5 Reasons why business owners need a mobile app

Why business owners need a mobile app

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Mobile apps are the fastest growing segment in mobile marketing, and will be a driving force for any business to achieve not only sales success but to establish brand loyalty.  All SME’s need to be up to speed with the technological developments, as well as keep pace in the market and MOST IMPORTANTLY be of use to their customers.  It is no longer a question of whether your business will adopt a mobile strategy, but rather when it will happen.  Here are 5 reasons why you should invest in a mobile app:

  1. The very near future is going to be all about mobile

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Estimates are that by 2015 there will be over 2 billion smart phones in use.  Of these users approximately 39% will not even own a laptop or desktop computer.  The only way they will be able to access the World Wide Web, is via their smartphone of tablet.  Pair that information with the fact that 55% of searches on mobile devices result in some form of action, either a visit to an actual bricks and mortar store front, a telephone call, or a purchase, confirms the relevance of mobile devices.  An astute business owner will realize that early adoption is the key, and be at the fore front of the mobile revolution.

  1. Mobile will encourage local shopping

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Small business owners who lean on their local community will need to start thinking of their mobile strategy if they are to stay competitive, and hope to increase their market share.  A recent study done by Pew Internet & American Life Project, has shown that 74% of smartphone owners use location services to find places they plan to visit, such as retail stores, restaurants, and cafes.  Another study conducted in 2013 indicated that 66% of buyers planned to do their Christmas shopping in local and independent stores, and that 68% of them planned on using their mobile devices to assist them with purchases.

 

  1. Mobile payments

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Some merchants have already begun offering mobile payment methods for consumers, and all major processing companies have invested heavily in updating aging hardware to be able to transition to mobile payment systems. Apple, and Android devices are already capable, and it won’t be long before the option of mobile payment will be as prevalent as the traditional plastic credit card.  It is no longer the American Express card that people don’t leave home without – it is the smartphone!

 

  1. Users

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To keep your customers coming back, its time you not only show them you value their business but you prove it as well.  How can you do this with a mobile app? A built in loyalty program will do the trick!  This will not only give your customers further incentive to shop with you, but will also make sure that your app is not something that is downloaded and then deleted shortly after. Studies have shown that applications with any types of rewards are maintained on mobile devices, even if the user no longer uses the app.  Investing in mobile is a good way for business owners to stay competitive and relevant in their respective fields. The future is now!

  1. Speed and all the other virtues

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Today’s consumer does not only want quick and instant service, they expect it.  If a customer cannot get they want out of your website within a few seconds, they are on to the next one, likely your competition. If your business has developed its own smartphone app, your customers will be able to contact you in seconds, and it will be much easier for them to do it this way.  It is services like this that will separate you from your competition!

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Marketing Ideas that build your brand

” The product should be it’s own salesman.  Not the product alone but the product plus a mental impression, atmosphere which you place around it.” therefore a business needs to have a solid understanding of their customer and of how to go about building their brand to achieve sustainable profitability. As a result  the job of marketing your business does not end at figuring out who your target audience is, it is just the beginning. After collecting data from these four categories;

A) Demographic ( male,female,income, age)

B) Location (town,city,province,state,global)

C) Interests (clubs,hobbies, affiliates)

D) Life Events (Single, married expecting,retiring)

A business will not only have a solid insight into who exactly their  customer is, but their IDEAL customer ” a person who not only wants to do business with you, but that you want to do business with.” It is important to utilize this information to your advantage when marketing your business that your objectives (increase customer satisfaction,and or increase profitability) are implemented effectively to achieve desired results.  A business owner must  find extremely innovative ways to engage with it’s customer’s by building social communities via social platforms e.g facebook, twitter, instagram, pinterest etc by sharing ideals, photos and by posting regularly in order to remain visible to your customer.  A consistent, relevant communication on these social networks will encourage customers to interact with your business and develop an affinity to your brand.  But the icing on the cake of marketing your business would be a customizable loyalty app tailored to YOUR customers wants & needs.  An app would allow a business owner direct access to its customer 24/7 giving an immense opportunity to interact with your customer in a meaningful way!

It is important that existing and potential customers recognize the value in down loading your app by showcasing the benefits of the program that comes along with being a valued member.  The challenge will be present itself  initially  when trying to acquire the apps first users but it will go much more smoothly by creating a hype and excitement before launching your new loyalty app.  It is important that you know exactly the goals or goals that you want your app to achieve

1) solidify loyalty from existing customers

2) increase sales through engagement

3) keep customers knowledgeable of sales, promotions or events

4) interact with your customers through engagement, similar threads of interest

To help  make the launch of your app successful marketing strategies can be used to further your brand and help reach their target audience and boost downloads

1) add originality to your app, be creative, don’t mimic someone else

2) optimize your app so it is visible

3) have a working website, be active setting up social networks

4) update new versions based on feedback

5) keep an accurate  account of your apps progress

It takes the time and effort of a business  to take the initiative to go the distance, not just to meet but to exceed the customers expectations. The key lays in engaging shoppers throughout the year, across as many social platforms as possible.  Since the wants and needs of the consumer is constantly changing  “Consumers value their time and will change their shopping behaviors based on the technological tools available.” An app from MASS MOBILE APPS will execute your vision and make shopping a social mobile experience for your business… giving  customers a compelling reason to do business with you! [contact-form][contact-field label=’Name’ type=’name’ required=’1’/][contact-field label=’Email’ type=’email’ required=’1’/][contact-field label=’Website’ type=’url’/][contact-field label=’Comment’ type=’textarea’ required=’1’/][/contact-form]

The Mobile Web is Dead, It’s all about Apps!

It is becoming more apparent that the one thing people today don’t leave home without is not their American Express card, but their smartphone.  They aren’t spending the day making calls, so what are they doing?

Data shows that the average user checks their phone about 110 times a day, and throughout the day they are spending 86% of their time in mobile apps.

The accompanying chart from mobile analytics company Flurry shows just how dominant the native app is compared to the mobile web.  The chart shows a 6% growth in mobile app usage compared to a 6% decline in mobile web usage.  More significantly, the read rate of promotional emails is between 5% – 20%, whereas a push notification is read at an astounding rate in excess of 97%.  It’s still too early to predict the course apps will take in 2014, but it’s clear to see that mobile web activity is dwindling and the apps are taking over. Now every company in the world is adjusting to that reality

Amazon doesn’t have to build native apps — Amazon essentially has no competition. So why do they do it? Any why does eBay, and Facebook, and Twitter, and all the others who pour masses of development dollars into apps that no one needs?

Your customers are checking their phones 110 times a day — do you have a mobile app?

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source: http://blog.flurry.com/bid/109749/Apps-Solidify-Leadership-Six-Years-into-the-Mobile-Revolution

 

Mobile Apps will Transform Your Business

A survey conducted, by Daniel Burns with over 700 companies asked them, if they had developed any mobile apps internally to help them with supply chain management, logistics, purchasing or sales and or support.  At this point only approximately 4 percent said yes, which is extremely low considering how many smartphones and mobile devices are on the market today.  The follow up question was even more interesting: ” Do you think that at least half the businesses in your industry will have their own mobile apps for these types of functions within the next 2 years?”  The response was amazing, 100 percent said “YES!”

So what does this mean for your business?  It means that mobile apps designed by business for either internal use, or to gain a competitive advantage will explode over the next 2 years.  Which way is your business leaning?  What are the trends?  A hard trend will happen; a soft trend might happen. The hard trend is that businesses will be developing mobile apps customized for their company for various functions. The soft trend is whether your company will be one of them.

Here’s something else to consider: The number of smart phones and tablets in all sizes of companies has obviously exploded in the last couple of years, and this hard trend is picking up speed.  So with costs decreasing and capabilities increasing, the time to act is now. The question is, “How?”  A mobile app that targets your customers and is able to deliver your marketing message in a way that is unique and current.  A platform your customers will see value in, and an app that they will not only download, but keep on their mobile devices.  What better solution than a custom mobile loyalty app, this addresses both issues.  Your customers will find value in it because they are getting something back in the form of reward dollars of points, and you will have the ability to market to those same customers. Marketing via mobile ensures your message is being seen, any app that is of value will have the ability to send push notifications.  A push notification is basically a text message that is targeted to your customers, and the open rates are astounding…98.7% as compared to 12-20% with emails.

You need to get ready for the mobile business app revolution now. Remember, there are two revolutions taking place: a hardware revolution (where our primary personal computer is shifting to our mobile devices like smart phones and tablets) and a software revolution (which is the mobile apps that will run on those devices). That means the rise of mobile apps for all business functions is a hard trend you can’t ignore.  The companies that transform their business processes using mobility will achieve new levels of success. The time for business process transformation is now.

Interview with the founder…

Q.How do you increase customer loyalty with a mobile app?

A. Today consumers are extremely tech savvy, with the explosion of smartphones, people are able to research for products and services right from the palm of their hands.  Often times they will come into your place of business and already researched the details of the product before purchasing.  Our products give business and their customers the ability to interact with each other on a level like never before. With an app tailored for a specific business, customers are able to have access to that business on their terms.

Q.  How much does it cost to implement a custom mobile app?

A.  Our products are extremely cost effective.  We have eliminated all the barriers that a business would face, the costs are minimal. You can get your app up and running for approximately $750.  With Mass Mobile Apps, there is no reason for a business owner not to adopt a mobile app for their business.

Q.  What content should be included to make an app successful?

A.  The main thing that is necessary for a successful launch is adoption.  It is imperative that businesses get their customers to not only download their app,and to keep it from being deleted off their phones.  That is where the loyalty portion kicks in, once a customer has downloaded the app, they are not likely to delete it if they have points or dollars within it.  Content is also a great tool to keep your customers engaged.  Make sure to update the gallery at regular intervals, send Push notifications, and encourage sharing of images, and marketing messages with your customers.

Q.  If a business owner implements one of your apps, are they able to tweak it to meet their needs?

A.  Absolutely!  We are a custom mobile app developer, we are able to do what ever a customer would need.  With that being said, it is important to note that our products were designed by people on the front lines, and not by techies.  We have members on our team that have worked in various areas of industry, and they have brought their experience and expertise to our platform.

Q.  Does a business owner need to be tech savvy to implement an app?

A.  Great question!  Again, going back to the last answer, we have designed this app from the perspective of a business owner.  It is extremely user friendly, and easy to understand and master.  So the answer is No, they do not have to be a programmer to use our products.

Q.  Why do you think that a loyalty app is key for a business today?

A.  Studies have shown that businesses with a loyalty program generally preform 20-25% better than businesses that do not have one in place.  And the loyalty app is the most current means of implementing that program.  Customers do not want another plastic card in their wallets.  By having your own app, you are further extending your brand.  You have the instant credibility of being on the “App Store” and you are also now able to reach your customers in a way that was not available in the past.  Traditional marketing tools like email are becoming less and less effective.  Business owners today need to know that their marketing efforts are being channeled effectively, and that their resources are being used wisely.  Today their is no better way to do that, than with your own mobile app.  The mobile app will be for business in the future, what the website was for business in the past!