"The number of smartphone users worldwide today surpasses three billion and is forecast to further grow by several hundred million in the next few years" - Published Feb 28, 2020, Statista.com
If you think your business doesn’t need or is not ready for mobile app development to sell your products & services, then it's time to think again. Today, more than half the web traffic is initiating from mobile devices, and the trend is consistently growing as more and more digital markets are adopting a mobile-first approach. So why should you consider building a mobile app for your business?
First things, first. If your misconception that mobile apps are for top brands, Amazon, Alibaba, or the likes, is stopping you too to adopt a mobile app strategy, that is wrong. The truth is, small & midsized business owners too are increasingly following the trend because they know that mobile apps for businesses have a clear advantage over having a mobile-friendly website. Some of them could be:
While you’re dithering on your mobile app strategy, you could be a customer who enjoys using a mobile app of your favorite small businesses such as food ordering, spa booking, or even your local laundry. These are businesses that have stepped up in their own game.
Are you still unsure why your business should own a mobile app platform? Here are the top seven benefits of pursuing this path sooner than later.
1. Make Your Brand Visible to Customers at All Times
The Guardian reported that people spend an average of 3 hours or a little more on their mobile phones, and during this time, they check their phone 58 times. Interestingly, they lock, unlock, scroll, and see their mobile screens 58 times a day. Imagine your customers seeing your app icon with your logo on it that many numbers of times in their mobile screens every day. That’s not only increased visibility but a boost to your brand, and for a customer, it’s virtually impossible not to remember your brand.
2. Get Max Use of a Two-way Marketing Channel
Mobile apps are also a two-way marketing tool. Market your offers & promotions using push-notifications at any time to your customers and prospects personally – yes, mobile devices are personal by nature.
On the other hand, there is a more infectious, powerful marketing tool waiting to give a boost or break your brand – social media apps on mobile devices. Easily, customers can share their experience with your business among their social contacts, offering you that most trusted digital word-of-mouth.
3. Enhance Your Customers’ Experience
A successful mobile app interacts with users, keeps them engaged, enhances brand image, and maximizes revenue.
One way, your mobile app can add value to your customer experience is by mixing innovation to your traditional selling methods. Say, a diner scanning a QR code on a restaurant menu to get the calories info before placing the order.
In addition to selling your products & services, how about adding features that increase your customer interaction, say chatting online, rating your services, commenting, sending push-notifications, schedule a promotional notification, etc.?
And, of course, when marketing and user engagement work together, your brand image gets a boost.
4. Add Recognition to Your Brand
A brand is a recognizable symbol, with distinguishing features the products and services offer. One way to achieve that would be mixing innovation with your products and services. Take UBER as a classic sample; they’re a taxi company like any other, perhaps unknown if not for their mobile app.
A brand’s recognition doesn’t come unless you engage with your customers and potential customers as often as possible. With mobile apps, this is easily achievable as customers see your logo sitting on their mobile screens, and they see push-notifications from your brand. Psychologically, this creates a bond, and your app is now-familiar over its competitors.
5. Engage with Your Customers Consistently
When it comes to you engage with your customers, or vice versa, the mobile is the king. Like, how conveniently you reach the customers to promote, you need to provide features that enable customers to reach you pre/post order placements.
And, no devices can beat mobile phones when it comes to engaging with users at a personal level. Imagine the level of user experience, if your mobile app can provide your potentials and the customers with personalized chatting.
6. Build an Outstanding App
While more and more, businesses, including small ones are adapting to the trend, using a mobile app alone won’t help you stand out of in the crowd – Having all the bells and whistles in your app would make you stand out. Not to worry, you're going to see how you can get those flashy and useful features that keep your users engaged and get the work done.
7. Goal for Customer Loyalty
Not least of all, the most important thing why you consider building a mobile app for your business is to retain customers to improve loyalty. With all the advertising noises, be it social media, print media, or other conventional means, the battle for customers is getting intense.
One way to ward off competitors would be getting closer to customers consistently with offers & other means of engagements that make them love your brand. What can be a better approach than reaching out through a device that is always at arm’s reach of your customers?
Convincing, isn’t? Now that you know the reasons why you too should adapt to the trend, your next confusion starts, “Where do I start from?”. Well, you got choices here:
Here are some of the features Zappter offers, that might interest you:
Mobile apps are a smart channel for businesses today. Sure, they’re going to take your business to the next level with all the good things they offer, and the new, new things that we’re going to see down the line.