There is a lot of buzz about mobile apps for business. They provide direct access to customers, improve customer engagement, and build brand loyalty. Those are all good things, right?Not so fast. For some businesses, a mobile app is a great way to boost business. For others, not so much. If you are thinking about having a mobile app created for your business, you need to ask yourself some questions. A great mobile app that fails to add value to your business ends up being an expensive liability.So, what do you need to ask yourself? Here are the three questions you should ask about your business before getting a mobile app made:1. Who are my customers? This one is made up of several smaller questions that need to be answered, as follows:
- Do most of my customers have a smartphone?
- How likely are they to use my app?
- What would I have to do to motivate them to use my app?
2. What will the app need to do? This comes down to defining the functionality and features you want to offer your customers. Your mobile app may offer the ability to review items, place orders, and pay for items, or something else. It would also be a good idea to include a convenient way for customers to contact customer service in case they have a product or other issue.3. How will a mobile app help you meet business goals? This comes down to asking exactly how your app will help you grow your business.
- How will you use the app to increase customer engagement? Customers can be engaged in a wide variety of ways, from posting pictures of themselves using your product to interactive, targeted advertising content.
- How will your app improve customer retention? An app that is easy to use with a great user experience (UX) is key.
- How will your app help build brand loyalty? This can be accomplished multiple ways, including targeted ad content, customer generated content, and CRM that includes app-based push notifications and SMS/text messages.
- Will you use the app to collect customer data for marketing purposes? Smartphones present you with a wealth of data on individual customers. This data can be analyzed and interpreted by the marketing team so it can sharpen its marketing strategy for your business.
- Will you use a rewards program? Reward programs are a proven way to build brand loyalty with your customers.
