Unless you have been living under a rock for the past five years or so, you will be well aware of the explosion of mobile apps. We all use them for a variety of things in our personal lives, and there’s a good chance you already have some apps on your phone and tablet from some of the biggest brands in the world.
Amazon, Walmart, the Bank of America – every big business is joining the trend. But did you know that creating an app for your small business could be a smart move, help you find new customers, and grow your business significantly? If not, read on – here are some compelling reasons why your business needs an app.
Get into your customer’s pocket
When you use a smartphone or tablet, how do you find your most important apps? The vast majority of people scroll through their app pages to find what they are looking for – and if you are on their list, there’s an opportunity to interrupt them. Don’t forget the power of constant exposure, either. Even if your customer scrolls past your app on their phone or tablet, they will still see your brand logo and text, leaving a subconscious imprint on their mind. And, when it comes to them deciding to buy or investigate a service, who do you think is likely to spring to mind?
Give value to customers
You can run all kinds of things from an app, from loyalty programs to individually targeted discounts. Automate deals, send notifications of special sales and promotions – there are all sorts of things you can do to develop strong bonds and excellent relationships with your business and its customers.
Make money
Apps are also a huge money-making opportunity. You can sell your app for a profit, of course, but even if you go down the free route, there are ways to monetize any app. You can look at mobile app networks or sell advertising space to complementary businesses. It’s also possible to use up sell techniques to encourage your customers to spend more on each purchase they make on the app.
Gain in-depth marketing knowledge
With a good app, you can track and trace everything your customer does with it, from the time they use it to the amount of money they spend on each transaction. It’s also possible to dig a little deeper than that and learn about your customer’s age, interests, and all kinds of other things. Done right, an app is a marketer’s dream, as it can open up a world-full of knowledge about prospects and customers.
Stand out front the crowd
A final point – an app also gives you an industry advantage. While there are millions of apps out there in the wild, the reality is that few small businesses in your sector are likely to be using them. And that gives you an enormous opportunity to get ahead of your competitors. It’s forward thinking that often gives you the edge over the rest of the crowd, and creating an app is certainly a significant step towards framing your business as an industry leader.
