Blog 13: Segmenting and Targeting Markets

Apple targets people aged between 18-35 which mainly includes the youth population covering

students and young working professionals. Middle/Upper income folks who are willing to pay a bit more for a better user experience are also targeted.

People who like to have fun with technology. This includes people who like to shoot a lot of digital photos or video. It's the whole digital hub concept. People are starting to buy into it. 

Music enthusiasts and fans ages 12-35 and professionals in media and design. 

The first two groups do overlap, but it's a huge market. 

To further break this down Apple has a target market of  college and university students are also targeted by Apple Inc. These students use Apple Inc. products such as iPad's, MacBook's, iPhone's etc to quickly record notes. These notes are kept organized in their devices. Also these products are light which makes carrying devices to and from school much easier. 

Apple Inc. also targets health enthusiasts. The company now makes the health app one of the core features in their previous and latest releases on their devices. 

Blog 12: Developing and Managing Products

Apple the master of creating and developing products. Focuses on the consumer end of the business, complementing an individuals style. The key factors that differentiates Apple from that of its competitors is form utility. Developing and creating and attractive product is sort of like a religion at Apple; this is what they believe in.

Every thing about the product is beautiful from the operating system iOS and the external features of the product. The Mac book and iPhones, perfect examples.

Blog 11: Services and Nonprofit Organization Marketing

Apple Inc. offer a wide variety of services. Each differs and caters to every consumer's specific needs.
Apple's Genius bar a tech station where a special trained support team help the customers with hardware or software problems.

In every Apple store their products are set in a way that as you enter you can find what you want quickly without going through a hassle searching for it

Apple is apart of a large organization name Product Red where they raise money by creating products that feature the Product (RED) brand on it.

Apple's (RED) products

Blog 10: Product Concepts

As it relates to product concepts and apple, the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus may be classified as a specialized product due to the fact that consumer will have a to relatively spend a bit more to get it. Also to go out of their way to get it and will accept no substitute. The factor of lifestyle is important too because there is a wide selection of simpler inexpensive phone to choose from.

Singer Chris Brown with customized gold iPhone 6

Blog 9: Personal Selling and Sale Management

In every apple retail store you go into there there associate there that are trying to sell you the

products. They may not be aggressive  with their technique but after a brief conversation with them they'll make to consider to buy what was being talked about or any of the Apple products. The associates are properly trained therefore they're highly competent in customer service and knowledge of the products.

For sales management Apple 

 

Blog 8: Advertising, Public Relations and Sales Promotion

Apple does its advertisement through various channels. As of late the most popular one is the use of social media, Facebook and YouTube being the two favorable.

 Apple also have TV advertisements.

Various retailers and since recently banks are advertising Apple's products and services. This is called a cooperative advertisement.

As with regards to public relations where you don't have to pay for the spread of information about the company or any of the products and service. PR can also be used to address any ongoing issues with the company. An example of this was when iPhone 4 users where having their calls dropped because of where the antenna was located. Apple used the social media to address the problem. Sine recently with the new iPhones, they were reports that the phone can be easily bent and the new operating system, iOS 8 was giving aot of trouble. Apple address the issue with the same manner.

Released statement from Apple regarding the bending issue.

Blog 7: Marketing Channels and Retailing

Apple has multiple means and ways to properly market their products advertising through various channels is one way.
Apple has their own retail stores which by the way leaves you in awe with its exquisite presentation, it is a destination store where only they can provide specifics and certain services other retailers does not offer. The company also distributes their products via retailers such as best buy and major cell phone providers.

Also Apple uses the exclusivity technique or distribution; composing only one or few dealers within a given area. When Apple first introduced the iphones it was only available for purchase at AT&T only. They had exclusive arrangements only with that phone company. The issues with this strategy is that the phones were restricted only to AT&T customers and if you wanted to have one, one would have to join the company under contract which may be costly because then you would have to terminate the current contract with other companies and it usually comes with a fee.

Now Apple uses the selective distribution strategy block dealers and retailers to eliminate all but few in any single area.