What continues to impress me about Apple’s Marketing is their attention to detail. In the Internet age, they understand that people go online to research products and get questions answered rather than calling a vendor’s sales person and certainly before walking into a retail store. When Apple released the iPhone, their 20 minute “How To Use the iPhone” video was a stroke of genius. Of course, I downloaded it, even although I had no intention of buying the iPhone. But it acquainted me with the product, it gave me a good understanding of why it’s innovative and even watching someone else using it is much better than me not seeing the product in use at all.
Another case in point: When Apple announced iLife’08 today, the usage video was immediately available for download from their site. Even although the download is a whopping 700MB and I have no intention of upgrading, I downloaded and watched it. Good for Apple to understand how to market to me, because me not being a buyer today does not mean I won’t be one tomorrow. After all, I’m a fickle consumer — I might change my mind right now!
Why don’t other companies market that way?
Case in point: Epson. My Canon ink jet printer is about to die and I need to buy a new one. Being a photography buff means I want to be able to print nice, big prints. Printers for wide prints are not cheap, let alone the ink they will consume. Of course, I research online and as always, I have questions. My first place to look for answers is on the vendor’s web site by downloading the product manual, since this is where you often find the answers. No problem with HP and Canon, but Epson does not have their manual online! Why not? How much does it cost them to put it on their website? Or do they think customers don’t bother with manuals any longer? Hey, I’m not even looking for videos, just a cheap manual! Come on, Epson, if you don’t know how to market to prospective buyers, just copy Apple!
The Internet is cheap, it’s available 24/7, so it sure beats me why companies don’t give it their best Marketing effort to reach out to consumers…
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