Why Being Generic is Killing Your Tech Business

The tech sector is fueled by innovation and disruptive thinkers - but they are not spared from getting caught in the latest fad.
What is brand equity

Jargon, jargon, jargon. You’ll be convinced you sound smart if you use the latest jargon every “tech expert” loves throwing around. But that might kill your tech business, especially if you use it to market your brand. 

You said that, he said that, the whole tech sector said that

The tech sector is fueled by innovation and disruptive thinkers – but they are not spared from getting caught in the latest fad. 

Let’s look at virtual reality. 

The concept of virtual reality has been around for decades, but it only rose to fame during the 2010s when VR headset became commercially available. Then, the industry boomed even further during the COVID-19 pandemic. With the heavy restrictions enforced in every country, the people craved connection. The virtual reality tech helped build a semblance of the “normal” world, but in a cooler way. Imagine feeling like Tony Stark in his Iron Man suit. Get the appeal?

And now, almost every tech giant is diving deeper into the virtual reality industry. If you are planning to sell a product within this overly saturated sector, you need to do either of these two:

  1. Launch a truly disruptive software or tech product
  2. Change the game with marketing tactics

 

The best example for this? Apple they know the trends, but doesn’t follow them

Let’s take a step back and look at how Apple launched their Vision Pro.

Vision Pro is Apple’s stake in the virtual reality headset market. It basically does a pretty similar job with other VR headsets. So what is different? Apple rewrote the rules of the playbook.

Why would they need to compete with the strong players in the VR headsets market when they can just create their own market? 

The Cupertino-based tech giant is not selling another VR headset, they’re selling Vision Pro, a spatial computing device that seamlessly blends the digital and physical worlds. Now that’s something you don’t read anywhere. 

But that is not the only thing that Apple did beautifully:

Apple’s Forbidden Words 

You heard that right: Apple never used the words Virtual Reality to market their Vision Pro – not once.

Apple unlocked the secret of marketing their tech to different walks of people. Instead of just pushing the benefits of Vision Pro, they thought of a way on how they can truly own their market space. Their clever choice of words made a whole world of difference in setting them apart from their competitors.

Give your tech business a boost with marketing

You might be thinking that “spatial computing” is just another clever way of saying “virtual reality” – a silly marketing tactic. But, it’s not silly; it is what makes Apple’s Vision Pro seemingly unique.

Here are three tips on how you can use marketing to boost your tech business, just like Apple did:

  1. Own your sh*t

Focusing on commonly used words and terms to brand your product could be your end, especially if you are trying to enter an overly saturated industry. Apple, a revered tech giant did not even dare to use the term “virtual reality” at the risk of sounding like every other offering. 

Instead, look for a unique twist to craft into your product story. Find a feature that will make it stand out, then repackage it in a way that nobody has ever done before. When it comes to marketing, it doesn’t matter who did it best. What matters is who did it first.

Apple carved their own space in the market by making a unique twist into every product they release. They didn’t make a tablet, they made an iPad, they didn’t make an MP3 player, they wowed you with an iPod. They are the masters of owning their sh*t.

  1. Cut through the BS

Generic words are just fluff if you use them mindlessly. Let go of the BS, and look for words that will make people remember you.

Let’s reference Apple again. Whenever this Silicon Valley giant launches a new product, they don’t throw confusing jargon or tech specs just to say they are the best. They tell us how their product can make our lives better in the simplest way possible. Take a squiz at this:

The Apple iPhone is so synonymous with mobile phones there’s no need to use the brand logo. Copyright: Apple

  1. Ask an expert

When all else fails, you can ask a marketing expert to come in and optimise your strategy. Matthew Whyatt, Tech Torque’s Founder and Chief Strategist can help you plot your tech business’s roadmap to growth. Jump into a free and risk-free call with him today – book now.

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