Determine Your Mobile App Needs Through Research and Discovery

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More and more businesses are deciding on creating custom apps. The idea is a sound one due to all the benefits app owners receive. However, despite this desire to appeal to mobile users, many small business operators don’t understand the process involved with bringing an app from its initial design to distribution. What matters most is, that any app you develop meets your business objectives. It’s not enough to try to produce a trending app if it doesn’t deliver new customers or revenue. That’s why professional developers have come up with a system to refine the goals behind the application.

Market Research and Discovery Top the List

The initial stage of mobile app development is arguably the most crucial. Market research helps companies define a particular strategy that defines what characteristics define the app’s users. Any app you develop must fit neatly into your current mobile marketing strategy. It’s one piece of a larger puzzle that provides a cohesive user experience.

Brainstorming is a fantastic first step. Gather together your team members and have a session where people come up with useful ideas about your mobile purpose. You may not be able to incorporate every idea into your design, but the best ones will give you a starting point. Your developer is going to have a lot of information for you about your market. Give them as much insight as you can into how your customers act and they’ll help define a strategy. You need to know how your app is going to appeal to potential prospects. There must be something that draws them in and keeps them around.

Successfully solving your customer’s problems is the quick way to find users. People install the applications they think will make their lives easier. Always operate within a framework of problem-solving when you’re researching your idea. It helps that you start the project with a specific budget in mind. Budgetary constraints limit the scope of the application but are useful for establishing objectives. Armed with your goals and a budget, your developer will have little trouble coming up with an app you’ll be proud to offer!

Knowing how the app stores work helps you understand how to reach your market. You’ll have to do app marketing. Otherwise, you can’t expect to see too many installs. You’ll want your current customers to use your app, so making them aware it exists is your first plan. However, you’re also going to want to draw in potential clients who may want to try it. It doesn’t matter what your specific objective is, but it does matter how you plan on reaching users. App stores are crowded marketplaces, so the common elements of effective marketing need to be in place.

Define All the Objectives of the App

It’s clear that the app you develop must do something for users. It also must accomplish goals for your organization. With a bit of planning, that’s not going to be an issue. Are you looking to sign up brand new customers? Do you plan on charging a premium for the app? It’s crucial to discuss fundamental matters such as these before you start coding. The decision you make will define who your most likely users are and how you’ll distribute your app.

Integrating your brand message into all elements of your mobile marketing strategy is a proven way to grow your following. Most large organizations push apps aggressively through their primary marketing channels. They also reinforce their core message with their app. That’s not a bad plan for small businesses to follow.

Use Storyboards and Wireframes

This stage is where the rubber meets the road for app development. Storyboards and wireframes allow you to construct the delicate framework of your mobile applications. You get a chance to flesh out the details of your project and to assure once again that the app meets objectives. This point in your process is the right time to incorporate branding elements. Mobile apps are a powerful tool for branding and establishing communications.

During this part of the process, you’ll look at various APIs to integrate. Many applications get their power through third party APIs. Many features that you want to implement in your app can be made more robust via third parties. Data integrations and infrastructure are also going to concern your developer at this point. You have to have the right framework in place so that your app works and is scalable.

It’s important to take mobile users seriously. They now represent a vast majority of your potential market. Cohesive integrations between your current website, social, and mobile assets will help you unlock greater value across your customer chain. It pays to strategize on what your app does really. Solving recurring and persistent problems is the best way to get people to use and continue to use apps. Often, the idea of solving problems is easier said than done. Minor nuisances are not enough to build on. Instead, you’re looking for the kinds of problems that keep people awake at night! Once you tackle one of those, you’ll find that growing your app user base is easy enough.

Don’t be afraid to rely on your developer’s expertise. They have done the same type of work for other clients, so they have the experience to guide you. Once you’re able to explain as clearly as possible your vision, leave it up to them to bring it to reality. It’s not enough to get people to install your app one time. You’ll also have to come up with ways to get them to engage with the app over time. The whole process can be a daunting challenge, but with enough effort, the payoff is well worth it. Apps are growing at a rate that is truly inspirational. Your business will benefit significantly from having a quality app that works well. Rest assured, mobile marketing is going to remain a key to business success for the foreseeable future. Move ahead of the competition with an excellent app.

Thinking about developing a mobile app for your small business? Give us a shout!

Thinking about developing a mobile app for your small business? Not sure where to start?

Give Us a Shout!

 

Mobile Website vs Mobile App

What Is The Difference Between A Mobile Website and a Mobile App?

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With technology changing at the speed of light, it can be challenging for business owners who don’t consider themselves to be ‘technically savvy’ to stay abreast of the shifts in digital technology. Specifically, when it pertains to mobile.

While many business owners recognize the need to have a web presence that’s compatible with mobile traffic, there can be some confusion about the differences between a mobile-friendly website and a mobile application.

In many cases, a mobile web app and a native app sound like one in the same, especially at first glance. What discerns these two very similar sounding products are the features that they possess.

To decide whether a mobile app or a mobile-friendly website are right for your objectives, here are some important factors to consider:

Everyone is on Mobile!

A recent report by Pew Research Center discovered 72% of adults polled own a Smartphone and use their device to access the Internet. While there are still people who use desktop or laptop computers to go online, these numbers have declined over the past decade.

A mobile-friendly website, also known as a “responsive website,” basically is designed to format on display screens of all sizes. This is regardless of whether it’s a wide-screen smart-television, a laptop computer, a tablet, or the latest smartphone introduced on the market. In many cases, mobile-friendly websites use features such as click-to-call, mapping, and geo-location to help improve the user experience when people visit the site. People must type in your URL (Universal Resource Locator) or domain name to access your site.

Mobile apps are different in the fact that they have to get downloaded on your mobile device from an app store such as Google Play or the Apple App Store. When downloaded, the mobile app is effectively installed on your device and allows you to access the mobile app at the touch of a button. In some cases, users can operate the mobile app even if they don’t have an active internet connection if that feature gets developed in the DNA of the mobile app design. Other apps may require an active internet connection to use them.

What Functionality is Most Important for Your Customers’ Mobile Experience?

Regardless of what your overall business model is, it’s always a smart idea to offer your website visitors or mobile app users the features that are mutually beneficial. By serving the needs of your clients, you are going the extra steps to assure that they come back to your site or use your mobile app again and again.

For instance, if you own a restaurant, both a mobile-friendly website and a multifunctional app that offers customers the ability to browse your menu, get directions to your establishment, check for special offers, make reservations, or order and pay online can significantly increase your revenue. It’s not hard to earn back a return and profit on the original investment because it helps generate more revenue for your company.

If, however, you don’t have a physical product and want to offer something more recreational like a mobile game, a mobile app works perfectly. Most mobile users prefer to use installed apps to do their favorite activities including streaming content, playing games, and shopping.

Build Customer Loyalty and Brand Awareness

Mobile apps and mobile-friendly websites are an essential component of building brand awareness and customer loyalty. In many cases, if a potential client just wants to learn more about your company and your product offerings, a mobile-friendly website is a suitable way to introduce them to your brand.

Providing these visitors with your phone number, your product or service offerings, and directions are often enough to answer their questions. These visitors may not be willing to download an app to their smartphones or tablets just to gather this basic information.

However, if you’ve developed a devoted base of customers and you’re able to give additional incentives to them, a mobile app offers a means to extend these deals through the power of your mobile application.

Special offers only made available to app users help encourage more of your customers to install the app and take advantage of your deals when they’re available. Further, functionality such as digital punch cards are perfect for boosting repeat visits to your establishment and increasing per ticket revenue at a modest marketing cost.

A Mobile Investment in Your Company

No matter whether you decide to implement a mobile-friendly website, launch a mobile app, or do both, an investment in mobile compatibility is almost always going to be worth the initial expense. Many business owners are budget conscious and want to get the most return for their stake in growing their company.

If you’re just making the first changes needed to become mobile compatible, and you don’t need a lot of bells and whistles, a mobile friendly website is a good place to start. The development time and cost is reasonable enough for most, and it provides the functionality that’s needed to display pertinent information to customers and potential customers.

When you want to reach broader markets on a larger scale, mobile apps make accessibility a lot easier. Instead of having to enter a URL into a search bar, all the user has to do is pull up the app on their device – no extra steps are required. A mobile app shortens the click path to your business, eliminating the need for your customers to use a search engine or remember your website address to find you online. As you can imagine, the shorter the path to your business front, the better!

Which Do You Need?

Are you unsure of how you need to approach your mobile audience? If so, Colleen and the team at Colleen Eakins Design can offer solutions to help you meet the needs of your mobile patrons. Head on over to the [ contact ] page to get the discussion started today!

 

A Mobile App Makes Perfect Business Sense

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It’s highly likely that you’re well aware of the important impact mobile apps have had on business. Since the vast majority of people carry phones, mobile apps are an essential way to increase business revenue. Many small business owners are aware of the benefits of having a mobile app, but a small amount have moved forward with getting their own.

Consider why mobile app development makes sense for many small businesses. The first factor is the enormous size of the market. There are currently 320 million mobile phone users in the United States alone! That number is huge enough to make any small business operator salivate. However, that’s only one part of the equation. Mobile phone users are also out in the streets and on the go. That means they’re susceptible to timed offers. There’s little question that the mobile market is lucrative. In fact, tremendous gains for large, international organizations came largely from this sector in the past few years. Desktop traffic continues to decline, making alternatives crucial.

Build and Sustain Relationships with a Mobile App

Companies that can provide specific functionality via a mobile app discover an engaged audience. Anytime you make somebody’s life easier; they are likely to do business with you. Mobile apps are a way to solve problems and build relationships that last. If you don’t do it, your competitors will, and they’ll poach your most valuable customers. Technology is either something your organization embraces or attempts to avoid. These days, it’s nearly impossible to prevent entering the mobile app space as the majority of people now access the web this way. Mobile apps are no longer optional!

Increase Loyalty Among Mobile App Users

Mobile apps also are in use extensively to build loyalty. Your brand and business offerings increase in value in your customer’s minds when you offer them functionality. Massive companies like Amazon have seen their sales soar because of their mobile apps. Small businesses are jumping in and getting the same types of results with their mobile apps. If you’re a bit late to the game, don’t worry. There’s always time to launch a professionally-designed app for your business.

Branding is an all important concept. Companies that consistently spread their brand image grow sales effortlessly. Mobile apps are a straightforward and effective way to reinforce your brand image with your core clientele. A branded mobile application is not only useful; it has the ancillary responsibility of building your brand. Mobile app developers do a fantastic job of integrating your branding elements in a useful way. As more people use your mobile app, the branding takes care of itself naturally.

Mobile apps distinguish your brand from your competitors. Mobile users who use your application will become very familiar with your core message over time. Web sites are excellent, too, but most visitors never “use” a site the way they do a mobile app. You may as well as commit to delivering the best possible experience to both Desktop and mobile users. That’s the primary way to gain the type of traction you want in your industry.

Mobile Apps Help You Boost Your Visibility Right Away

Mobile apps have another big advantage. The rapidly increase your visibility among mobile users. There are far fewer mobile apps in existence than there are websites. Gain visibility in mobile app stores and repositories with a whole new audience. People who use mobile apps don’t necessarily visits sites often. You can reach this tailored audience and deliver to them the experience the want. Mobile apps are an essential digital marketing channel that extends your current efforts instantly. You have to cater to people wherever they are, in all the channels the visit to say your marketing is exhaustive.

A Growing Channel Offsets Declines in Other Areas

Many companies have seen their email marketing and other online efforts slow down. This decline is partially due to spam filtering and increased competition. Mobile apps don’t suffer from the same kind of issues. If a person installs your mobile app, you’ll have a direct line of communication with your customers. That’s incredibly valuable because your existing user base is motivated to purchase more. Mobile apps help you display your products and services in any manner you like. When you speak with a developer about creating a mobile app for your business, they’ll have plenty of ideas on how to engage and thrill your current clients.

Omni-Channel Marketing Requires a Focus on Mobile with a Mobile App

Many organizations have found that they’re able to sell through to new channels on mobile. Making your marketing message more mobile-friendly opens up a whole new world of possibilities. Smartphone users are affluent and always looking for new products and services to try. With a strategic effort in place, you’ll be able to distribute an app to the people who are most likely to want to deal with your business. Many of these individuals are not as accessible using traditional marketing channels. That’s why expanding with a mobile app is beneficial. It opens up doors that allow your business to keep growing. The number of mobile users will increase sharply in coming years, according to multiple sources. Take a position now to stay in step with the trends.

Local businesses have much to gain from mobile apps that geo-target their ideal prospects. On-the-go people need help getting accurate information. Being able to pull up a mobile app is a good way to deliver it to them. Your customers will love having that type of access at their fingertips. Younger people grew up on mobile apps. If you want to reach this group of consumers, you’ll need to join the party today!

Mobile apps for your business help you develop winning social media strategies. Mobile ties into your social profiles easily, helping you to create paths to your products and services. Once you develop an app, you’ll be able to expand your digital strategy. These days, companies send people to apps and get traffic for the first time from app store installs. Digital marketing delivers results. Extending your efforts through the addition of a professionally designed mobile app makes sense. It’s one move that keeps you competitive and “future proofs” your overall strategy.

Master the Basics of Email Marketing and Launch Winning Campaigns

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Let’s take a look at the subject of email marketing. There are a few essential terms worth defining at the start. Once you understand the basics, you’ll be in a position to start your first email marketing campaign. Marketing specialists hold this type in the highest regards. Email is a quick way to find conversions and to boost your current sales channels.

Lead magnet

You need to have a way to entice people to give up their email address. The most common way is to use a “lead magnet.” This keepsake is a giveaway (or bribe) that relates to the company’s primary product line. For example, a company that sells mortgage loans could give away a free informational report on getting a great deal. Or they could provide an incentive on a specific product.

Once a subscriber opts in, the company knows they have a marketing asset. The person has an interest in their product. At this point, they’ll add the customer to an Autoresponder to send timed messages.

Autoresponder – A series of timed messages make up an Autoresponder. These messages go out when you schedule them. Using this tool in your email marketing as a convenient way to follow up with prospects and warm them up.

Newsletter

Newsletters contain information about your organization’s products and services. They are similar in format to the old school offline newsletters of decades past. They’re a solid way to keep in touch with customers. When you have a new product or service to announce, building it into your email marketing is easy. Links to specific landing pages help clients take action.

Maintaining is a decent amount of work, but it’s worth the effort. You’ll find yours is a reliable source of conversions, especially when you make announcements. You can build subscriptions online and off. Many organizations use incentives to get people to subscribe. If you have walk-in traffic, a banner could tell them to sign up. What matters most is that you continually attempt to induce people to receive further updates. If you don’t, you lose out the most powerful tactic available to digital marketers.

Email Service Provider (ESP)

This entity is the actual specialist provider that helps you send the email in your email marketing campaign. MailChimp, Aweber, GetResponse, Constant Contact and many others allow businesses to maintain email lists. They handle the heavy lifting that goes into successful deliverability. The software from ESPs is simple to use. You’ll be able to dig in and create beautiful autoresponders and newsletters that get results. The interface also handles all of the scheduling and marketing automation. Detailed reports are available that show every aspect of your email marketing campaigns.

Managing your email marketing campaigns at an ESP is straightforward. Take the steps necessary to quantify key marketing metrics. Take corrective action to improve deliverability, open rates, and click-throughs. Even tiny changes have enormous consequences. Track all your changes until you get a good feel for how things work. Managing your list is time-consuming, but it’s also the best source of sales you can find.

Triggers

You get to specify whatever email triggers you want. They are a series of automation rules that have marketing outcomes. You may set a particular trigger when a visitor visits a web page. Perhaps you’ll send them a link to a free, downloadable PDF. You may send a discount coupon to someone who abandons a cart.

The basic idea is that you automatically message someone based on their actions. Marketers find this feature to be compelling because it allows them to send an email when it has the most impact!

Sequences

These emails serve a different purpose. They are a series of emails sent in increments to subscribers. On day one the marketer will probably introduce herself and cover basics. On day three she may unveil an exclusive offer. On day seven she may offer a discount. Marketers construct the series in a way to increase sales every step of the way. There are various schools of thoughts on the best way to proceed, but it’s up to you. You know your clients better than anyone else. Structure your series in a way that gets people who are on the fence to opt in.

It takes a bit of effort to get an email marketing series right. You can follow existing suggestions, but you’ll still need to tweak it yourself. Like most things in marketing, it takes a lot of testing to gain reliable results.

Email List

At its core, your email list is merely a database of the email addresses you collect. You’ll need to maintain your list to keep it fresh and deliverable. Most ESPs suggest that you have your subscribers double opt-in. The reason they do this is to ensure the email is legit. Any list that has lots of bad addresses on it suffers from poor deliverability. If the people on your list aren’t responsive, you also have a problem. If your open rates are very low, most mail providers will automatically mark your messages as spam. If this happens too much, you’ll end up in the Bulk, Promotional, or Spam folders. That means your prospects will rarely see your messages!

Avoid all of this by pruning the people who don’t open after a certain number of mailings. They’re just not that into you so letting them go should be no problem! Lists with no hard or soft bounces that you clean often will have open rates higher than the industry average. Many marketers aren’t ruthless enough about cutting the uninterested. They think that more is better, even though the opposite is true in email marketing.

Email marketing is not as easy as most people think. If you decide on hiring a third party, there are many freelancers or digital marketing agencies that can do the work. The choice is yours and is simply a matter of what will get you the most bang for the buck. If you decide to do it yourself, start with the basics and work your way up. You’ll get the hang of sending winning email campaigns soon enough.

Reaping the Rewards of Winning Email Campaigns

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Email campaigns and email marketing in general have long been the workhorse of digital efforts. Sure, other methods may seem more exciting, but emails create conversions. In fact, a robust program is crucial to reaching out to people at the perfect moment.

Reach People at the Right Times with the Best Message

There are two primary types of email marketing that most organizations use. Newsletters are periodic updates about a range of subjects and products. Autoresponders are custom-crafted email series, which warm up prospects until they’re ready to buy. Both tactics are effective and are in use by millions of enterprises daily. If you’re building a digital marketing strategy, incorporating email funnels from your first day is a smart move!

Close More Sales with Well-Crafted, Timed Messages

Email is useful anytime a prospect is close to becoming a customer. Many people who visit your website won’t remember to come back. That’s why it’s worth enticing them to subscribe by offering some gift. Depending on the nature of your site, it could be a coupon or an informational brochure. What matters most is that you remain in contact with your prospect. Those who are not ready to buy can receive messages in a “drip” fashion that will answer their questions and objections.

In fact, the entire basis of marketing automation relies on this ability to send targeted messages when needed. Think of an abandoned cart reminder email to understand why this tactic works. A customer who was interrupted while making a purchase has a convenient link sent to them. That triggers their memory, and they complete the order. The same concept works for other industries too. Converting the people who are on the fence is a quick way to increase sales and raise your conversion rates instantly.

Experience Impressive ROI with Winning Email Campaigns

Year after year email marketing tops the charts for ROI. Even better news is that people are not abandoning email because of using mobile. In fact, mobile email usage continues to grow. Marketers who use responsive designs in their email continue to thrive. There’s no indication that this revered form of marketing will slow down anytime soon. That’s why developing your winning email marketing program is essential to your success.

The success of your program relies on several factors, including:

  • Adherence to relevant technical details.
  • Crafting messages that your subscribers want.
  • Using compelling call-to-action links to induce the proper response.
  • Well-written copy that answers questions and makes sales.

Monitor and Tweak Your Email Campaigns to Achieve the Best Results

If that sounds like a lot of work, keep in mind that’s just the beginning. You’ll also need to track and monitor your results to make adjustments when necessary. Like many other elements of marketing, tweaking your email campaigns is the most crucial piece of the puzzle. It’s easy to analyze data using most email list management programs. Once you get a knack for the type of content that gets opened, you’ll have no problem extending your program. Never forget that you’re attempting to convince and persuade people to do business with your organization. Once you give them a reason to buy, they’ll become long-term clients.

Decide on Doing It Yourself or Delegating

If you feel that you don’t have the time to do a fantastic job of your email marketing, you can outsource it. Digital marketing agencies, or freelancers, can handle every aspect of your email campaigns for you. There’s no right or wrong answer on whether to do the work yourself or not. If you have more time than money, a DIY approach may be possible. If you have more money than time, choose to hire professionals instead. Anytime you work on a project yourself, keep track of the time spent. You may cost yourself more money than you’d pay to someone else.

Professionals also have the training and tools to get the job done. Factor in how much it would cost to learn how to use and purchase the tools you need for the job.

There Are Lots of Steps to Configure Successful Email Campaigns

You’ll need to setup and configure direct emails, transactional emails, and triggers to complete your sales funnel. Each type of message will have a different set of requirements. That’s where experience comes into play. Email marketers who have been emailing for years begin to get a knack for what works and what’s not useful.

It’s important that your project manager understands how to use various email marketing tools. They’ll also need to learn current best practices for list building. Perhaps most importantly, they have to know advanced strategies that are up to date! Experts will be able to improve your opt-in rates quickly, while also maximizing both your open and click through rates! While they do this, they will also have to pay strict attention to technical details to keep your deliverability as high as possible.

Implementing This Strategy Is One Detail You Have to Get Right

Sure, all of this will require massive effort! That’s why you either have to devote your own time to doing it or hire a team to handle it all for you. You cannot simply skip building an email marketing program if you plan on succeeding with digital marketing. In a sense, it’s the glue that holds all of your efforts together. No matter what you sell, from small items to high-end big-ticket products or services, you benefit from sending emails. Your customers are busy people. They will forget all about you if you let them. Timely reminders can help jar their memories and push them back towards your organization. Failing to do that is like allowing them all to find new vendors. They aren’t mad at you; they simply haven’t thought about you in a long time.

There are lots of details to make your digital marketing work. Implementing a winning strategy for your email marketing is at the top of the list.