Social media – Page 5 – Loyalty Apps – A New Way Of Doing 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.

5 Tips to help you Launch your App

Loyalty programs can help you stimulate repeat business, attract and retain new customers, and boost your sales. But it is important to get your customers to adopt your program. Make sure you kick-start things right. Here are 5 tips from Mass Mobile’s most successful merchants that will help get your new loyalty program off to a strong start:

1. Sell your staff on the idea first.

Get your staff excited about your loyalty program, and they’ll talk it up frequently with customers.

2. Get the word out early.

Let your customers know via existing marketing methods, like facebook and twitter….Use professional point of purchase signage. Your existing customers are already in your store making purchases, why would they not want to join your loyalty program.

3. Offer a juicy first-time signup special.

Trying anything new can be daunting, so your first offer should be an extra-enticing one. Customers should feel it’s a no-brainer to clear the hurdle of signing up or learning, just to earn that juicy starter reward. Once they see how easy and fun it is to use, you’ll hook them for good.

4. Demo it live!

Seeing is believing. Offering a tablet version of the app would help customers see how easy and fun it is to use.. Once customers see your program is simple to use, it’s a snap to keep using it.

5. Promote, promote, promote.

There are plenty of ways to spread the word about your new loyalty program. Different customers pay attention to different channels, so make sure you’re trying to reach them every way you can. This is not something you are not already doing, include the app store logos in any marketing material you use going forward. Remember adoption is the key. Here are a few venues to remember:

Display signage about your program at the counter, or tables, or where customers pick up their orders.
Prompt your staff to ask customers if they are already a member with each transaction, and make sure they can explain the program benefits clearly. (Better yet, incentivize your staff to make this happen.)
Add an app store, and google play logo button to your website, Facebook, and Twitter pages – and talk up your program on social media often.

.A smart customer loyalty program can move the needle for your business – but a strong launch is key to unlocking the full benefits. If you’re a Mass Mobile member (or curious about becoming one), don’t hesitate to contact us for more pointers on getting started right.