Mobile marketing tips for small businesses
Posts tagged iphone app maker
Small Business App Adoption Continues to Climb
Sep 6th
Small businesses are a very large group, and it can be hard to generalize about them. When it comes to adoption of new technology, this is certainly true.
On the one hand, you have traditional local business owners that are reluctant to try new things, and that prefer to stay the course. On the other, you have energized entrepreneurs that are looking to gain an edge on the competition by shaking things up.
Well, when it comes to mobile apps, small businesses are unified: they can’t get enough of them.
According to a recent study issued by Research and Markets, small business mobile strategies, especially use of apps, are at all-time highs and still continuing to climb. Let’s look at a few figures:
• 11-20% of the average small business’s tech budget is now devoted to mobile technology.
• 68% of small business owners expect mobile spending to increase in the coming year.
• A whopping 91% of small business owners are using mobile solutions.
In addition, in the words of R&M, “SMBs are also ramping up use of customer-facing mobile apps and mobile-friendly websites to enable customers to do things such as schedule appointments, make payments, and access customer service.” [emphasis added] And that’s only the tip of the iceberg! With a service like ours, the amount of features available to be deployed in a small business app is huge, and covers a wealth of features that are useful to industries from legal services, to hospitality, to entertainment.
With mobile apps, customers are able to interact with small businesses in dozens of ways, no matter where they are. They can provide referrals using social media platforms, submit online orders, participate in loyalty programs, check up on event calendars and submit RSVPs, submit photos to online photo galleries, hear about promotions . ¬. . the list goes on and on.
As you can see, some of these features are supplemental ways to do things customers were already doing, while other features are opening up new functions that weren’t possible without mobile technology. Despite this wealth of features, however, we also think that small businesses are just beginning to explore what is possible with mobile apps. In the future, we imagine that businesses will request the development of inventive features and functions that support the specific needs of their industries, and we can’t wait to help lead the way as the world of small business mobile apps continues to grow and evolve.
Bizness Apps Tip - How Analytics Can Make Your App More Effective
Aug 28th
The app journey can be an exciting one.
It all starts with the realization that, “Hey, everybody else is having so much fun with apps, my business should have an app, too!” Then comes the brainstorming about what features should be included, what platforms to publish on, and whether anyone on your team has a clue about how apps are actually made. Excitement usually reaches its highest point on launch day, when expectations are high, and reality hasn’t had a chance to go live yet.
The big moment has arrived. The app is done! “Here you go, world! Enjoy!” Unfortunately, that’s the last time most business owners think about their app. They send it out into the wilderness, and hope that everything goes as planned. “Finally! I’m done with that app stuff. Time to get back to real work!” Oh no! Another absentee app parent is born!
May we make a suggestion?
If you’re willing to spend time and money getting your app up and running, why not commit to the little bit of maintenance that can take it from standard to stupendous? With a little bit of TLC post-launch, you can tweak your app and make it super-useful and enjoyable for your customers. That way, your investment is maximized.
The answer is analytics.
Mobile app analytics can tell you a wealth of basic information about your app, such as how it is used, who uses it, and more. Armed with the info you get from analytics, you can figure out which features are popular, which are not, which platform is sending you the most users, and similar things.
More specifically, if you login to your Bizness Apps account and check out the analytics tab, you can:
• Check usage by location
• Check usage by app feature or “tab”
• Compare usage by platform (iOS, Android, and HTML5)
• See new visitors versus total visitors
• And more
Once you’ve seen the information provided by the analytics tab, you can start asking questions and improving your app. If you don’t have any users in a particular city, is it because of competition? If a tab is unused, is it because no one cares about that feature, or is the feature just not functioning properly? If all of your users come from the Android platform, maybe it’s time to stop running promotions that call out Apple fans . . .
Put the analytics information to use, making the most popular tabs more visible, fixing or removing unpopular tabs, and catering to your biggest fanbases (or stepping up efforts to chase members of your smallest fanbase).
That is, don’t let launch day be the last day you care about your app. Check in on it after some time has passed, and do some tweaking. That way, you’ll boost effectiveness, keep your users happy, and ensure that your app doesn’t wind up in the Recycle Bin.
For more about using Bizness Apps analytics, click here.
Mobile App Sales Tip - Stress Benefits, Not Features
Aug 27th
You’ve heard it a million times: when you’re selling, talk to the prospect about benefits, not features. It’s a classic sales strategy, and one of the most fundamental rules that a salesperson can have. The world of mobile app sales is no different.
The key shift is to focus on what a product does to help your prospect out; how it makes his or her life better. Not something descriptive about the product. To highlight the difference:
• Benefit: “This freezer allows you to enjoy ice-cold popsicles year-round.”
• Feature. “This freezer is capable of 12,000 BTUs of cooling power.”
The first one answers the question, “What’s in it for me?” The second one does so only indirectly, and requires the prospect to make the connection on their own. Don’t leave it up to someone’s imagination. Make it explicit!
In this post, we’re going to give specific examples for how mobile app resellers can discuss a variety of desirable benefits that business owners can get by publishing a mobile app. Armed with a laundry list of benefits like this, you’ll never be at a loss for how to convert a great feature into the language of benefits. Let’s dive in:
• Apps make you money. With a mobile ordering feature, an app can actually be a direct source of sales. With Refer-A-Friend and other promotional tools, you can easily earn new business through your app.
• Apps save you money. Instead of having to pay for separate services that allow you to do email marketing, loyalty programs, push notifications, and more, you can get everything in one place and save a ton of money.
• Apps save you time. With a wealth of informational resources like location, event calendars, mobile reservations, and more, you can cut down the amount of time team members spend giving out info to customers over the phone.
• Apps can increase customer satisfaction. From promotions and loyalty programs that save customers money to GPS directions and tip calculators that save customers time, an app will make your fans happier than ever before.
• Apps can reduce risk or uncertainty. With event attendance confirmations, you can get a sense of how many people will attend your event and have a chance to plan accordingly.
• Apps can improve your image. Customers expect a business to have a mobile app these days, and you will enhance your image and competitiveness simply by publishing even a basic one.
Bizness Apps is a very full-featured platform, so this list is not comprehensive. The more you speak to customers regarding how they use their apps and what works best, the better you’ll be at understanding the benefits customers can expect.
If you have any suggestions, or can think of benefits we missed, let us know in the comment section and we can all learn together.
App of the Week - Dixie World
Aug 26th
Well, the World Series is over, but this app is too good to forget just yet.
What World Series, you ask? The Dixie Youth World Series, of course!
It took place a few weeks ago, and now that the winners from each age group have been crowned (congrats to Hattiesburg, Shelby National, and West Georgia), we wanted to shine a spotlight on the app that made everyone’s experience a little bit more convenient.
Visitors to the event, held in Laurel, Mississippi, enjoyed a spirited tournament with teams from 11 states competing for the title. They also enjoyed an app that helped them:
• Find places to stay, eat, and be entertained
• Get directions to games
• Check on scores
• Connect via social media
• Share pictures in a fan gallery
• And more!
Remember, this wasn’t an event that you could just go to ESPN to keep up with, so the app played a big part in keeping everyone connected. Here in the age of “everything mobile,” almost any event can be enhanced by a relevant app, and the Dixie Youth World Series was no different.
See you next year for version 3.0, Dixie World!
Want to check out the iPhone app? Download the app here.
App of the Week - Kingswood Golf & Country Club
Aug 19th
App of the Week - Kingswood Golf & Country Club
This week’s App of the Week proves that you can indeed teach an old dog new tricks!
As the Kingswood Gold and Country Club in Surrey, England nears its one-hundredth birthday, the KGCC app has arrived just in time to make membership more convenient and enjoyable than ever before.
Designed in 1920 by five-time Open Champion, James Braid, the KGCC features almost 7,000 yards of perfectly kept greens. Not only is golfing there a delight, but the facility is also available for weddings, business conferences, and other events. Now, the KGCC app lets members experience everything in a whole new way.
Golf Functions
For golfers, the app has a number of helpful functions. If you’re planning a golf outing, the KGCC app will show you the upcoming five-day weather forecast so that you can pick the most promising day. Then, you can book a tee time right from the app! Once out on the course, you can also consult the app to get information about each hole, including play tips.
Event Functions
Events are also incorporated into the app. Members can view the upcoming event calendar and get detailed information about each event. After review of materials, members are also able to RSVP, communicate with other attendees, and even submit event photos!
Other Functions
The KGCC app also has a number of other useful functions:
• Turn-by-turn GPS directions to the club
• Rewards and discounts for loyal members
• Photo gallery with user submissions
• Phone directory
• Member feedback and reviews
• Social media connections
The Kingswood Gold and Country Club has now officially joined the modern mobile era. Fans and members can still expect to find, however, the same old charm that has made the KGCC a success for nearly a hundred years.
To learn more about the KGCC app, click here.
Google Play Surpasses the iTunes App Store
Aug 13th
Q2, 2013. Mark it on your calendars.
Why?
This past quarter was the quarter that Google Play’s total downloads finally surpassed the App Store, according to data gathered by App Annie. Don’t get too excited, though. Despite having 10% fewer downloads, the App Store still made more than double the revenue of Google Play.
(We know which one we’d rather have!)
Anyhow, let’s break down some of the background facts:
• Downloads by country. As you might already know, activity is not limited to users in the U.S. Countries like South Korea, Russia, Brazil, and India also top the list for total Google Play downloads.
• Revenue by country. The list changes a bit when we look at revenue, however. Google Play’s most profitable country is actually Japan, followed by South Korea, the U.S., Germany, and then the U.K.
• App types. As always, users just want to have fun. Games lead the way, and account for approximately 80% of Google Play’s revenue. The second spot goes to communication apps (e.g. LINE, WeChat, WhatsApp Messenger, and Viber), and after that come tools, entertainment, and then social apps.
• Devices. Growth in countries like Brazil is thought to be linked to new inexpensive devices offered by Samsung, Nokia, HTC, and LG.
What does this mean for businesses that offer their own apps and other mobile players? It signals the continuance of a shift from a totally Apple-dominated world to one in which Android has equal or more importance.
Multi-platform strategy
Because the mobile world is growing and changing rapidly, the best approach for small businesses that want to stay ahead of the game is to tackle multiple platforms at once. This means having an iPhone app, and Android app, and also a mobile website.
Each outlet has its benefits and drawbacks (for more on that, check out our infographic), but to maximize your mobile presence and to get your business in front of as many users as possible, you need to hit them all.
What do I need to know about the differences between Android and iOS?
Some info gathered by Bluebridge Digital is helpful, here. Android users are more likely to be men, and income skews lower and more rural. Users are more likely to be pessimists, savers, introverts, and followers. On the plus side, though, they’re a bit more likely to listen to a cold call pitch. They’re also willing to use something that is ugly, but more functional.
If you wanted to generalize, you might want to tailor your Android offering to a more practical, frugal mindset. To that end, delivering value through things like coupons and loyalty programs is probably a good strategy. But that’s only the beginning. We have a number of thoughts on the matter and are ready to help your business make the most of any mobile platform.
Oh, and as a Bizness Apps reseller we offer unlimited Android apps & mobile websites at no additional cost. Click here to learn more.
App Maker Tip: 4 Ways to Get More Sales Out of Your Website
Aug 12th
A website can connect you to billions of people, all around the world. So, why aren’t you rich yet?
Well, a lot of it probably has to do with the fact that most of those billions of people don’t need a mobile app. But for the ones who do, you want to be ready to get things started properly. To do that, you need a site designed to maximize sales. Here are six tips that will turn your site into a lean, mean selling machine.
1. Floating ads
A lot of people hated popups, but guess what a lot of people don’t hate?
Floating ads!
Maybe it has something to do with the fact that they don’t go outside the browser window. We don’t know. But for whatever reason, floating ads are effective and can increase conversions on your site.
Another similar strategy is to use a chat window that opens up on your homepage. This lets you start a dialogue with prospects and provide personal attention right away. If you want to see an example of this in action, just head to our homepage and wait a few moments. Someone will be right with you.
2. Use testimonials
Honest, positive testimonials can have a powerful effect on the credibility of your website (in one case, producing a conversion rate increase of over 30%). If you display brief stories from actual customers regarding how your product helped their business, you can make it clear why people should do business with you.
Place a few testimonials below the fold on your website, and use actual full names of customers, along with business names and links to the app in question. With that info available, prospects won’t have to wonder what kind of product you create and why they should work with you. It will all be there for them in black and white.
3. Generate urgency
There are a lot of ways to communicate to people why they need an app or mobile website today. You can explain how competitors are gaining advantages over those who don’t have a mobile strategy at every minute. You can offer the promise of increasing sales through mobile apps, which is something most businesses would jump at. Or, you could make an offer that is time-limited.
However you do it, don’t make it seem like a mobile app is something that can wait until tomorrow. Things are changing quickly in the mobile space, and there’s really no time to waste.
4. Break it up and keep it simple
Don’t overload website visitors by trying to tell them everything about your business. Just keep it simple. Even something like this can be enough for a headline and call to action:
“Did you know a mobile app can increase your sales by __%? Click here to get started!”
If you do choose to include a lot of info, break things up into different sections with different layouts and visuals. The goal is to inform the reader without asking for too much of their time or boring them. Tell them what you do, tell them why it’s great, then ask them to take action.
Improving your website performance is that simple.
5 Reasons That Every Restaurant Needs an Ordering App
Jul 30th
Orders may still be coming in through the phone, but with the popularity of online ordering increasing every day, the moments is fast approaching where most customers will expect to be able to submit orders without having to talk to anyone. If that isn’t reason enough to begin taking advantage of one of the fastest-growing opportunities in the restaurant industry, here are five more arguments for “going mobile:”
1. You’ll get larger orders
Some researchers have found that online orders are up to 25% larger! When customers can see the menu, browse add-ons, and review upsells, the result is that they spend more money. It’s a nice revenue boost that can quickly pay for the cost of creating your app.
2. Your customers are online
People spend hours and hours each day online, especially on their mobile devices. As the saying goes, it’s best to meet people where they are. By making ordering available online, you make it that much more convenient for people to submit orders from the screen they are already staring at. Which reminds us…
3. You can book a sale from anywhere
People aren’t nailed to their seats – they’re mobile! By allowing your fans to use an ordering app, they can submit orders no matter what they’re doing. When they’re heading home on a commuter train, stuck in a meeting, or anywhere else that making a call isn’t convenient, they can still be sending you orders. If they aren’t able to do that, they may forget about it, or simply pull leftovers from the fridge when they get home and are hungry and tired.
4. You can smooth out the ordering process
Every restaurateur knows that mistakes in orders really irritate customers. A mobile ordering app cuts the error rate down. Customers can review their orders and type out any special requests. That way, there’s a record of everything the customer wants.
With phone orders, there is a greater chance that an item will be missed or misrecorded, or that a special instruction will be misheard or written incorrectly. With mobile apps, if there are any mistakes on the ticket, the customer has no one to blame but him- or herself. It will still be your job to make them happy, of course (such is life in customer service), but you’ll be able to tell them that you’re happy to “revise their order” to suit whatever their “new requests” are.
5. You’ll get ahead of the competition
The bottom line is that there are plenty of customers that prefer online ordering at this point, and your competitors may already be gearing up to serve them. By publishing your own ordering app, you stay at the forefront of customer service and convenience. This means that an ordering app can become another competitive advantage for you.
4 Reasons Why Small Businesses Should Be Thinking “Mobile First”
Jul 26th
A mostly mobile world has become inevitable.
Mobile search and activity will surpass desktop usage in the very near future, and 66% of users simply won’t return to a website if it gives them trouble on their mobile device. For these reasons, it has become critical for businesses to implement appropriate mobile strategies.
But simple implementation has already become the norm! Now, in order to truly maximize the opportunities present, prepare for future changes, and earn a competitive advantage, small businesses would be well advised to be thinking “mobile first.” That is, not just reluctant publication of an app or mobile site, but enthusiastic embracing of mobile technology into core operations.
Here’s why:
1. It will focus you
Mobile leaves very little room for fluff. In the process of designing your mobile website and app, writing short notifications and offers, and participating in short-length social media, you will focus on what matters most to your business. Your most important offerings will naturally be front-and-center in your thinking, and unimportant distractions will fade.
2. You can make mistakes while it is still relatively early
It’s no longer correct to say that mobile is in an “early” stage of development, but it is still relatively early in terms of total cultural and industry saturation. There is still time to experiment, make mistakes, and correct them. Soon, this window will be closing, and users will have no tolerance for mobile experiences that are not totally polished.
The analogous experience would be to go to an outdated website. Now that beautiful websites have become the norm, are you still able to take a business seriously if the website doesn’t look professional? Many consumers are not.
Mobile will soon be the same way, if it isn’t already.
3. It can boost innovation
Testing out new business strategies will open up your thinking and invigorate your business. Many things are possible with mobile technology, and by getting into the game, you may find new ways to connect with customers, improve your offerings, and increase revenue. In a way, a mobile first approach can help your business stay “young” in its attitude toward community interaction.
4. You can get ahead of the competition
Mobile strategies are a must, but many small business owners still lag behind. By taking charge and adopting a mobile first approach, you can gain a significant edge over your competition. Since users are clamoring for mobile interaction, they will favor the business that gives it to them. Be the first mover, and you can get a big jump on the competition.
By the time competitors decide to participate, you’ll already be miles ahead.
