3 Marketing Reminders with the Release of Apple iPhone 5S and 5C
Apple announced this week the soon to be released iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C. Whether you are a die-hard fan of all things Apple or not you know the brand and their story. As I was reading through the multitudes of articles about the phone's new features and whether it warranted an upgrade several of the new features reminded me of good principles to keep in mind as a marketer.
1. Color - Gold (and Yellow, Blue, Pink, and Green) Cases - Traditionally Apple has only offered phones with white and black exteriors. With the release of the new phones you can now express your individuality with new, more vivid options.
Marketers - While on its face it may not seem like much, it does serve as a reminder that customers are individuals. They like to have a personalized experience. Don't lump them into obvious mass communication. Make sure you are treating them like individuals by doing everything you can to segment and personalize your messaging to them. However you are communicating with your customers and prospects, do everything you can to make sure they feel like you are communicating with them on a one-to-one level. Make them feel like you are hand writing a letter just for them.
2. 5C - While Apple is trying to grow its share of the mobile market by offering its new lower level phone they do so at the risk of alienating their current devotees and doing harm to the brand. iPhones have always had an extremely devoted base of users with a strong sense of community and an expectation of superior customer service and quality. People know instantly you are a fellow fan with the bright shining apple on the cover of the laptop or the instantly identifiable white EarPods. They understand that the price of that community and that customer experience comes with a higher price tag.
By entering into the budget brand phones they run the risk of cheapening the brand. The lower price point alongside changing the materials that make up the outside of the phone from glass to plastic starts up a conversation amongst its fans whereas to question these moves. God forbid one customer has a bad customer service experience and then goes online to connect that to their now cheap plastic phones. Apple must be sacrificing the values they built the company on in return for a larger piece of the pie. This is not a perception you want proliferated across the net by once rabid fans turned into rabid haters. Will it happen? We'll see
Marketers - Make sure you understand why your customers are loyal and build upon it. What are the qualities that make your products, services and brand in the mind of your customers? Make sure when making changes, whether its adding a new product, acquiring another company or discontinuing an offered service, that you are able to articulate to your customers what the change is, how it fits in with your company and its core values and strategy, and how it will impact them. Deliver them a succinct story.
3. Extended Battery Life - Even on the budget 5C model. Nothing surprising here. Seems every new mobile device is touting its longer life battery. More is always better. Right?
Marketers - Prospective customers most times want more for less - and even many times for free. Give them what they want. Give your customers and prospects more in the form of content. Give them something that makes their life easier or helps them solve a problem. Start by showing them you are a thought leader in your industry and continue by providing them with valuable content. The box that the iPhone comes in and the FCC information pamphlet are free with the purchase of the iPhone but I would argue they have little value. The EarPods on the other hand are a convenient tool that contribute to the experience of owning the iPhone. Make sure what you are giving them has value.
When it comes to marketing lessons this Apple product launch has gives us plenty of opportunities to look at what we're doing and how we're doing it when it comes to our own marketing. What do you think?
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