 

Even before getting to the point of using the Genius Bar, when you buy a product Apple as stations set up so that the representative that assisted you in your purchase can help you set up the product. Apple also has workshops to help you learn how to use the product you purchase and how to transition from Microsoft Products to their Mac software.