6 reasons to build a mobile app for your business

In the past decade, the number of people that own a mobile phone has reached an all-time high.

As a result, many businesses have started migrating away from traditional advertising and turning to online channels.

Exploring new and innovative ways to advertise products through online channels has led to a full-blown digital revolution, one that’s still ongoing.

As times change, it’s time to start thinking ahead and make sure your business stays up to date. You may be content with having a basic online presence (e.g., in the form of a website), but that can’t be the case forever.

Since mobile apps continue to grow in popularity, it may be time for your businesses to consider building one to engage and retain customers.

Here is how an app benefits your business.

Increases brand awareness and builds trust

Businesses having a mobile app seem more trustworthy and have the opportunity to reach new audiences and raise awareness about their brand. 

Mobile phone usage is on the rise, as an average user spends about 3 hours and 15 minutes each day on his phone and almost 90% of that time is spent using apps. 

If you can make sure one of these apps belongs to your business, you’ll be in an excellent position to not only increase your visibility but also convince users that you offer real value.

While not every user that comes across your app will download or engage with it, they’ll still become aware of its existence in the process, at the very least by recognizing its visual identity. 

Much like old-school branded notebooks or company calendars, an app strengthens your brand’s message and enhances its values.

This will help passively generate leads over time. 

On the other hand, showcasing testimonials and positive reviews in-app will enhance credibility and demonstrate your brand’s commitment to its core values.   

Once you’ve demonstrated to users that they can trust your brand, you’ll be able to start building long-term relationships with them. 

Boosts sales 

There are several ways to increase your business results, depending on the type of product you’re selling.

Nowadays, big online retailers sell products that can be bought off their websites and delivered straight to your doorstep and mobile phones now offer an even better way to sell your product online.

If you provide that option to your customers, the chances of boosting your sales will increase.

Statistics show that the number of mobile orders accounts for up to half of all orders online, giving you more than enough reason to build an app for your own enterprise. 

An app provides customers easy access to your product, along with a number of other perks like delivery tracking or announcements. 

You can even incorporate a loyalty program and customer support features into it, making it the central place for all customer interaction. This makes for a well-rounded system that’s sure to increase your bottom line and provide a return on any investment made to develop the app.

Inspires customer loyalty

In order to entice customers to keep coming back to your business, you’ll want to offer them something of value in return. 

The best way to do so is to create an app that hosts a loyalty program for your business.

Loyalty programs are meant to inspire customer interaction, providing rewards based on the number of purchases they make. A loyalty scheme creates value in the form of various perks. 

Your job is to offer your product to customers, and they purchase it based on their needs, but the mere fact that a customer has bought your product doesn’t automatically mean they’ll keep doing so. 

While loyalty programs are not exclusive to the online world, having an app-based one represents the most convenient option, with a variety of benefits. 

Here are some great examples of how you can use an app loyalty program to benefit your business: 

• Offer exclusive discounts only to app users. 
• Reward customers for logging into your app each day. 
• Allow users to pay for services using your app. 
• Enable customers to collect loyalty points that can be redeemed for rewards.

Starbucks is a great example of how rewarding such a venture can be for a business. 

The company’s app combines a loyalty program with mobile payment options, even enhancing the experience by enabling users to create their own Spotify playlists, and the loyalty program users accounted for over 40% of the company’s revenue in 2020.

Your company may not be Starbucks, but that doesn’t mean it wouldn’t benefit from a similar approach.

At first, users will keep coming back in search of the perks they can get through your loyalty scheme, but if you consistently offer quality, soon your business will attract them on its own merit.

Connects you with customers 

Apps do much more than connect with customers through loyalty schemes. They also enable you to provide exceptional customer service to your buyers.

The quality of customer support has always been something that could make or break a company’s long-term relationship with consumers.   

However, we’re a long way from traditional forms of support like telephone calls or email tickets. 

In an age where a vast majority of people have mobile phones and are connected online, it’s a good idea to leverage technology to offer outstanding customer service. Building an app to connect with and support customers is an excellent way to do just that. 

Not only does the app help by answering customer queries, but it also offers a way to communicate your brand’s values. 

For instance, enabling your customers to interact with your brand whenever they need to creates a sense of accessibility and helps you retain customers longer. 

By installing your app, a customer forms a bond with your business and expects to interact with it in a meaningful way. In return, you get a bigger number of repeat purchases and lower overall churn rates. 

The old adage says that a business should be all about the customer, and more than anything, apps prove that is true. 

Serves as a direct marketing channel 

There are a lot of ways you can market a product. Most digital channels utilize an approach that involves using premade systems (e.g. ad networks) in order to distribute ads and reach a target audience of potential customers, with no direct communication between a business and a customer. 

Mobile apps are well on their way to change all that. 

One of the reasons why your business should have its own app is the fact that you can utilize it as a separate, more direct marketing channel. 

The most prominent way to do so is to use push notifications available on mobile devices. They enable you to send messages to all or a segment of your customers, without a middleman. 

You can send announcements, advertise exclusive offers and so much more, without having to spend any extra money on ads. 

You can even personalize the message according to previous interactions with the customer.

For instance, Amazon’s app notifies its buyers of the status of their shipment and sometimes enriches this basic feature with a customized copy. 

In the example above, they used a quote from Star Wars to notify the buyer of the status of their Blu Ray, giving the message a touch of humor and a sense of character.

Lets you collect customer data 

Having a mobile app gives you access to quantifiable, instantly usable data about your customers, from their demographics to how they interact with your business.

Businesses pay millions of dollars each year to research what their customer habits are and the way they shop, as that enables them to refine their offer and, consequently, drive profit.

User habits would be virtually impossible to understand without data, which is why it’s important to collect it wherever possible.

Your own app just might be one of the most effective and cheapest ways to do so, since users are usually highly engaged and motivated while using it.

The average customer will usually open your app with the intent to buy your product, and it’s your job to optimize their journey and experience.

The usage data of your app will give you insight into how to achieve that, and the best part is that it will do so at zero cost, while also delivering new ways to monetize your product.

Conclusion

There’s no denying that mobile apps are the next major development in the online world. As a business, it’s important to adapt and stay ahead of the curve when it comes to technology and trends.

That’s why building a mobile app is a logical next step in expanding your business and making sure it still stays lucrative in the years to come.

Moving away from traditional methods of marketing and sales also means a bold new approach to customers, utilizing new technologies and strategies in the process.

Although building a mobile app isn’t exactly cheap, it is well worth the risk. Create an enjoyable experience for your customers and you’ll soon start seeing a return on your investment.