Loyalty Apps - Loyalty Apps - A New Way Of Doing Business

March 28, 2026March 28, 2026

How Mobile Apps Help Businesses Provide Better Customer Experience

Think about the last time a business genuinely impressed you. Not just did their job — actually made things easy. Chances are, some part of that experience happened on your phone.

The gap between businesses that have a mobile app and those that don’t is widening — and customers feel it. The friction of a slow website, digging through emails for a loyalty code. It adds up. At some point, they just go somewhere easier.

Your customers are already on their phones

The phone is where decisions get made now. Where to eat, whether to reorder, if a same-day appointment is available. That conversation is happening on a device, usually in under two minutes.

A white-label mobile app doesn’t just give you a presence — it gives you a shortcut. Something sitting on a home screen gets used. A website someone has to remember to search for, less so.

Speed and convenience are the experience

Pages that take four seconds to load, checkout flows that ask for the same information twice, loyalty points buried in a confirmation email — customers don’t complain. They just don’t come back.

Apps are built differently. They’re faster by design, they remember what customers have told you, and they cut the repeated steps that erode goodwill. A returning customer shouldn’t have to re-enter their address. And getting there doesn’t require hiring a full app development agency or sitting through a six-month build.

Push notifications done right

Email open rates hover around fifteen to twenty per cent. Push notifications? Significantly higher — and they land directly on the lock screen. A reminder that a table is ready, a flash sale heads-up, a loyalty reward that just unlocked. Things customers actually want to know.

Spam kills app engagement fast. But a well-timed, relevant message reaches someone who’s not even thinking about you yet, and pulls them back in.

How apps improve the customer experience

Feature	What It Does	Customer Benefit
Push Notifications	Direct, real-time messages to device	Timely updates without checking email
Loyalty Programs	In-app rewards tracking and redemption	Feels recognised, keeps coming back
Saved Preferences	Remembers orders, addresses, settings	Faster transactions, less friction
In-App Support	Chat, FAQs, or booking built into app	Gets help without leaving the experience
Personalisation	Tailored offers based on behaviour	Relevant content, not generic promotions

Loyalty programs that actually get used

Paper punch cards get lost. But a loyalty program built into an app? Customers can check their points, redeem rewards in seconds, and see what they’re working toward. That visibility changes behaviour.

For small businesses that can’t compete with big-box marketing budgets, a loyalty program inside a white-label mobile app levels the playing field.

The cost question — and why it’s shifted

For a long time, having a custom app was a big-company thing. Mobile app development cost could run into the tens of thousands. That’s changed. Platforms built around a no-code app builder model have made it genuinely accessible. And for businesses that want more control over branding, a white-label platform like Mass Mobile Apps lets you launch under your own name without the cost of custom development.

If you’re working with an app design company or a reseller platform, a lot of the infrastructure is already built. You’re configuring and customising — a fraction of the time and cost.

Practical mobile app development tips

The most common mistake is treating the app like a shrunken website. People use apps differently — they’re faster, more intentional, less patient with clutter.

The best mobile app development tips are about restraint. Focus on the two or three things your customers do most often and make those frictionless. For a restaurant, that’s ordering and reservations. For retail, browsing and loyalty. Get those right first.

This is where working with experienced custom app developers — or a platform built for fast iteration — pays off. The ability to update quickly based on real customer behaviour is more valuable than shipping features nobody asked for.

The trust factor

A customer who downloads your app has made a small commitment — they’ve given you space on their phone. In return, they expect something that works, feels considered, and makes their life easier. When the app delivers, trust builds. And trust turns a first-time buyer into a regular, and a regular into someone who tells their friends.

Where to start

Mass Mobile Apps offers a free demo so you can see exactly what’s possible before committing. No pitch deck, no pressure — just the actual product in your hands.

Your customers are already on their phones. The question is whether your business is there with them.

FAQs

Q1. Do I need technical experience to build a mobile app?

No. A good no-code app builder handles the heavy lifting. If you can update a website, you can manage an app.

Q2. What’s a white-label mobile app?

A ready-made app you brand as your own. Infrastructure’s built — you add your logo and content.

Q3. How much does mobile app development cost?

Depends on the approach. Custom builds run high. White-label and no-code options are a fraction of that.

Q4. What features matter most for customer experience?

Push notifications and loyalty programs. Don’t overbuild — get the core two or three things right first.

Q5. Does my business actually need an app?

If your customers come back more than once, probably yes. Repeat visits and loyalty are where apps earn their keep.

March 24, 2026March 24, 2026

What is a Demo Application and Why Use it?

Most app ideas don’t die because they were bad. They die because someone built the wrong version of a good one. That’s what happens when you skip the part where you test the thing before committing fully. Months of work, real money, a launch — and then you find out the flow doesn’t make sense to anyone but you.

A demo application exists to prevent exactly that.

So, what even is a demo application?

A demo application is a working but limited version of your app. It’s not a wireframe or a slide deck. It’s an actual, clickable, functional thing you can hand to someone and say, “Here. Try this.” It doesn’t do everything the final app will. That’s the point — a demo exists to test an idea, not finish it.

For people jumping into mobile app design for the first time, a demo is where things click. You stop imagining the app and start actually using it.

Why is it so important — especially early on

You describe what you want. The developers build it. And when you see it, something’s off. Not broken, exactly — just not quite right. You can’t fully know what you want until you’re using something real.

A demo short-circuits that problem. Instead of discovering issues after the full build, when fixing them is expensive, you find them early when changing course is still cheap. For products like restaurant apps, where a bad experience means a customer closes the app and never comes back, getting the flow right before launch is the whole job.

Demo App Types at a Glance

Type of Demo	Key Feature	Best Used For
Clickable Prototype	Navigable screens, no real backend	Testing user flow and layout early on
Functional Demo	Real interactions with limited features	Getting honest feedback from actual users
MVP Demo	Core feature set, fully working	Investor pitches and early validation
White Label Demo	Rebranded base product, customisable UI	Evaluating a reseller mobile app before committing

Who’s actually using demos right now?

More people than you’d expect. Small businesses exploring reseller mobile app options use demos to figure out which platform fits their workflow. Entrepreneurs want to see if their concept holds water. Startups use demos to raise money — because showing beats telling every time.

If you’re working with a white-label reseller model, a demo is how you check whether the base product is actually worth reselling. The demo isn’t a luxury. It’s common sense.

The money question

When people research iOS app development cost, they find a wide range. A focused demo might run a few thousand dollars. A more complex one could reach ten thousand or more. That sounds steep until you compare it to full-scale rework post-launch — which isn’t just expensive, it’s embarrassing.

A demo is essentially insurance. Not the boring kind — the kind that actually pays out.

What makes a good demo?

The best demos focus on the core user journey — not every feature, just the most important ones. They feel real enough to get honest reactions from real people. And they’re built fast enough that changes are still cheap.

A good custom app development company will scope this properly — not so stripped down it’s useless, not so built-out it’s basically the final product.

When a demo is especially worth it

Building your first app? Do a demo. Entering a new market, like building restaurant apps when you’ve only done productivity tools? Do a demo. Trying to get buy-in from investors? Do a demo — a live product is more convincing than any slide deck.

Planning a white-label reseller arrangement where clients rebrand your product? Still do a demo. You need to know the experience holds up before someone else puts their name on it.

What comes next

After the demo, you gather feedback — what users struggled with, what they loved, what they ignored. Then you build something sharper. The full build, whether it’s a reseller mobile app, a consumer platform, or something custom, comes out cleaner when grounded in real feedback.

That’s why Mass Mobile Apps lets people try a demo before committing. You can move through the screens, see how the platform behaves in real time. No contracts, no pressure — just a chance to test the experience.

The demo isn’t a detour. It’s the fastest route to something that works.

Conclusion

A demo application buys you understanding. Not a guarantee, but an honest look at whether your idea works the way you think it does. Whether you’re figuring out iOS app development cost, exploring a white-label reseller platform, or evaluating a reseller mobile app, the demo is where assumptions get replaced with real answers.

Start with the demo. Build the rest from what you learn.

FAQs

What is a demo application?

A demo application is a simplified, interactive version of an app that shows how the final product might work.

Why do companies use demo apps?

They help teams test ideas, gather feedback, and visualise the app before full development begins.

Is a demo app fully functional?

Not usually. It focuses on the interface and flow rather than complete backend systems.

Do demo apps help reduce development risk?

Yes. Testing concepts early helps teams identify problems before investing heavily.

Who should test the demo?

Real people from your target audience — not just your internal team.

March 14, 2026March 14, 2026

How Mobile App Platforms Turn Browsers into Buyers

Most businesses work hard to bring people to their website, social pages, or online shop. But attention alone does not lead to growth. What really matters is what happens next.

This is where a strong mobile app platform can make a real difference. An app gives your business a direct and convenient way to stay part of the customer’s routine. It shortens the path to action, supports repeat buying, and keeps engagement high without depending only on email or paid ads.

An App Changes How Customers Interact with Your Business

A website is useful when people are discovering your brand. An app becomes more useful once they already know you. It removes extra steps and gives customers a quicker way to act. They can browse, order, rebook, message, or check updates in seconds.

That ease matters more than many businesses realise. People often leave websites because they are distracted, interrupted, or simply not ready to complete a task. An app creates a smoother environment.

For businesses selling products online, this is especially valuable. A well-planned e commerce app can make product discovery, checkout, and reordering far easier than a mobile website. That convenience often leads to better conversion rates and stronger repeat sales over time.

Sales Growth Often Comes from Small Moments

Many brands think sales growth comes only from big campaigns. In reality, growth often comes from small moments such as purchase reminders, saved payment details, loyalty rewards, or quick rebooking.

Apps support these moments naturally. They allow businesses to create a customer journey that feels simple from start to finish. Instead of asking users to begin again every time, the app remembers them. That creates a more helpful experience and makes customers more likely to come back.

What Businesses Gain from Using an App

Here is a simple way to look at where apps create value:

Business Need	How an App Helps	Likely Result
Faster purchases	One-tap access, saved details, simple checkout	More completed sales
Repeat business	Reorder tools, loyalty features, timely reminders	Higher customer retention
Better engagement	Personalised updates and in-app messaging	More regular user activity
Stronger brand presence	Brand stays visible on the customer’s phone	Better recall and trust
Easier support	Quick help, chat, or service access	Lower drop-off and fewer missed sales

This chart focuses on business outcomes rather than just features. Businesses do not need every function. They need the right functions that support buying behaviour and customer convenience.

Different Businesses Need Different App Strategies

Not every company needs the same type of build. Some brands want a custom product from day one. Others want a faster route to market so they can test demand first. Search demand around build your own app shows how many brands now want more control over the app creation process. That is why many companies now explore options such as no code app builders or a white label mobile application.

These routes can help businesses launch faster, especially when time and budget matter. They are useful for brands testing an idea, entering a new market, or launching without a long development cycle.

This is where the right partner becomes important. An experienced app building company can help map the business goal first, then recommend the best route based on customer needs, not trends. In the same way, a thoughtful app design company can turn a good idea into an experience that feels simple, polished, and easy to use.

The Real Question Is Not Whether You Can Launch

Today, many businesses want to create their own app using more flexible tools and platforms. The bigger question is whether the app will support meaningful growth after launch. A useful app should solve a real customer problem, save time, or make buying easier.

The strongest business apps are not built just for appearance. They are built around behaviour. They understand what customers often do, what slows them down, and what would make them return more often. That is what turns an app from a digital extra into a working sales channel.

Why The Right App Approach Matters

A mobile app should not be seen as just another place where your business appears. It should be seen as a tool that helps customers act faster and stay connected longer. For businesses that want stronger loyalty, smoother digital journeys, and better long-term results, the right app strategy can create clear commercial value. The key is to build around customer behaviour, not just technology.

FAQs

1. Why does an app help businesses increase sales?

An app reduces steps in the buying journey, improves convenience, and gives customers a faster route back to your business.

2. Is an app only useful for large brands?

No. Small and mid-sized businesses can benefit just as much, especially when repeat orders, bookings, or loyalty matter.

3. Can no-code platforms work for business growth?

Yes, in many cases. No code app builders can be a smart option for faster launches and early testing.

4. What is the benefit of a white-label app?

A white label mobile application allows businesses to launch under their own brand without building everything from scratch.

5. What matters most in a successful business app?

Clear purpose, simple design, useful features, and a customer journey that removes friction.

March 3, 2026March 10, 2026

Mobile Apps for Retention-Driven Sales Growth

Customer acquisition helps businesses grow, but repeat customers build lasting momentum. When people come back, buy again, and recommend your brand, your marketing spend becomes more efficient, and your revenue becomes more predictable. That is where a well-planned mobile app gives businesses a real advantage.

For businesses in Canada, customer expectations have changed quickly. People want speed, convenience, and personalised experiences on their phones. A website still matters for discovery, but an app is better at building habits. It stays on the home screen, reduces steps to buy, and gives your business a direct way to reconnect with customers. That is why business mobile apps have become a practical tool for improving retention and growing repeat sales.

Why Apps Retain Customers Better Than Websites

Websites are great for discovery. Apps are better for repeat behaviour.

Once a customer downloads your app, your brand becomes easier to access every day. They do not need to search your name, open a browser, or remember a password each time. That convenience matters more than many businesses think.

Apps also reduce friction during repeat purchases. Customers can save preferences, payment details, delivery addresses, and favourite products. Instead of starting from scratch, they continue where they left off. This is where strong mobile app marketing and smart user experience support each other: marketing brings people in, while the app gives them a reason to stay.

When businesses approach app development with retention in mind, they stop building a digital brochure and start building a tool customers actually use.

How Better Retention Leads to Higher Sales

Retention and sales are closely connected. A customer who returns regularly is more likely to spend more over time than someone who buys once and disappears.

Repeat customers often:

buy more frequently
respond better to offers
cost less to re-engage than new leads

This is why many companies now invest in customer retention apps. Instead of relying only on ads, email, or social media, they use apps to create a direct relationship with customers. Features like loyalty rewards, reorder options, and in-app promotions can increase repeat purchases without increasing ad spend at the same pace.

Features That Keep Customers Coming Back

Not every app feature improves retention. The best custom mobile apps focus on actions customers repeat often. If a feature saves time, adds convenience, or gives a reason to return, it usually supports retention.

Personalised push notifications
Saved preferences and fast checkout
Loyalty rewards and progress tracking
Easy reordering or rebooking
In-app support access

This is where thoughtful app development makes the difference. A polished app helps, but a practical app that supports repeat behaviour drives stronger business results.

Retention And Sales Feature Impact Chart

When planning business mobile apps, it helps to choose features based on business outcomes instead of trends. The chart below gives a simple way to prioritise.

Feature Impact Chart for Retention and Sales

App Feature	Retention Impact	Sales Impact	Why It Matters
Push notifications	High	Medium–High	Brings users back at the right time
Loyalty rewards	High	High	Encourages repeat purchases
Saved payment/details	Medium–High	High	Speeds up checkout
Reorder/rebook button	High	High	Removes friction for repeat actions
Personalised offers	High	High	Improves relevance and conversion
In-app support/chat	Medium	Medium	Builds trust and reduces drop-off

Use this chart during planning and post-launch updates. Start with the features that support repeat use first, then expand based on how customers behave in the app.

Why Custom Apps Often Perform Better

Templates can help businesses launch quickly, but retention usually depends on how well the app fits the customer journey. A retail store, clinic, restaurant, and home service company all have different repeat-use patterns.

That is why many growing brands choose custom mobile apps. A custom build lets you shape the user flow around your real operations, brand voice, and customer needs. You can prioritise the actions that matter most to your business instead of adapting your process to a generic template.

If you are creating your own app, begin by mapping the repeat customer journey:

What action do customers repeat most often?
What slows them down today?
What reminder or reward would bring them back sooner?
What steps can the app simplify or automate?

These answers will help you build an app that supports retention and revenue from day one.

Retention Starts Before Launch

Many businesses think retention starts after the app goes live. In reality, it starts in planning, onboarding, and launch strategy.

A strong mobile app marketing plan should answer two questions early:

Why should customers download the app?
Why should they keep using it next week?

To support retention from the start, focus on:

a clear value proposition
simple onboarding
one strong reason to return (reward, reminder, convenience)
a post-download message sequence
regular app improvements based on user behaviour

Choosing the right development partner matters here, too. Teams experienced in mobile app development Canada projects can often support local businesses more effectively through clearer communication, practical timelines, and ongoing optimisation. And because retention improves over time, app development should continue after launch through updates, testing, and feature refinement.

Final Thoughts

If your business depends on repeat purchases, repeat bookings, or long-term customer relationships, an app can become one of your strongest growth assets. It improves convenience, keeps your brand visible, and creates direct opportunities to bring customers back.

The best results come from building for retention first, not just launching for presence. With the right mix of features, strategy, and mobile app marketing, your app can support both loyalty and sales growth.

Whether you are exploring creating your own app for the first time or upgrading existing business mobile apps, a retention-focused approach will deliver stronger long-term value. And when your customer journey needs a tailored solution, custom mobile apps often provide the flexibility needed to scale.

If you want expert support in mobile app development Canada, Mass Mobile Apps can help you plan and build an app designed to increase retention and drive repeat sales.

FAQs

1. How do mobile apps improve customer retention?

Mobile apps improve retention by making repeat actions easier. Features like saved preferences, reorder options, loyalty rewards, and timely notifications reduce friction and encourage customers to return.

2. Are business mobile apps useful for small businesses?

Yes. Small and mid-sized businesses often benefit the most because apps help them build direct customer relationships, improve repeat sales, and reduce dependence on paid advertising.

3. What makes customer retention apps different from standard apps?

Retention-focused apps prioritise repeat behaviour. They are built around reminders, rewards, personalisation, and convenience rather than only basic information pages.

4. Is creating your own app worth it for customer loyalty?

If your business relies on repeat customers, yes. A well-designed app gives you a direct channel to engage users, simplify purchases, and increase repeat business over time.

5. Why choose a team experienced in mobile app development Canada?

A team with Canadian market experience can better support local business needs, customer expectations, and long-term app improvements, which helps your app perform better after launch.

September 1, 2024

Building an App Can Help Grow Your Business. Here’s How to Do It

Mobile Apps and Your Business

In today’s digital age, mobile applications have become essential tools for businesses looking to engage with customers, streamline operations, and stay ahead of the competition. As more people rely on their smartphones for everyday tasks, having a mobile app is no longer a luxury—it’s a necessity. Whether you are a small startup or a well-established company, building an app can significantly contribute to your business growth. Here’s how you can do it, and why Mass Mobile Apps is the best solution for your mobile app development needs.

Why Your Business Needs a Mobile App

Enhanced Customer Engagement: Mobile apps provide a direct channel to engage with customers. Through push notifications, businesses can communicate new offers, updates, and information directly to the customer’s mobile device. This level of engagement helps in building a loyal customer base.
Improved Accessibility: With a mobile app, customers can access your products or services anytime, anywhere. This constant availability increases convenience for customers, making them more likely to use your services or buy your products.
Boost Sales and Revenue: Mobile apps can streamline the buying process, making it easier for customers to make purchases with a few taps. The convenience and speed offered by apps can lead to increased sales and higher revenue.
Brand Recognition and Loyalty: A well-designed app with a smooth user experience can significantly boost your brand’s recognition. When customers have a positive experience using your app, they are more likely to develop a sense of loyalty toward your brand.
Data Collection and Insights: Apps provide valuable insights into customer behavior. By analyzing user data, businesses can make informed decisions, tailor their marketing strategies, and improve their products or services.

How to Build an App for Your Business

Define Your Objectives: Start by defining what you want to achieve with your app. Are you looking to increase sales, improve customer service, or enhance brand awareness? Clear objectives will guide the development process and ensure your app meets your business needs.
Understand Your Audience: Know your target audience and what they expect from your app. Understanding your customers’ needs and preferences will help in designing an app that provides value and resonates with them.
Choose the Right Platform: Decide whether you want to build an app for iOS, Android, or both. Consider your target audience’s device preferences and the geographical markets you are targeting.
Design a User-Friendly Interface: Your app should have an intuitive and attractive design. A user-friendly interface enhances the customer experience and encourages users to spend more time on your app.
Ensure Security: Security is paramount in app development. Make sure your app protects user data and complies with relevant regulations. This builds trust with your users.
Test and Launch: Before launching your app, test it thoroughly to ensure there are no bugs or issues. A smooth launch will provide a positive first impression to your users.
Promote Your App: Use various marketing channels to promote your app. Social media, email marketing, and your website are great platforms to create buzz and encourage downloads.

Why Choose Mass Mobile Apps?

When it comes to building a mobile app for your business, choosing the right development partner is crucial. Mass Mobile Apps stands out as the best solution for several reasons:

Expertise and Experience: Mass Mobile Apps has a proven track record of delivering high-quality mobile apps across various industries. Their team of experts understands the nuances of app development and is adept at turning your vision into a functional, user-friendly app.
Custom Solutions: Every business is unique, and so are its app requirements. Mass Mobile Apps offers custom app development solutions tailored to meet your specific business needs, ensuring that the final product aligns perfectly with your objectives.
User-Centric Design: The design of an app can make or break its success. Mass Mobile Apps focuses on creating apps that are not only visually appealing but also offer an exceptional user experience. They understand the importance of a user-friendly interface and work to ensure that your app is intuitive and easy to navigate.
Scalability: As your business grows, your app needs to grow with it. Mass Mobile Apps builds scalable solutions that can adapt to your evolving needs, ensuring that your app remains relevant and functional as your business expands.
Robust Security Measures: Protecting user data is a top priority for Mass Mobile Apps. They implement robust security measures to safeguard sensitive information, giving you and your customers peace of mind.
Support and Maintenance: Building an app is just the beginning. Mass Mobile Apps provides ongoing support and maintenance to ensure that your app runs smoothly and stays up-to-date with the latest technologies and trends.

Conclusion

Incorporating a mobile app into your business strategy can lead to significant growth, from enhanced customer engagement to increased sales. By following the right steps and choosing a reliable partner like Mass Mobile Apps, you can create an app that not only meets but exceeds your business goals. Embrace the power of mobile technology and take your business to new heights with a custom app built by Mass Mobile Apps.

March 10, 2019April 30, 2019

Benefits of a Mobile Loyalty App

Today’s Consumer spends an inordinate amount of time on their smart phones. From playing games, connecting on Social Media, and even doing their banking. Smart Businesses have seen this trend, and understand that they need to position themselves on a channel that consumes so much of their clients attention.

The absolute best and most effective way to do this is to adopt a Mobile First Strategy for your Business, one that includes a Responsive Website (which means that the site is view able on mobile) and a Custom Mobile App.

Apps Reduce Marketing Costs

Built in E mail and SMS programs, along with unlimited Push Notifications give your business the ability to connect with your customers and know your message is being seen, all at virtually no cost.

Apps are a Constant Reminder of Your Business

Mobile Apps REINFORCE YOUR BRAND by increasing visibility. Your Businesses Logo in an icon on a screen your customers look at hundreds of times a day is priceless!

An App Will Generate Repeat Business and à INCREASE SALES!

With our integrated tiered Loyalty Program, you can now reward your customers for shopping instead of discounting. Studies have proven, that Businesses with a Loyalty Program in place do 20+% better than those without one. Our Proprietary Actionable Loyalty Initiatives, (ALI) will allow you to reward your customers for actions in the app, like sharing an image, notification or liking any of your existing social media pages.

Apps Give You Measurable Marketing Tools

Push Notifications have open rates of 98%, SMS/Text Messages have open rates of 99.9%, compare that to emails that have open rates of 20-30%, and you will start to see a real return on your investment. You no longer have to rely on “Hope Marketing”, with the built-in marketing tools in the Mass Mobile Apps platform you can new send a marketing message and know it’s being seen!

M-Commerce – Monetize With Mobile

Integrate your existing e-commerce site into your app, or add an e-commerce module that will allow you to sell products directly through the app. Today its important that your business is available to your customers in a Mobile Channel.

January 25, 2019

4 Ways to Build Trust With Your Customers

What efforts do you take to build trust with your customers? Building solid, trusting relationships with your customer base is one of the best ways to retain them. In fact, News Cred’s recent study revealed that among millennials, the top three brand loyalty drivers include a great product (77%), followed by brand recognition (69%) and trust (69%).

Research also shows that retaining customers is much cheaper than acquiring new ones. The longer a customer is loyal to a brand, the more money they spend. What does that mean for your bottom line? According to a study cited by Retention Science, increasing customer retention by just 5 percent increases profits by 25-95 percent.

Needless to say, building trust with your customers is a worthwhile and profitable endeavor.

Here are four ways to build trust with your audience:

1. Communicate with customers on a regular basis
Communications with your customer base should not revolve solely around purchasing. If customers feel like every communication is a sales push, before long, your attempts to connect will get ignored and you’ll dash any hope of building trust.
Instead, communicate with your customers on a regular basis. Consider emailing a regular newsletter, sharing links to helpful articles on your social media channels or providing how-to articles on your blog. Customers appreciate useful information that makes their day a little better.

For example, if you run a fast casual restaurant, create a monthly newsletter to highlights upcoming menu items and introduce new staff. If you run a cleaning company, share an article containing tips to clean up nail polish or general organizing or stain removing hacks. Be intentional with your communication. If customers hear from you with useful tips, product updates, relevant market research, etc… on a regular basis, your occasional promotional email won’t feel out of place. It’s just another message from a friend.

2. Provide quality customer service in your store

One of the best ways to gain trust is to offer your customers service they can’t find anywhere else. Here’s a quick checklist to make sure your service inside your store is top-notch:

Make sure your staff is friendly.
Create a welcoming environment that keeps customers coming back.
Train employees to nurture your customer relationships. Don’t assume employees know how to interact with your audience, show them.
Collect and use feedback. Ask your customers to provide feedback and use it to implement changes that can improve their experience. Collect feedback in store and online.
Show gratitude. Make sure your customers know that you appreciate them. Send exclusive deals to your most valued customers, host a customer appreciation event and set up a loyalty program that rewards your customers for their continued support.

3. Consider providing customer support on social
With so many of your customers being on social media, using these platforms to offer service and support is quickly catching on. Xbox, a popular gaming system company, offers customer support through Twitter. Customers can tweet questions and get live help. It’s so popular that Xbox has created multiple accounts to manage the traffic.
If you plan to offer support on social channels there are a few tools that can help. ZenDesk, for example, offers software that manages customers’ requests and creates a self-help arena for customers to troubleshoot issues on their own. Desk.com is another option. It creates a universal inbox where you can help your customers through social sites like Facebook and Twitter all from one dashboard. Your online service should compliment your service efforts in store.

4. Own up to mistakes

Customers reward companies that are honest and transparent. If you make a mistake, own up to it. Whether you missed a service appointment or have products on back order, it’s important to communicate any issues or delays with those customers.
As soon as you’re aware of a problem, reach out. For example, when Adorama fell short on cameras, an email was sent to explain that the item was on backorder. The company apologized for the wait and offered additional relevant information like how to cancel an order.
Mistakes happen. Research shows 95% of complaining customers will forgive a company if a problem is resolved in the next interaction. So, in addition to being honest, you also need to act quickly. Customers expect swift solutions.

How do you build trust with your customers? Feel free to share any additional strategies or tips.

January 14, 2019January 15, 2019

Boost Loyalty Program Participation

Loyalty program participation and enrollment are two completely different things. Participation is when your loyalty program members are actively engaged in the program. Its success is based on a high level of member engagement, not on enrollment. In this post, I will explain how to boost your loyalty program participation rates.

Enrollment vs. Participation

As I mentioned before, enrollment does not mean members are participating. Joining a program is easy, but getting people to engage, is the real goal. Typically, loyalty program enrollment is high but active participation is low. This is because many retailers both online and offline give a great incentive to join (which I recommend) but fail to offer any subsequent motivators or opportunities to engage. The success is in the follow-up. The goal is to entice people to join your program and then give them reasons to engage.

Boost Loyalty Program Participation
The question now becomes, what do I do to get all the members I attract to my program to stay and participate? Here are 5 ways to encourage loyalty members to actively participate in your loyalty program:

1. Be Transparent
A survey conducted by Colloquy Loyalty found that the number one factor behind active participation in loyalty programs is simplicity. An astonishing 81% of respondents state that ease of use is important to them. So how do you adjust your program to these findings?

Keep it simple. You want your program to be as transparent and user-friendly as possible. Make sure your members know everything they need to know to actively participate. You must be very clear on how they will earn and spend points. Have an area of your site dedicated to educating members on how many points can be earned and how. The most important ones to be clear on are the number of points earned per purchase and the number of points required to redeem a reward.

2. Lots of Ways to Earn Points
Your members have grown tired of those standard retail loyalty programs that only give points when you make a purchase. They want a program that gives them a number of different ways to earn points. The same study by Colloquy found that 50% of respondents said that they participate more in programs that have multiple ways to earn.

Adding variety to your loyalty program is not hard to do especially with e-commerce programs. Online stores can easily offer rewards for things like social sharing, referring friends, birthdays and more. A solution like a Mass Mobile App makes it easy to add variety to your online loyalty program. You can easily integrate existing e-commerce platforms with Mass Mobile Apps.

3. On-Site Reminders and Cues
In the online world, you do not have a cashier asking every person who checks out if they would like to collect reward points on their purchase. That is why you must strategically place loyalty program reminders across your website especially on your homepage, above the fold. Not only does this remind existing members to participate it also acts as a point of differentiation from your competitors. If you have a program and they don’t, a potential customer will likely choose you. You can also use other on-site promotion methods like floating tabs, slider or hero images, and even pop-ups (just be sure not to annoy your customer).

4. External Reminders and Cues
Reminders on your site are great but they’re only effective if your customers are visiting you frequently. According to many studies, email marketing is the most effective and easy to use marketing tool available to today’s digital marketers.

A great way to boost participation in your loyalty program is to combine loyalty and email marketing into a “super campaign”. Use email to send your program members notifications relating to earning and redeeming points, special bonus offers and upcoming sales or promotional events. You can also email all of your non-program members to let them know about the benefits of the program. Combining your loyalty marketing and email marketing is one of the most effective ways to increase program awareness and boost loyalty program participation.

5. Obtainable Rewards
One of the biggest mistakes I see with any loyalty program is making the rewards too difficult to accrue. How is anyone supposed to get the 20,000 points needed for your reward if you are giving 1 point per $1 spent on your tea site? They would have to spend $20,000 to get a reward. Would you participate in that program?

Your loyalty program members become hooked on your program when they first spend points on a reward, not as they are accumulating points. That is why you need to make it easy to obtain rewards. I like to recommend a substantial points reward for referrals. Help grow your membership organically. When a member refers a friend who makes a purchase, reward them handsomely and they will tell two more friends!
I also like offering a few of what I call “aspirational rewards.” These are rewards that are designed to be ridiculously hard to achieve. They give your program a talking point and can help differentiate your program. Just be sure there are plenty of obtainable rewards as well.

How Do I Know if Participation is Improving?
You now have a few things you can do to boost your loyalty program’s participation rate. But, before you race out and try all these new tactics at once, you will want to know how to measure success. Customer lifetime value, repeat purchase rate, and net promoter score can be key performance indicators. However, if you want to measure changes in your participation rate I recommend using your redemption rate. Your redemption rate shows you the percentage of your issued points that are being converted into a reward. If your members are participating, they will be spending their loyalty points. Start by performing the above equation today to get your baseline. Then make some of the above changes and measure your redemption rate again. An increase in redemption means that your participation is on the rise.

Just remember that if your redemption rate is currently below 20% you may have a serious loyalty program problem. If that is the case, feel free to contact us. You can also check out our free resources like our loyalty ebook library and video learning center.

Here is one business we’ve worked with to go mobile. Watch this video about Denim Industries:

Interested in getting your own retail mobile app? Click here for a free demo.

January 4, 2019January 15, 2019

Increase Customer Spending : Six Ways to Encourage Loyal Spenders

Finding Value
For better or worse, I am somewhat of a regular at the local casino. I don’t have TOO many vices, and I’m always extremely responsible. I have a pre-set limit of how much I’ll allow myself to spend per visit and have only exceeded it on a handful of special occasions. Many people I know spend much more on bar tabs or shopping sprees in a day than I spend in two weeks at the casino, and none of them will have a chance at striking it rich…but that’s enough of me trying to justify a bad habit of mine.

Each time go, I’m struck by the “favouritism” shown to the high rollers who saunter in only three or four times a year. I may know the dealers by name, given how often I’m there, but I’m not spending enough for the casino to see any value in enticing me to return. It’s a business, after all. And like any business, they need to pay close attention to the serious customers and encourage them to come back. Free meals and the odd free night will do just that.

What small business owners can do to encourage customers to spend more each visit
While regular customers are a good sign for your business and are absolutely worth your time to cultivate, at the end of the day you’re running a business. You need money to keep your doors open, and the more money somebody spends at your place of business, the more valuable they are to your success.

With that in mind, here are a few suggestions to consider in order to increase customer spending per visit:

1. Build Loyalty (You can read other entries on how to gain loyal followers, but our focus with this entry is how to increase customer spending per visit.)

You’ve no doubt heard us bang the drum on the importance of loyalty. That’s no coincidence.

In today’s world of retail e-commerce competition is higher than ever. Interested shoppers can search online for what they’re after to find the best price and free shipping. You want them to keep coming back to YOU. You’ve already earned their trust. Now you have to build loyalty. Consider having them try out a new premium, high-priced item. Let them know they are part of an elite “membership” with exclusive access. Not only will this make them feel special and a valued part of your business (which they are), you will also establish the perfect control group to test this new product or service you’re about to debut. It’s also worth keeping in mind that loyal customers are far less sensitive to higher prices than infrequent or completely new customers.

2. Package Your Goods

“Would you like fries with that?” represents the quintessential package deal. Burger purveyors realized long ago the value of bundling their goods, which is why you would be hard pressed to find a fast food chain that didn’t offer some semblance of a value meal. Burger, fries and a drink may not be what you’re selling, but don’t overlook this tried-and-true mechanism of increasing your customer’s spending.

Some packages just make sense, plain and simple. If your business is in the hiking/backpacking trade, you probably sell your fair share of sleeping bags and tents. You also probably sell a considerable number of backpacks, water purifiers and hiking poles. Many of your customers are probably purchasing an item or two for a backpacking trip. Why not combine them and offer a slight discount on a bundle? If your customer buys a winter-rated sleeping bag, why not offer to throw in a set of hiking poles for 25% off? They may be in the market for the poles as well, and a small discount certainly won’t break your bank.

Another tactic to consider when it comes to bundling is to offer deep discounts on items that you’re struggling to move off the shelf. If you have an overflow of mosquito netting that you just can’t seem to offload, try offering it for 75% off with any purchase over a certain dollar amount. You may not be making as much (or any) money off the netting, but at least you’re reducing your inventory and making shelf space for something that will (hopefully) be a stronger seller.

3. Raise Prices
This is often seen as tremendously scary territory for small business owners – after all, consumers can be notoriously sensitive to increased prices and rightly so. But instead of viewing it as simply raising prices without cause, try and think about what kind of value and results you are providing, in addition to your goods and services. It may be wise to try and match your prices to be in line or under what your competition is offering. After all, don’t you feel your offerings are superior to theirs?

Test the waters with small increases – something as little as one to five percent on a basic or entry level item that you know to be popular. Give it a few months, then compare this data to your previous, lower price. Were customers disgruntled by the increase in price? Odds are, they were not, and with measurable data you’ll be able to see if the increase was worth it. Experiment with different prices for a reasonable amount of time and you’ll find that the market will dictate the pricing sweet spot for you.

Happy and comfortable customers spend more. Use that to your advantage.
In addition to some of the more straightforward tactics mentioned above,
there are a few seemingly non-traditional ones that are worth mentioning:

4. Follow Your Nose
If you run a bakery, cologne shop, or potpourri emporium, you can skip right over this – but for other small business owners, do not overlook the importance of a fragrant storefront. Studies by marketing services company DMX and the Smell and Taste Research Foundation have both shown that customers are not only more likely to make purchases in a pleasant-smelling environment, but are also willing to spend more money for the same item. The most popular fragrances to open up the ol’ wallet? Coconuts, flowers, and tropical gardens.

5. Let The Sunshine In
People tend to be happier in sunshine, and when people are in a better mood, they tend to spend more. A study conducted by the University of Alberta found strong empirical evidence that customers who shopped in an area with more natural light were more likely to make a purchase and spent more per visit – in some cases, as much as 56% more. Take advantage of sunny days and consider splurging on one-time upgrades such as skylights or additional windows.

6. Chill Out
According to a study conducted by Virginia and Houston universities, people spend less when they are hot. Whether we realize it or not, when we’re warmer (due to stress or weather), we are perceptibly less likely to make complex decisions (such as decide if something is a good deal or not) than we are when we’re cooler and generally more comfortable. So, when the hotter months roll around, don’t be a miser and try to skimp on the AC. Your higher utility bill may very well be offset by increased spending by your cool customers.

You can’t expect to convert all of your patrons into “high rollers”. Consider these tips as ways to turn somebody who typically purchases three items for $20 into someone who will regularly purchase four or five items for $25 or $30. It may not seem like much at the time, but it all adds up and more importantly, adds to your bottom line.

Here is one business we’ve worked with to go mobile. Watch this video about Denim Industries:

Interested in getting your own retail mobile app? Click here for a free demo.

December 18, 2018January 4, 2019

When Will Your Company Go Mobile?

If you are a business owner today — no matter what size your business is — you need to start thinking about a mobile-first strategy if you have not already done so. In today’s world, businesses everywhere are looking for an edge, especially small businesses. Mobile can be that edge. It is no longer a question of if your business should adopt a mobile strategy, the question is when.

AT FIRST GLANCE – COST PROHIBITIVE

When small business owners start their research into app development, they might be discouraged when they find out what it is going to cost. The average mobile app can cost $270,000 to develop, according to a survey from Kinvey.

Those figures are sure to scare away most small business owners, and even some of the bigger ones. I have some unique insights into this process, having seen it from both sides.

SHARING MY SOLUTION

I have a retail background and in 2014, I was looking for a way to better connect with my customers. I tried many of the marketing tools available to me, including radio, magazines, flyers, email, social media and paid web. Some avenues had results and others did not, but with all the competition for the attention of my customers, it became increasingly difficult to stand out.

The goal of my marketing efforts was to get my message in front of my customers in the most effective way possible and to increase sales as a direct result of those efforts. A Google search for how to increase sales resulted in my “aha moment.”

BUILD LOYALTY TO INCREASE SALES

Businesses with loyalty programs generally have profits that are higher than businesses without one, and companies like Starbucks saw a 26% increase in profits after introducing a loyalty program. I began looking for ways to implement a loyalty program for my business and after a few days of research settled on a mobile loyalty app. In 2014, the mobile app landscape was not where it is today and what I was looking for did not exist, so I went out and built it.

ACCESSIBLE AND AFFORDABLE

As a retail owner who also founded an app development company, I know that a business owner today can design, build and publish their own custom mobile app for less than it would cost them to publish 10,000 flyers just once. The mobile app today is as essential to businesses as a website has been in the past. Over time, I believe it will become the most effective way to connect with and engage your customers.

So, I ask you….if not now, when?

Here is one business we’ve worked with to go mobile. Watch this video about Denim Industries:

Interested in getting your own retail mobile app? Click here for a free demo.

This article was originally posted on Forbes.com. Ali Ispahany is a regular contributor for Forbes.