Does your small business really need a mobile app?

Nowadays, marketing is all about being flashy-catchy, staying 24/7 connected to a customer and delivering firsthand information in the most original and entertaining way. How can a small business manage all this at once? You’ve got the answer right in your pocket. The smartphone is steadily becoming the essential element of everyday life thus an app is one of the easiest ways to draw attention to a product. Hence it is only natural that an issue of “whether a small business needs a mobile app or not?” will be raised sooner or later before every thoughtful businessman. Stay calm, the solution is as simple as flipping a “yes/yes” coin. And we are here to nudge your hand.

What are the main hardships of deciding?

1. “My business doesn’t need a mobile app”

A small business might not be in need of a mobile app right at the moment because it simply cannot afford it. Especially it’s tough for a startup to manage the budget so that app expenses would fit the plan. By reviewing current trends, you would come to the conclusion that a mobile app for a small business is becoming a necessity. And deciding between sooner or later you would prefer sooner to relish marvelous benefits of a mobile app for your business asap.

2. “I already have email and social marketing.”

Actually, everyone does. You’re a grain of sand on the beach, so what is your brilliant plan to win over a customer? In social media, everyone’s busy with their personal life and rarely interests in buying a sofa, for instance. Though we should agree, that SMM is really suitable for entertainment and some other kinds of services.

Emails are becoming history. According to researches, only 20% of emails are opened by the recipient and only about 5,4% of people click the link within. In contrast, 30-60% of users open push notifications and about 40% interact with the app immediately following the notification.

3. “What makes an app such a valuable marketing tool?”

It’s certain that email-marketing, SMM, TV ads, etc., are all important marketing tools. Also, a mobile-friendly site is a real necessity for today’s digital market and seems like might do everything a mobile app can. Still, a mobile app contains a couple of useful functions you might find attractive.

Push-notifications. Not only customer can bother you now, but you can also payback! Right in the middle of the night! Or 10 min before the alarm clock! Make them suffer! Ahaha! Wait, don’t really do that. Instead, send something sweet. A compliment or a good luck wish would be appreciated even at 4 am.

Also, if you have a service business, let the clients make appointments or sign up for your courses via your app. The same way you can remind them of the upcoming date and time. Incredible practical usefulness.

Geo-location combining with personalized data gives you information about regular or valuable customers located in the radius of your store. It allows to spot a potent buyer and sent him a greeting notification and a coupon to encourage making a purchase.

Mobile shopping. Cleverly developed a mobile app for your business just ought to contain an in-app purchases option and other required transactions.

The mobile site isn’t working offline. Enough said.

Uniting these new features with existing marketing tools and transforming it all in one harmonious process gives its owner a new range of possibilities to develop and expand their small business independently of which niche the business is in.

4. “Would anyone want to use my app in the first place?”

First, ask yourself “would I want to be my own customer and use this app?” Ask your wife, your colleagues and make a poll for your website visitors.

After you made sure it’s a great idea, propose your website users to download your new mobile app that’s oh so hilariously comfortable even compared to your oh so awesomely friendly mobile site.

Essentially your app is a product itself so it needs its own advertisement strategy.  That’s why one of the main factors of your app’s success is a thought-out promotion among other apps, App Store Optimization (ASO). Usually, it includes designing a catching icon with a snappy name, compelling screenshots and enthralling description.

The other factors for your app’s success are elaborated UX design and a pretty UI design to make your app both convenient and good looking. Also, sales policy is important because loyalty programs and bonuses for using an app attract a bigger audience.

Benefits you should consider

–  Financial perks

1. It makes additional profit, for example, by placing ads of your partners into your mobile app.
2. It saves money in a long-term by one-time investment in a mobile payment system and booking system by decreasing the amount of time staff fulfill respective responsibilities.
3. Push-notifications may supersede leaflets since they perform the same function more effectively. That saves your money as well.

– The app saves your time

Mobile shopping boosts income flow. Connection with your customer quicken the feedback acquisition. The app sorts out duties of actual stuff and accelerates the process. Let’s not waste time on this issue anymore.

– Competitiveness

Do your competitors have a mobile app? If yes, then consider whether you don’t lose money because of this disadvantage. If no, then why not make it your trump card? It’s still rare among small businesses to own a mobile app, though it becomes a notable trend. So, at the present moment you have a substantial chance to one-up your competitors and more than that – to stand along with big companies.

– Building the brand and expanding a network of loyal customers

The app means love. Make an app, not aggressive ads. – Unknown user

You acquire direct and instant access to your target audience, a chance to get fast-living feedback or propositions, also you collect business analytics, etc. But remember that first of all, a mobile app is an act of caring for people who already know and love your product; it’s a step to refine the service for them, considering their needs and interests.

How does it work?

1. Attracting new potential customers. Yes, it works this way too.
2. Providing general info about your products. Basics – done.
3. Offering information about ongoing loyalty programs, specials, and deals, bonuses, and coupons – all the tricks that would make a buyer come back every now and again.
4. A way to communicate with a service provider; to ask details, express opinion or even complain, and if so – to seek compensation. “Customer is always right. Of course, we cannot develop this option, Master”.
5. More attention by surveying. Asking your clients opinion might make people feel valued and strengthen affection for your brand or product. As I said – the app is love.
6. Additional flashy-sweety shticks that afflict positive experience to your customer will bind positive feelings with your brand. The more positive your customers are the more likely they will recommend your brand. Word of mouth effect as it is.

Down to the nuts and bolts

Let’s talk about making an actual mobile app for business and about possible difficulties of its developing.

1. iOS or Android?

The first question a developer gets. Using Google Analytics, we will define what platform is prevalent among your customers or even what type of iPhone. Depending on statistics and other aspects we will make a decision for which OS would be better to develop your mobile app. But of course, the obvious answer is for both.

2. Mobile app interface elements

Our designers will provide you with fresh information about latest trends about interface elements designing so that your authentic custom design would easier win people’s hearts, enter the market and get the recognition your small business deserves.

3. Supporting

As the app was created the next developer’s task is maintaining its working capacity. we can promise in emergency cases and responsible conduct towards work capacity supporting.

4. Price and time to develop a mobile app for a small business

Let us grant your wish. How much do you want to invest? What kind of app do you want to see in the end?

Let’s say it’s a small application which includes only a plain design, has a few features, and a couple of APIs integrated. The average timeframe is two months: 50-70 hours are dedicated to design an app; 400-500 hours consume the development and QA. It means that to develop a mobile app you will require $ 15 000 – $ 20 000 and two months of anticipation.

If you are worried about the price of building a mobile business app, discuss this with our managers directly and identify all the costs involved. You’ll see that the benefits of building an app outweigh the initial cost of investing in it.

Let’s turn the project of your dreams into an actual mobile app together. Contact us and you will not ever regret your decision to create an original mobile application for your promising business.