Question

Compare and contrast the selling and marketing concepts and tell me which you would recommend for a company like Apple. Choose one or two Apple products (ie. The iPhone or the iPad) and explain which approach would best generate revenue from their sales and why. In doing so, identify your target market and develop a value proposition to properly target them.

1. Define and describe the selling and marketing concepts.

2. Which Apple product(s) will you use to answer this question?

3. Describe your target segment of customers. What are their characteristics?

4. What is the value proposition you will use to focus on your target segment?

Answer 1

Comparison and contract between selling and marketing

1. Selling concept reveals taking an action to sell products and services against monetary profit. Selling is a part of marketing function. Selling concept thus promotes an aggressive approach to sell the product. But the selling concept does not take into account actual needs of the customers.

On the other hand the marketing concept takes into account buyers needs. A company practicing marketing concept identifies target market characteristics, and needs of customers to make desired products and services. It also considers integrated marketing approach. Thus the marketing concept practiced by a company is oriented to satisfy the needs of customers and to gain competitive advantage against competitors. Marketing concept is extended to societal marketing concept where a company takes into account not only the customers’ needs and wants but welfare of society as well.

2. The product chosen is iPhone of Apple Company to recommend marketing or selling concept.

3. My target market will be high-end customers who are rich and afford to buy premium priced products. Such customers are ready to pay a premium price for technologically advanced iPhone. The target customers are rich males and females who earn high income. Their occupation can be professionals, or holding executive or managerial positions in the organization. The behavioral traits of these customers reveal that they desire benefits such as sense of achievement and expressing their achievements through mobile gadgets. They also require efficiency and quality in products. The life style reveals that the customers are in the category of successor, and aspirer. The social class is upper and middle class.

4. Value proposition of iPhone is proposed. ‘An iPhone with sleek design, enhanced security and bundle of features yet with ease of use’ is the value proposition. This value proposition reveals that there are extraordinary features that this iPhone has and enhanced security such as touch ID that is a major concern for professionals is provided. Ease of use and sleek design are also attractive features as the high-end customers want that mobile phones should be sleek to carry and must be easy to use.

With these features and benefits, certainly, selling approach cannot be applied because selling concept does not take into account needs of the customers. These features and benefits are provided only by analyzing the customers’ needs and thus marketing concept is feasible. The customers are achievers and they seek advanced phones to show their status. These needs of customers cannot be fulfilled by selling concept. Marketing concept identifies the needs of the customers and therefore, this concept is useful to market iPhone product of Apple company and to generate revenue from iPhone.