Uop Mkt 421: Marketing Plan Phase I

Marketing Plan Phase I MKT 421 April 14, 2013 Lisa Cox Marketing Plan Phase I Organizational Overview â€Å"Apple ignited the personal computer revolution in the 1970s with the Apple II and reinvented the personal computer in the 1980s with the Macintosh. Today, Apple continues to lead the industry in innovation with its award-winning computers, OS X operating system and iLife and professional applications. Apple is also spearheading the digital media revolution with its iPod portable music and video players and iTunes online store, and has entered the mobile phone market this year with its revolutionary iPhone (Apple, 2013). This mission statement provides a quick overview of Apple and how the company has become a well-known name in many homes and businesses around the world. The main company store is located in Cupertino, California, but the service does not stop there. There are 390 retail stores open around the world (Campbell, 2012), and the internet has provided Apple with the ability to fulfill the supply and demand of its products to anyone, anywhere. The ability to provide products to individuals all over the world is important to a company with many different product lines.Apple provides consumers with a variety of products that range from iPods, iTunes, iMacs (laptops and desktops), iPads (tablets), iPhones, Apple TV, iCloud (virtual storage), and many other accessories and applications for all of these product lines (Apple, 2013). However, the one product Apple has yet to release is the iTooth, a wireless ear piece for talking on the phone, listening to music, and several other tasks. New Product Description The iTooth headset features extremely compact and light-weight construction, voice activated calling and answering, fast recharge, wideband audio and dual Noise Blackout microphones.The headset is compatible with all iPhone’s and other Apple products and provides additional support for advanced Bluetooth features such as call waiting and voice-activated dialing. Just pair the iTooth with your Apple devices and enjoy the rewards that are in store. Since the iTooth is voice activated there is no need to push a button anymore, to answer the phone just simply speaks what you want it to do and the iTooth will do everything for you. When you connect the iTooth to your Apple device you are going to have a secure connection.No need to worry about the device losing your connection to the iTooth. We are introducing the new Importance of Marketing If any business is to be successful, it must announce or make known its product to the potential buyers. After all, Gillette, the founder of the Gillette razor empire was fond of saying â€Å"All business is 90% advertising. † With Apple it is no different. For us to be successful, consumers must know about our product, its advantages over competition and what makes Apple different from other companies that are in the same marketplace.Essentially, marketing for Apple allows o ur name to be constantly on the consumers’ minds, to be associated with high quality, innovative products that are cool and hip. If the marketing strategy is executed properly, chances are that will be reflected with higher sales for Apple. Essentially, marketing develops a strategy that directs a company’s resources to expand its products, and is thus fundamental in the company’s success. That is exactly what is happening with the introduction of the Bluetooth for Apple.By introducing this new product, all the while marketing it in conjunction with our existing products, most notable the iPhone, we anticipate our sales to increase accordingly. Additionally, we expect to increase our customer base with the Bluetooth technology. To get the full effect of marketing, Apple will incorporate a yearly, all-encompassing plan for the entire business, with special focus the Bluetooth technology. Basically, marketing will expose all our potential customers to our new prod uct, which will give Apple an opportunity to be successful and proceed in further product development and introduction.Additionally, with solid marketing strategy, Apple will continue to solidify itself as a strong brand name that is easily recognizable and reputable, all the while being associate with innovative technology and the cool factor. SWOTT Analysis Strengths One strength of the iTooth Headset is that it is an apple product so it is already considered socially and publically acceptable to consumers. There are several features that will help with the success of its launch: -It is Lightweight, for a comfort fit. It will not feel heavy or cause discomfort to the consumer. Voice activated dialing to allow users to speak to device to make phone calls and answer them too! -Supports call waiting and voice-activated dials for added benefit. – Fast recharge so you do not have to wait a long time to recharge your iTooth, it will help safe time. -Wideband audio is to allow you several feet away from your mobile device. This will allow you to walk and talk around your home or work office. You can be hands free to perform some of the other tasks you need hands for. -Dual noise blackout microphones allows for clearer conversations. You will only hear you and your caller’s conversations.It can slice out decibels of background noise. -It is compatible with all Apple iPhones. Weaknesses A weakness the iTooth may have is that not everyone is well versed in the use of the voice activation feature on phones today so it will be a little more difficult to get those challenging consumers to get used to answering the phone without using a button. Voice activated answering is going to need a little getting used to since it is a new feature process. -Voice activated answering, not everyone may understand or know how to do this function, especially those who are mobile and technically challenged. Secure connection when connecting an iPhone to the iTooth may not b e as secure as the user hopes, if they are challenged technically. Opportunities An opportunity I see in the devices would be the voice answering function. Being it is a new feature, there is a possibility another person’s voice that is nearby may interfere or answer your phone call for you. How is the organization going to reassure the consumer that it is specifically the owner (users) voice that is going to answer the call and not someone else? -Voice activated answering may be difficult to answer at first when trying to use the function for the first time.There may be a learning curve associated with it. -Phone losing connection to iTooth. What is the guarantee this will not happen? Threats There are other competitors who are also launching the same time of product and provide similar functionality. We need to make sure that we are marketing or show off all the pluses this product can do so we do not lose consumers to other competitors. -What will make this product stay ou t from other competitors? Marketing Research Approach To complete its marketing research Apple will employ various kinds of marketing research.From market research surveys and focus groups, to individual interviews, observation, and field tests. The essential statistics required are how much money Apple customers are prepared to pay for iTooth. Based that information our marketing strategy will be composed. The surveys will be to the point and clear-cut; that way we can study sample groups that symbolize the ideal market. The bigger the model, the more trustworthy our outcome will be. This will permit us to present the public with models of the product based on what the study groups liked.In-person surveys are very useful, but however they are expensive. Our marketing tactics are detailed with day to day course of action. This decision is necessary to achieve the desired marketing approach. The new Apple Bluetooth will seek to increase sales by introducing the new products in the ma rket; the buyer base will grow when customers buy this new product. At the same time, old customers will be drawn to iTooth, as they see new ground-breaking features in the most recent product. This also will add to the sales, which will ultimately boost Apple’s profitability.Another way of increasing sales is to go after the â€Å"occasion shopper†, especially during the holidays. Marketing research is any well thought-out attempt to collect data in relation to market and customers. It is an extremely important component of the overall business approach. The expression is frequently interchanged with marketing research; though, specialist practitioners may want to draw a difference, in that advertising analysis is concerned particularly in relation to marketing procedures, whereas market research is worried specially with advertising.Market research is another key aspect. The marketing research provides a business an clear image of what kind of new creations and produ ct could fetch revenue. For merchandise and services already obtainable, marketing research will be able to tell Apple if they are meeting their customers’ wishes and anticipations. By researching the response to a detailed inquiry, Apple will be able to gain knowledge whether they should alter their marketing plan or tweak their delivery technique in order to satisfy customer demand and wishes.Apple’s customers are the most important element on advertising plan of a business and general public wants are to be studied in great detail. After all, if the customers are not satisfied, there will be no profits. These marketing plains ought to begin with a gaze at the important â€Å"customers â€Å"and their desires. When Apple starts research into the potential customers, the demographics that they will concern themselves with the most will be disposable income. Most of this data is available online, especially through various government websites.Additionally most of thi s data is fresh, as it uses the 2010 census to arrive at the necessary data. Quite often, the Department of Commerce will also have quite a bit of useful info that Apple desires in order to pinpoint its ideal customers. References Apple. (2013). Apple History. Retrieved from http://www. apple-history. com/faq#faq_1500 Apple. (2013). Product Images and Info. Retrieved from http://www. apple. com/pr/products Campbell, M. (2012). Apple to open up to 35 new retail stores in 2013. Retrieved from http://www. appleinsider. com/articles/12/10/31/up-to-35-new-apple-stores-set-to-open-in-2013