Benefits of a Mobile App in Your Business

Mobile apps used to be solely for big name brands like Walmart. Now more small and medium-size businesses are following the mobile trend, understanding that an effective mobile strategy involves more than just a mobile-friendly website. Here are the top five benefits of going down this path sooner rather than later.

Be Visible to Customers at All Times

Statistics show that we all spend more than an hour each day on a mobile device. Each user has to unlock, scroll, and scan their device for the apps they’re looking for. Being “in the way” can be an advantage to your company, as our mind unconsciously records every image and text (or well-designed app icon!) it comes across.

Create a Direct Marketing Channel

Apps can provide general info, prices, booking forms, search features, user accounts, messengers, news feeds, and much more. One of the biggest benefits of having a mobile app is that all the information you’d like to provide to your customers – including special sales and promotions – is right at their fingertips. Through push notifications you’re getting even closer to a direct interaction, and can easily remind customers about your products and services whenever you wish.

Provide Value to Your Customers

If you have a loyalty programme in place, it can now be digitalised. Instead of sticking to the old point-collection card, make it possible for your customers to collect their rewards via your mobile app. This results in more downloads and more return customers.

Build Brand and Recognition

A mobile app for your business can greatly contribute to your brand awareness. Aim for an app that has features your customers will love, while at the same time is well branded and beautifully designed. The more often you can get customers involved with your app, the sooner they will be inclined to buy your product and/or service. In advertising this is called the “effective frequency”: as a rule of thumb, hearing and/or seeing your brand approximately 20 times is what will get you truly noticed.

Improve Customer Engagement

No matter whether you are selling flowers or spa services, your customers need a way to reach you. Having a messaging (or help desk) feature within your app can really make a difference in the way you communicate with your customers. How many customers would prefer to communicate with you via text than via phone?

Now that you are interested in creating your own business mobile app, what is the next step? You can hire an app development agency, or bring your own in-house app development team on board, or you can use one of the many mobile app builders around.
It is certain that a mobile app is going to be a standard component of any business in the future.

Are you thinking about going mobile?

Adapted from an article by Melanie Haselmayr, Forbes.com