Diagnosis of Palm Inc's Marketing Strategy

Running Head: Diagnosis of Palm Inc`s Marketing Strategy
Diagnosis of Palm Inc`s Marketing Strategy
Name
Affiliation
1 April 2011
Abstract
Palm Inc is the manufacturer of hand held devices and is the founder of this product category. Palm Inc`s products are specialty products. However, in recent times the manufacturer has lost face to increasing competition and a more sophisticated consumer base. The kind of strategy that the company employs in terms of the Porter`s generic strategies classification is more geared towards a focused strategy. This is evident from the fact that it sells to a limited customer market but adds value to each and every product, striving to differentiate from competitors. It has a major market share which it had garnered by adapting the first mover`s advantage, but today to protect its status it is using various techniques such as licensing its products to various hardware companies such as HP and Acer. This company faces a major challenge of being innovative at every moment because major competitors are challenging it by making various products and providing more user friendly features to attract the present customers in the market. This paper seeks to analyze the company`s current strategy and the inputs that it required to move to other generic strategies. CITATION Pal11 \l 1033 (Palm Inc, 2011)



Introduction
Palm Inc is a company that makes and markets handheld devices. It is known as the innovator of hand held devices by introducing palm devices in the early days of basic telecommunication through normal cellular devices. The analysis of its marketing strategy, in terms of Porter`s competitive generic strategies can be profoundly understood when its strategies are looked at in terms for the components of the offer.
Product:
It is a specialty product having multiple uses highly instrumental for the corporate society with entertaining features that enhance the style. It tries to fulfill its customers` expectations by not only inventing cellular phones but also building in operating software in those devices so that along with telecommunication internet communication can also be held benefiting their customers with great potential. And in the recent times, its software and operating systems rather than its devices are its revenue drivers.
Promotions:
The product is promoted through the visual as well as the print media. Palm handhelds however have now suffered a real setback in terms of competitor`s products, more specifically smart-phones and blackberry`s which have completely changed the landscape of the market. The company also uses advertising through all media to spread its word.
Place:
They trade globally choosing narrow segments and differentiation products according to that particular segment. The product is usually found at dealerships and at specialty and technological shops.
Positioning:
Palm has image of being distinctively innovative because o...