Apple Marketing Plan SWOT and Pestel Analysis

In order to understand the nature of the market Apple Inc operates in, a situational analysis has been done. This comprises of both A SWOT and PESTEL analysis. The SWOT analysis shows that the company prides itself in its strong market share in the U. S. , high numbers of revenue, high customer loyalty, and a strong brand. Across the world, since the beginning of the 21st century, a higher affinity for technology products has been on the rise. Apple Inc. , understanding this, has engaged in the manufacture of products aimed at targeting different segments of the market over the years. Its target market, therefore, includes millions of smartphone lovers across the world and organizations that rely on technology for day-to-day operations.

It’s no doubt, Apple Inc. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices with iPad. " iPhone X🅂 Description iPhone XS is the latest smartphone Apple Inc. has in the market. The product is an overall upgrade of all of its smartphone products. iPhone XR, which was introduced after iPhone XS has a better market share. When compared to other iPhone brands like iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus that account or about 30% of the market share, the general performance of iPhone XS is below par. The product, like previous smartphone brands by the company, was expected to attract the high-end market segment.

Unfortunately, customers have developed keen interests in the latest version of the brand, which was meant to target the lower-end segment of the market. This marketing plan aims to elevate the performance of iPhone XS in the market by focusing on key segments of the market. ’s products as expensive and only affordable to those who are associated with high-end lifestyles (Gardere, 2018). Economic uncertainties have also made it difficult for Apple to attract new customers. At the moment, the company relies greatly on return customers to generate sales in the U. S. and other strong economies. iPhone XS, for example, has almost similar features with iPhone 8 an iPhone 8 Plus. This makes it difficult for customers who already purchased or use iPhone 8 brand products to switch to iPhone XS products when features are almost similar.

Legal Analysis Apple’s move to introduce Apple Pay has introduced it to constant scrutiny from the regulators of the financial services sector (Liu & Mattila, 2018). This could result in increased levels of litigation. Furthermore, Apple Inc. Key Research Findings and Implications Apple Inc. as a company enjoys stronger customer loyalty in the U. S. Over the years, the company’s products have been widely bought and used. Customers view the company’s products as high-tech and opt to remain loyal to the different brands it has (Etzioni, 2018). S. government. Consumer Needs Analysis Apple Inc. consumers require products that are an upgrade of the previous versions. Each year, when Apple introduces new iPhone products, it is the expectations of the consumers that they include different features that are better than previous releases (Etzioni, 2018).

The second step of the decision process is searching for information about the available products. Afterward, consumers evaluate available alternatives. Since Apple products are widely accepted by consumers, they are the most viable option available. The next step is purchasing where the customers pay for the product. The last stage is the post-purchase behavior where customers indicate their level of satisfaction or dissatisfaction with the purchased product (Zheng & Jin, 2018). Marketing Goals and Objectives Goals Apple intends to provide stellar products and services to its customers within a tight timeframe at reasonable costs while creating value to shareholders. Objectives Objectives include; to increase the number of sales generated from the sale of iPhone XS by 10% in a year; to increase the market share of Apple Inc.

by 5% in a period of 1 year; to engage in marketing activities that create awareness for Apple’s products across the world; to improve customer loyalty in the global market through personalized customer service; and to enhance customer satisfaction through timely resolution of complaints, returns, and other issues. Marketing Strategies to Create Value Segmentation Strategy Thee are different ways in which Apple Inc. ’s market can be segmented. In terms of income, for instance, Apple targets those who are high earners. In terms of occupation, professionals and students are the most targeted. Additionally, Apple should engage in behavioral segmentation. This segmentation allows an organization to focus on the behavior of customers in general towards products. In this case, Apple can look at factors such s degree of loyalty, benefits sought, user status and personality of the customers.

It’s the latest apple device with the latest iOS software in the market. This falls within the product design and quality aspect of the positioning strategy to be adopted. Apple customers can also boost their loyalty by purchasing iPhone XS which is a valuable brand identity, just like other Apple products. In general, Apple gives customers the chance to associate with its products, which are described as luxurious. Based on this, the most appropriate positioning strategy is ‘luxury’ brand positioning (Payne, 2017). Its cameras are of high resolutions and can be enhanced to capture images in different settings. Like the latest version of iPhone products, it has a face ID that is faster. When compared to competing products from Huawei and Samsung, iPhone XS is faster in terms of response and has been incorporated with different features of artificial intelligence to make it outstanding.

This product seems to reinforce Apple Inc. ’s value proposition that its products are unique in design and its iOS operating system stands out among competitors. The strategy will take advantage of the brand’s position in the market to generate more sales. Through marketing activities, the brand is expected to generate loyalty, eliminate dissatisfaction, and emphasize the difference between iPhone XS and iPhone 8 series devices. To achieve this goal, marketing activities will be intensified globally to create more awareness. Pricing Strategy The pricing strategy adopted for this product is leadership pricing. The objectives of this strategy are to increase the volume of sales and increase the market share of the company. in the future and better wholesale prices and discounts for those that will generate more sales.

Promotion Strategy The company intends to engage in integrated marketing communication to push products in the market. The objective is to reach the penetrate different sections of the market and create awareness about iPhone XS products and related accessories. Television advertising will be used on local stations to create awareness in the majority of the viewers. Online marketing will also be utilized through the use of social media to target internet-savvy customers. They may, for instance, target other market segments with different strategies. Based on the evaluation of the strategies chosen, the competitors’ activities will have little effect on the company’s execution plan. Risk Analysis and Contingency Planning The main assumption made by the marketing team is that majority of the customers will be responsive to the company’s message.

Additionally, it is an assumption that competitors will not be aggressive in their response to this marketing plan. In terms of risk assessment, the threat of defective products may affect the company’s strategy. (2017, July). An examination of external risk factors in Apple Inc. ’s supply chain. In Supply Chain Forum: An International Journal (Vol. 18, No. , & Johnson, K. State control and the effects of foreign relations on bilateral trade.  Journal of Conflict Resolution, 63(2), 405-438. Stiglitz, J. E. , & Maman, Y. Consulting and Executive Coaching on Future Trends: The Need for a Long-Term Vision with Apple and Samsung.  International Journal of Business and Social Science, 9(3). Appendices Appendix 1 Performance of iPhone XS as at January 8, 2019 Appendix 2 Channel Penny Profit Calculation On average, each retail store will be provided with 1000 devices of iPhone XS.