Microsoft Marketing Strategy: Empowering the Digital Revolution

Microsoft is a name known by millions of people worldwide. ?

The company has impacted the personal and professional lives of so many people worldwide. 

Would you like to decode the marketing strategy of this legendary company that revolutionized the technological aspects of many of our lives??⬇️

About Microsoft

Microsoft Corporation is a leading developer of computer software, also offering a diverse range of products and services. ??

The company deals with hybrid tablet computers, electronic games systems, and computer input and output devices. 

Microsoft also provides a variety of services like book publication ?, email services ?, cloud services ?, etc. 

Headquartered in Redmond, Washington, Microsoft has sales offices across the globe. Additionally, the company has research and development centers in Redmond, Cambridge, Bengaluru, New York, Montreal, and Beijing. ?

QUICK FACT ?- Did you know that initially, the company was called ‘Micro-Soft,’ which was a combination of the two words microcomputer and software? The hyphen was removed from its name in 1981.

Microsoft’s History in Short

Microsoft was founded in 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul G. Allen to focus on developing software for personal computers.

The company brought about the development of MS-DOS as the operating system for IBM’s first PC. ?

Over the years, Microsoft expanded with the release of Windows, which became a widely recognized operating system across the world. Microsoft ventured into the entertainment industry with the successful launch of the Xbox gaming console ?.

Microsoft has managed to maintain its dominance in the operating system market with Windows. At the same time, the company has focused on expansion by investing in cloud computing and the acquisition of companies like Skype ? and LinkedIn.

Marketing strategies of Microsoft

Innovative Products

Microsoft has been consistently keeping up with the ever-changing demands of its customer base with an emphasis on innovation. ?

The company’s focus on the development of cutting-edge products significantly contributes to the technology industry ?‍?.

For instance, the Windows operating system offered by the company gained so much recognition and became a dominant force in the market. 

Building a strong brand

With its distinctive logo and memorable tagline, Microsoft has set up quite a strong brand identity for itself ?.

Microsoft is associated with innovation, reliability, and delivery of excellent products. Its logo signifies its commitment to creative and progressive solutions. 

Microsoft’s tagline, “We believe in what people make possible,” ✌️represents the company’s goal to empower people and organizations to accomplish more.

Customer Needs

The company is driven by a customer-centric attitude that encourages continuous research to understand customer needs better. 

Besides interacting with consumers ?, Microsoft makes sure that customer feedback is given due importance.

Such responsiveness and adaptiveness, along with a sheer focus on customer satisfaction, enhances the company’s reputation and increases customer loyalty.

Marketing campaigns

Microsoft makes use of multiple channels for the promotion of its products and services. 

It relies on traditional means like television ? advertisements to gain the attention of a broader consumer base. 

The company also actively utilizes social media platforms ? like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn to interact more effectively with users. Such platforms offer Microsoft the space to consistently share updates and product information or even gather customer feedback- all the factors required for building brand loyalty. 

Microsoft also employs effective email marketing ? to reach out to customers on a personal level through customized messages, product updates, and special offers.

Free Trials

Microsoft offers free trials for its products which allow potential customers to gain first-hand experience of the features and benefits of the products.?️

This technique is a win-win for both the customers and the company ?. On the one hand, customers can evaluate the products’ value proposition and functionality before making a purchase.

On the other hand, such a technique earns Microsoft customer trust and loyalty and imparts an impression that the company has significant confidence in its products.

Excellent Customer Support

The customer support offered by Microsoft is excellent. 

It offers assistance in online mode ?, on phones?, and in stores ?.

Online assistance includes virtual agents and resources like knowledge bases. 

Assistance via phone includes guidance directly from Microsoft representatives. 

And finally, in-store support allows customers to take advantage of hands-on help when they visit a physical store.

The focus of Microsoft on customer support ensures maximum customer satisfaction and enhanced user experience ?. 

Acquisitions 

You must be aware of Microsoft’s acquisition of LinkedIn, right? ? It was the move that marked the company’s entry into the arena of social media.

Microsoft has acquired multiple companies over time to broaden its presence along with the range of its products. 

New technologies 

Microsoft has actively embraced emerging technologies like AI and cloud computing ?. 

Such an open attitude to evolving with technological advancements of our day has helped the company in constantly catering to its customer’s demands, giving it a competitive edge?. 

Brand partnerships

Microsoft doesn’t shy away from collaborating with other businesses to promote its product and services ?.

You must be familiar with the company’s partnership with Dell and Lenovo to advertise its Windows OS on their devices.  

Microsoft even collaborated with Intel to promote its Windows OS on its own devices.

Top Products of Microsoft 

Windows 95

Microsoft’s iconic Windows 95 hardly needs any introduction. 

The operating system’s remarkable functionality and dynamic interface gained it quite a reputation?. 

It became widely recognized for some excellent features like the Windows File Manager, Program Manager, and Windows Explorer Windows 95 also offered built-in internet support along with Internet Explorer.

Microsoft Azure 

Microsoft Azure is a prominent cloud web service ? of our time. 

It is known to offer a variety of features, including Virtual Machines, app services, SQL database, storage, and development tools.

Azure has proved quite useful for businesses and professionals seeking digital transformation.

The cloud web service is utilized by 95% of Fortune 500 companies.

Internet Explorer 

Drum Rolls, please, for the hero of our childhoods! ?

The history of web browsers began with Mosaic and Viola WWW. The emergence of Netscape followed. 

And finally, in 1995, Internet Explorer was launched. 

Amongst these, Internet Explorer is still being used, especially for its compatibility with older websites.

Even as Microsoft Edge has replaced Internet Explorer as a default browser, many professionals still rely on Internet Explorer.

Microsoft Office 

Microsoft 365 was my savior in college. What about you? ?

Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint were launched in the mid-1980s. This was the beginning of an era of digitalization. Later on, programs like Axis, Schedule +, and Binder were also added.

Today, Microsoft Office, having undergone continuous evolution, has transformed into cloud-based Office 365.

QUICK FACT ?- You’d be surprised to know that Microsoft Office was released for the first time in 1989 for Mac, even before it made it to Windows. Quite interesting for the two rivals, right?

Xbox 360 

With the launch of the Xbox in 2001, Microsoft made its entrance into the gaming console market. It offered online games services for remote multiplayer gaming along with an intuitive user interface and buddy list system. ?

The successful launch of Xbox encouraged the release of the Xbox 360 in 2005. It witnessed a massive sale of around 75 million units worldwide.

Xbox 360 went on to bring about the release of the Kinect peripheral webcam for including motion gestures and voice commands while gaming.

Visual Studio

Microsoft Visual Studio came into being in 1997 for the creation of computer programs, web services, and mobile applications.

It offered its users a flexible toolkit along with diverse development languages and frameworks aimed at enhancing their overall experience.

In 2015, Visual Studio underwent improvements in its interface, toolset, and development process.

Microsoft Solitaire 

Raise your hand if you got addicted to Solitaire as well! ?‍♀️

Did you know that Solitaire was primarily launched to help users learn mouse operations and familiarize them with graphical user interfaces? I surely didn’t! ?

Bing ?

Bing is considered the second-best search engine after Google. Well, the search engine is built on the foundation of its precursors like MSN Search, Windows Live Search, Live Search, and Yahoo! Search. 

Windows XP 

The iconic Windows XP is synonymous with nostalgia for many of us. Between 2001 and 2010, the Windows XP operating system was widely used globally. The OS underwent significant improvements and transformations throughout its history. 

Microsoft Marketing Mix 4P Analysis

Product 

Microsoft engages in the sale of both hardware and software products. Its product portfolio is extremely versatile and includes devices, software, apps, games, and entertainment offerings. ?

Laptops, computers, tablets, Xbox consoles, and phones are some of the hardware products offered by Microsoft.

On the other hand, Microsoft Office and the Windows operating system are some of the most prominent products of the company’s software lineup. 

Additionally, Microsoft is widely recognized for Windows OS, Microsoft Office productivity suite, Surface tablets, and Azure cloud services.

Can you list some other prominent offerings from the long list of Microsoft’s product lineup? ??

Place

Microsoft relies on multiple channels for the sale of its products and services. These include online platforms, retail stores, and third-party partners. 

The official website of Microsoft contributes quite significantly to the company’s sales. Through the official website, users are offered the facility to download and purchase Microsoft software. ?

Moreover, Microsoft operates physical stores at strategically sound locations for selling its hardware. Customers can also expect advice from technical advisors at these stores so that they can make an informed decision. 

Price

The price mix of Microsoft is quite versatile. ?

The company adopts freemium pricing for products that are to be used by consumers for business purposes and are paid for by enterprises.

Under its product line pricing, Microsoft offers different categories of the same product with a variety of qualities and prices.

Microsoft utilizes penetration pricing during product launches; through this strategy, the company first sets lower prices to attract a segment of the market.

On the contrary, the company does not shy away from using price skimming to set a higher price for a product initially and gradually lowering it over time.

To attract a specific target audience, Microsoft initially sets a price higher and later lowers it to create an impression of exclusivity or premium value.

Promotion

Microsoft emphasizes building a strong brand image to attract its targeted customer pool. The company effectively utilizes social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Google, and Instagram to promote its products.?

Microsoft utilizes an open-sponsored marketing communication channel for the promotion of its product services.

The company also engages in promoting its merchandise through short-term attractive promotional offers to boost sales. 

Microsoft approaches its customers directly via email to promote new products and services. 

The company also employs sales representatives to execute sales personally by meeting with potential clients. ?‍??‍?

QUICK FACT ?- In 2022, Microsoft gained the maximum revenue of $44.9 bn from Office, followed by $44 bn from Azure. Windows stood third in the revenue rankings with $24.8 bn.

Microsoft’s Top Campaigns

I’m a PC

The ‘I’m a PC’ campaign was launched in response to Apple’s ‘Get a Mac’ campaign in 2008. ?

The campaign highlighted individuals across various age groups and backgrounds utilizing Microsoft products.

The campaign was aimed to emphasize the versatility and diversity of Windows.

Empowering Us All 

This campaign was released in 2013 to promote the Microsoft Office suite of productivity tools aimed at enhancing personal and professional aspects of customers’ lives.?

Do Great Things

The ‘Do Great Things’ campaign marked the launch of Windows 10. The purpose of the campaign was to popularize the utility and user-friendly interface of Windows 10.?

AI for Good 

This campaign of 2018 was aimed at popularizing Microsoft’s AI initiatives and enhancing its image as an ethical and responsible company. 

It highlighted the company’s use of AI to address global issues related to healthcare, sustainability, etc. ?

Key Takeaways

Microsoft’s strategy to collaborate with Original Equipment Manufacturers to promote its products and services is phenomenal. ✅️

The brand image of Microsoft has been well preserved when it comes to the quality of its offerings. ?

Customers already have trust in the company’s products and services, which provides a permanent head start to the company in any new endeavor. ?✔️

FAQs

What strategy does Microsoft use to promote its products and services?

Microsoft advertises its products and services through multiple channels, including social media platforms. 

The company also actively engages in email marketing to personally reach out to its potential customers with exciting offers, updates, or new releases.

Moreover, Microsoft offers free trials to its customers before they buy a product. This strategy not only promotes the company’s products and services but also strengthens its overall brand image and customer loyalty.

Which distribution channel does Microsoft utilize?

Microsoft relies on OEMs, or original equipment manufacturers, that offer pre-installed software of the company in their devices.

The company also collaborates with distributors and resellers, authorizing them to sell their products and services. 

Many of Microsoft’s offerings, like Microsoft 365, Microsoft Office Web Apps, and Azure, provide cloud-based services to its customers. 

What is the most popular offering by Microsoft?

Microsoft Office remained the star of Microsoft in the year 2022.
The company’s cloud web service platform, Azure, was employed in around 70% of the organizations in 2022.

Similarly, Windows dominates around 28.79% of the OS market share across the globe. In 2022, Windows was actively being operated on around 1.6 billion devices.

It may not come as a surprise, but Xbox had around 100 million Gamers in the year 2022.

The company’s default browser Microsoft Edge was being utilized by over 158 million people.

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