A recent survey taken during the release of the iPhone 4 uncovered an astounding 77% of the purchases were upgrades. This type of brand loyalty is coveted by just about any product business and so I began to look at the reasons why I believe people are drawn to Apple and their products. They are what I like to call the 6 P’s of Apple’s Brand Loyalty.
*Presentation From the store to the product itself, Apple is simply sexy. The store is simple to navigate through and gives you an opportunity to touch all the devices and play around with them. From loyal customers to new customers walking through, it’s exciting to tell others “I’m going to the Apple store” which is shared through phone calls, status updates and one on one conversations, spreading the recommendations of the brand across the masses. There are easy to watch Apple videos that also present the products in a way that by the time you get the product in your hand, you pretty much know exactly how to use it. And of course, the presentation of the product itself. People are proud to have apple products. Like a hot mate, people love to show them off.
*Packaging How can you ignore the packaging? Unwrapping a new Apple product is a joy in and of itself.
*Performance Since moving all technology in my home to Apple, the performance of all devices have been phenominal to say the least. Everything works and rarely, and I mean rarely, do I need to do something to tweak it.
*Painless You could argue the cost of Apple products is painful, because it is. Not dealing with headaches of installing anti-virus software and all the little hoops you have to jump through just to get your devices to work properly and communicate with each other though, relieves the pain at the register.
*Proven Apple customers are excited to share the quality of their products because they love the fact that they don’t experience the same headaches as PC users. As I experience stories from other Apple customers and the fact that their Apple products work, I’m continuously sold on the brand as I hear others affirm my own findings through their experience.
*Posse All of these P’s lead to happy customers which in turn lead to people talking. As you begin to purchase Apple products you’re excited because now you can join in on the conversation. It feels like family. Like a posse.
(Kirsten of Kirsten Alana Photography with her new iPhone 4)