As brands go, Apple is that rare breed that goes beyond. Apple makes… no, let me rephrase that… Apple creates consumer products that people don’t just want, but desire with a fervor bordering on religious.  Consumers who purchase Apple products simply feel that they can’t live without a particular Apple product – they need their Apple “fix.”

The latest problem they’re having with their new IPhones is meaningless. Why? Because facing this type of consumer desire, Apple can do no wrong.  Apple, so far, has devised the ultimate brand. And they’ve arrived at the “Holy Land” of a brand – creating an obsessive desire within a consumer’s heart and mind for a particular product or service which only “they” can fulfill. Look at the pilgrimage that all the Appleites make to their favorite church (the Apple Store) to get the latest products. (By the way I just added Appleites to the dictionary on my word processor.)

The obsessive – albeit positive relationship consumers have with Apple, and human nature being so “human” makes it difficult to exactly identify what Apple does to make them what they are. (If it was easy all product makers would be doing it.) One of the things that I believe makes Apple different is in their having an exceptionally relevant knack for creating and delivering on products that touch the heart of the people who feel they “think different” while validating that “different thinking.” And really, who deep down doesn’t like to believe that they think different - in a good way, regardless if you use Apple stuff or not.

Then again, it could be as simple as this: People love the products Apple makes because Apple truly loves the products that it makes. As I recall, Steve Jobs and Apple didn't set out to "put a computer on every desktop, running so-and-so software," Apple's desire was to change the world.

With all the social-this-and-social-that hoopla, Apple seems instinctively to know “social” maybe better than any other company. An example would be to simply look at the “app” craze; Apple has mainstreamed the term. It’s part of our culture and our language now.  There are apps for so many of our own personal tastes that one really can’t help but think any other way than “hey, that’s an app for me.” Take a peek at an app called Bump.  It takes the personal side of social to a whole new level.  Apple’s apps are about as viral (and consistently so) as viral can get.  People feel that whatever Apple makes, it's exclusively for us - not them.

One of the most over-used and over-hyped marketing terms has been “user experience.” Apple is one of the few brands  who truly delivers on this term. They’ve done this by capturing, holding and tantalizing not quite all, but most, of our 5 senses with their product offerings in tandem with an aura of longing for more. Apple products take the user somewhere. The majority of consumer products out there are lucky if they deliver a positive engagement to even one of our senses.

With Apple, it's a ballet of seduction, not selling, because they can. And, seducing is a lot more fun.

Apple, you could say, is the Di Vinci or Michelangelo of the digital age. You generally don’t look at the work done by these guys - you experience and are taken in by them. So don’t be surprised if someone finds an IPad in one of the Vatican’s vaults under Divine Artifacts somewhere down the road.

But, like anything else, powerful brands and religions have come and gone, so we’ll see.For now though, one thing is sure, Apple does “think different” and millions of consumers love it.

By the way, I read that Apple’s market cap has surpassed Microsoft’s - how about them Apples.

This useless observation brought to you courtesy of Blackball Online Marketing, home of the Pittsburgh Online Marketing Technologist.

Pittsburgh Social Media Marketing Campaign Strategies

Having completed the planning of your Social Media Marketing Campaign/s it’s time to take a look at your company’s core competencies and shortcomings. The SWOT analysis has been used as a business tool for some time and is a good barometer for analyzing your business. While Social Media is the focus of this series of posts, this analysis tool can be used for any number of business projects.

Being very honest with yourself and using cautious measurement will serve you well here. We like to underestimate slightly for unforeseen factors that arise thus giving us a real world scenario and a better overall picture of how a campaign will perform.

THE SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING MIX – ANALYSIS

Go through the SWOT chart with all the parties involved and see where you stand in these areas. A much clearer picture will develop about where your management and employees stand and if they’re on board. This is where your Social Media Campaign starts to take shape and where it gets fun.

If there is a consensus that the company has the required skills to proceed then you can look at ways to leverage your Strengths to drive this Social Marketing campaign. During your analysis Opportunities will present themselves, be sure to document them. When analyzing weaknesses look for ways to turn these into strengths. If extra training is required a third party Social Media Consultant may be an option for you. Turn threats into opportunities by identifying them and devoting resources to combat or overcome them.

YOUR CHOICE OF SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS

Your choice of social media sites depends on your current customers, the resources identified in your SWOT analysis and the location of your targeted demographic. Many of these sites require considerable time while others are simply channels of distribution for your content. Consider your time investment and the ability to consistently maintain support for them all. We always recommend starting with a few Social Media channels until you have developed a sufficient proficiency with them and then add channels as you move on or see opportunities. Just remember your consistency and commitment to your Social Media Campaigns will ultimately determine their success.

A great article on the list of links and tools is available at http://www.fredcavazza.net/2008/06/09/social-media-landscape/.

Pittsburgh Social Media Marketing Campaign Strategies

Okay, you have a website that's been well designed and SEO’d for your keywords. Other On Page SEO has been implemented and your site is Indexed in Google and the other major search engines. Your content has been optimized as well as validated. Your backlinking strategy is in place and continuously being improved. What about Social Media?

There are hundreds or thousands of social media websites out there. Which ones should you choose? Facebook? Linked in? Twitter? MySpace? YouTube? Yahoo Buzz? Google Buzz? Mixx? Reddit? Digg? Sphinn? Technorati? BlogCatalog? Stumble upon? Scribd? Twaango? De.li.cio.us? Squidoo? Leapfish? Orkut? I think you start to see the problem.

The Social Media Jungle

THE SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING MIX - PLANNING

Do you have a PR department? Most small businesses say no. But we say, yes you do. Your Public Relations department is every owner, partner, employee, customer, supplier, and person who knows about your business. That’s the beauty of Social Media.

Your Social Media Marketing mix is the combination of the Social Media sites that you use and the frequency in which you use them. Any good campaign starts with a plan, this is no different for Social Media Marketing or SMM. Looking deeper into Social Media as a strategy is Social Media Optimization or SMO. Before we analyze any sites we must first look at the resources at hand that can be leveraged for your campaign. Once you have a firm grasp of the time and talent you're willing to dedicate then you're ready to move on to analyzing your audience.

When giving a speech, the first rule is to know your audience. This is key in social media as well. What forms of social media does your audience use? Running a Twitter campaign when your target market is all on Facebook won’t help nearly as much. Are there trade specific forums available? This is information you should already have. If you don't, just look at the main keywords you use for your advertising. Your customers themselves can be a valuable tool as well. Just ask them.

Marketing and Advertising on the Internet through Social Media is still based on sound fundamental principles. Good customer service, responsiveness, and a clear and consistent message should be the main themes of any marketing or advertising campaign. Just remember, unrealistic expectations ruin marketing campaigns. Be prepared to invest plenty of time and energies and you will reap the rewards.

Blackball Online Marketing specializes in social media campaigns for small businesses in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. We also provide social media consulting to help you get started or to take your use of Social Media to the next level.