In fact, it is not only the app-disabled companies that make me cry it is the lost opportunity that comes with it that gives me gut-wrenching sobs. Don’t get me wrong, I know that there are certain businesses that may not benefit from having an app (sewage treatment plants as an example) but apart from a few extremes, the rest of us really don’t have much of an excuse. Not having an app to support your business these days is a little like running a race with a few bricks strapped to your back. It is not that you can’t win, it is just going to be more difficult.
So here are a few of the long list of reasons why you need an app:
1. You need to connect with your customers
Websites are great at presenting your company to your customers and clients but they are horrid at providing a two-way communication. Face-to-face discussion is far better but it is very costly way to communicate to only one person at a time. This is where apps come into their own. The very nature of mobile devices lends users to explore the apps that they have. People like to push buttons and slide through apps which makes them perfect for not only marketing your company but also for engaging. It is a perfect opportunity to ask for feedback, create a communication channel or make useful functionality available to enhance the service you offer.
2. Explore your products and services
People love to browse and making it easy for them to do so is a fantastic way to promote your products, services and brand. An app is the perfect mechanism for not only providing information about what you do but to present it in an interesting and engaging way. Images can be made interactive, video’s can be played and charts or tables can be made to come alive in an app. Set your creativity and imagination free in designing the way to promote your products and your users will love it.
3. They are focussed on you
I have seen so many small businesses spend a disproportionate amount of their budgets on advertising in magazines, at trade shows and on online advertising. While there is a place for each of these, the problem is that your company often gets lost in the noise. Banner adverts, small messages or supplier listings splashed all over the internet is like shooting blindly into the bush and hoping you score a hit on a zebra for dinner. With a little creative thinking, you could be creating your own app to target your customers and get them focussed directly onto you and your company without any of the other clutter getting in the way.
4. More Money
Seriously, if you are not going to make money out of it, why would you do it? One of the most important factors in creating an app is understanding how it is going to pay for itself and if you do it right, become a valuable revenue stream for your business. There are numerous examples of companies that have grown significantly around getting the mix right in terms of functionality offered to users and additional services or products that can be purchased through or via the app.
