Effective communication strategies are intended to form the foundation for maintaining strong connections with consumers as it paves the way for the business to operate efficiently towards the achievement of its goals. The most basic communication in companies is forged around the audience and message. In an environment where connections are clear, both reception and understanding each other’s messages become easy, thus fostering a synchronized system. In her article, Moorman (2018) discusses how innovative communication processes have helped Apple Inc. resolve customer-related issues and complaints. The main reason she holds that position is that through online platforms such as twitter, the company has been able to listen to customer needs and address them by tailoring and improving its products and services. The second reason Moorman holds the position is that constant communication serves as a valuable reinforcement that solidifies all the purchases that are made. By staying in touch with consumers after a sale, they can reinforce the benefits of their products so that they can address any problems that may arise. In the process, they have been able to lay a foundation for long-term relations leading to repeat sales, hence higher profits. The other reason is that they are also able to implement change in the version of the products they offer. In many cases, customer preferences change over time, and as such, establishing a good communication strategy helps the company adapt to their changing needs ( Moorman, 2018 ). Apple Inc has been able to rise above the expectations of other competitors in the market and deliver exceptional services to its consumers.
Sales
The author provides a comprehensive marketing communication mix to maintain high sales. Through the use of promotional methods, the company has been able to persuade members of the target market to purchase their products hence boost their sales. For instance, Apple’s Twitter strategy has given it an upper hand in the industry because they post a tip for users each day. Customers are, therefore, able to appreciate the company’s products because they get to discover new features they would not have known about. They also share tips through short videos and images, thus making it easy for people to share across social platforms. Through this strategy, individuals get to see that the company is not just focused on making sales, but also helping customers experience the full potential of their products ( Cornelissen, 2017 ). The firm also gains clarity and understands the evolving needs in the market. People tend to establish trust in firms that are flexible and can adapt to the changing business environment. Apple, therefore, gets new ideas from clients and, as such, has been able to make changes to the products and services it offers. Feedback from clients and response to their comments shows the latter that their opinion is valued and, as such, boosts customer loyalty.
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Value chain
For apple, proper communication channels have boosted its activities from the development stage to the launch of the product in the market ( Johnson et al., 2012 ). Internal communication channels have made operations more efficient from the assembling of raw materials, to sales and after-sale services. Apple understands that all these stages add value to their products and, as such, have put in place strategies to ensure it achieves them. Through these procedures, they can optimize the activities, reduce costs, and improve operational efficiency for better results.
Problems
Apple’s communication strategy is, however, not that perfect. According to research conducted by Cornelissen (2017) , Apple’s Facebook and Twitter accounts remain unused besides posting tips and ads. Its support on Twitter also remains open during U.S. business hours, and as such, other countries are not served efficiently. Support responds only in English, even though Apple’s products are used worldwide. The implication here is that people from other nationalities are not served unless they understand English. The account does not also discuss ongoing issues, such as the bugs in its systems. Support is only offered in a user community through the company’s website meaning new visitors are mostly left out of such forums. If they continue with the silent treatment, it may reduce their annual earnings and also their market share in the industry. The only way they can address this is by ensuring they offer real-time updates as they emerge and engage their users in social media platforms. The message should be tailored for target consumers and support team consistent in the way they communicate and address issues. Objectives should be set on what the company hopes to achieve through its strategies so that they can identify problems as they address customer needs ( Johnson et al., 2012 ).
Integration Techniques
In my former workplace, the management was facing communication issues, which led to poor dissemination of information and lack of teamwork. The company had been making losses because it lacked a proper strategy to reach out to the consumer market. There was limited interaction with its target market, and no follow-up made after-sales. Integrated media strategies, in this case, will enable it to set up digital communication structures and leverage opportunities. Since it applied a traditional model, the first step would be to adopt social media marketing as a means of establishing a connection with its consumers and target markets. By doing so, they would be conforming to the digital revolution of the 21 st century, and be able to access a new niche of audience. Through platforms like Twitter and Facebook, they will be able to boost their sales and improve customer loyalty as they exchange opinions and experiences of the products they offer ( Cornelissen, 2017 ).
References
Cornelissen, J. P. (2017). Corporate Communication: A Guide to Theory and Practice. California: Sage.
Johnson, K., Li, Y., Phan, H., Singer, J., & Trinh, H. (2012). The Innovative Success that is Apple, Inc.
Moorman, C. (2018). Why Apple Is Still A Great Marketer and What You Can Learn. Retrieved
https://www.forbes.com/sites/christinemoorman/2018/01/12/why-apple-is-still-a-great-marketer-and-what-you-can-learn/#73836aad15bd
