Marketing Apple: Secrets of the World's Best Marketing Machine

iPhone 4 Launch day photos

I managed to get my iPhone at the AT&T store in the mall this morning and I was the only customer there. Walking down a few feet I was greeted with this scene at the Apple store:

Later in the day I checked back and still many people were waiting - one guy since 9 am - in the hopes that some iPhones would be left after the reserved phones were sold.

One interesting but important point in marketing iPhone 4: the Apple reps in the store were taking as long as required to help customers get comfortable with their new device and were not in any rush at all despite the long lines. To me Apple has discovered that while today's shiny new iPhone 4 will someday become obsolete, the customer experience will linger on forever.

Sent from my iPhone

Apple's Marketing Strategy influences Business Strategy

Apple has long focused on providing the best user experiences in the world.  The original Mac team labored over making the computer hide the complexity of the software underneath in order to become the "Computer for the Rest of Us."  The same is true of course for the iPad, iPhone and iPods. What looks easy to use is of course very hard to create. 

An interesting story today in the Wall Street Journal about how this focus on great user experiences dovetails with Apple's M&A activity.  This all goes back to the desire to do one thing better than everyone else - and that starts with focus.

While Apple could improve lots of other consumer experiences it can't allow itself to be defocused or the areas where it does apply its magic may not succeed.

All entrepreneurs should take note: fix something that's broken by focusing on making whatever came before much easier.  The market will follow.