If you run a small business, you need a mobile app. It really is that simple. Unfortunately, too many business owners fail to build an app or have an app built because they view it as too complicated and expensive of a process. The result is a major missed opportunity when it comes to attracting new customers or bringing previous customers back.
You cannot allow yourself to make the same mistake, and to help you along, here are five tips for building a mobile app for your small business:
1 – Budget Yourself Appropriately
Assuming you’re not an app designer yourself, you’re going to need to have the app professionally designed, and this will obviously cost money. Be sure that you decide early on how much you are willing to spend on getting an app designed and factor that into your budget for the month.
2 – Know What You Want
What do you want your app to look like? What colors and fonts do you want it to have, and what general layout do you want it to feature? Make sure you communicate the details of what you want to your app designer, or else you may be disappointed with the final product they send you.
3 – Know Your Customers
Your mobile app provides you with a prime opportunity for directly interacting with your customers. Therefore, it’s critical that you know who your customers are so you can factor this into how your app looks and runs. For example, if your customers are younger (in the 21-35 age demographic, for instance), then you want your app to have visual content and messages that will resonate with them.
4 – Make Sure Your App Holds Value
After someone downloads your app, they will only continue to use it if they feel it holds value and is worth their time. An example of how you can make sure your app offers users value is to notify them of a promotion you’re running or offer them special coupons, rewards, and discounts that they can only get via the app.
5 – Use Push Notifications
Push notifications are instant messages that are sent to the display screen of a mobile device to notify the user of something (such as a discount or promotion). They are an excellent way to keep the user engaged and bring repeat customers back to your business.
You definitely want to use push notifications, but at the same time, you don’t want to overuse them or else the user could perceive them as spam and cause them to turn off the feature (or potentially even delete your app from their phone). A good rule of thumb to follow will be to send your users one or two push notifications a week.
Building Your Small Business App
In the age we live in, having a mobile app is simply a necessary component of small business marketing and attracting new and repeat customers. By following these tips, you can ensure that your app is a success and worth the investment you put into it.
Have to disagree with the premise of this. Most companies do NOT need an app. You should only build an app if your customers / prospects will be using it on a daily or weekly basis. Otherwise, this is a huge waste of time and money. Instead, businesses should focus a responsive website that shows perfectly on a mobile device.