As 2017 gets ready to strike worldwide, how would you assess your business success over the last 12 months?
If your brand has been struggling to one degree or another, can you put your finger on why that is?
For some business owners, the problem is essentially not embracing technology.
Whether the reason is not having the money to put forth or feeling like technology is not the company’s most pressing needs, some owners fall behind the competition. When that happens, it can be tough to recover.
As you look at the pending year, would having a mobile app help your business grow and acquire more customers? If so, building it and then marketing it as much as possible should be two priorities in the New Year.
Review Your App Before Going Public
One of the worst things a business owner can do is premiering his or her company’s app before it is actually ready for primetime viewing. In rushing an app to the forefront, it may well not be ready. If consumers see an app that is less than ideal, they may think twice about doing business with the brand.
With that in mind, be sure if you are still in the stages of how to create an app that you do it correctly the first time around.
For starters, will you create the mobile app in-house or go outside for your needs?
Both options have their pros and cons to them, so make that important decision with some thinking and strategizing behind it.
Once you’ve chosen who will make the app and where and when it will be created, start getting a handle on your marketing initiatives.
Spreading the Word About Your App
So that you are able to get as much positive marketing bang for your dollar, keep these pointers in mind:
- Audience – First and foremost, what type of audience will you be looking to in terms of marketing? If you’re a smaller business, you know how hard it can be to compete with others for a limited pool of consumers. That said marketing your app correctly takes on added importance. When your app has been built, reviewed, and ultimately has any of the kinks worked out, the time is then to market it. Knowing your marketing audience is more than just a thought. Why waste time marketing your app to those with little or no interest? For example, if you sell products mainly to senior citizens, don’t automatically discount marketing your app to Baby Boomers and/or teens. Keep in mind that those two groups do have grandparents and other older relatives. That said your app marketing focus should still remain with those 65 and older;
- Means – Two of the best means to market your mobile app would be your blog and social media channels. For instance, your blog should be updated regularly as it is, but especially when you are rolling out your new app. Make notable posts regarding the app, how you intend to use it, how it will benefit customers etc. From there, social media is another great resource you shouldn’t discount. Whether you are on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram or any number of other social sites, don’t let them go to waste. Share with consumers the fact that your mobile app is up and running. Once again, let them know the advantages of connecting with you, especially in terms of great deals etc. Finally, put together a little tutorial on how your app operates. You could even put together a video for your website and/or YouTube. The more consumers get to know about your new app, the better for you and your brand.
With a well-designed mobile app in your corner, 2017 could very well turn out to be a banner year, so get marketing.