You’ve built your business from scratch, you’ve marketed, you’ve interacted, you’re selling exactly what is needed to the people who want it. Is it time to sit back and relax? No way. Do that and your competitors can come sneaking around and your customers can fade away… You need to look at expanding, doing something different, making yourself indispensable. How? By making an app for your business. We look at the biggest reasons why this is a great idea.

You’re Visible – 24/7

People love their smartphones, and they use them a lot. In fact, studies shows that the average American uses their smartphone for about five hours each day. Having an app on a smartphone that is used that much will put you in front of your customers at all times. Make the app incredibly useful, and some of that five hours will be spent with you. You’ll be the first brand that people think of when they need what you sell, and because of your app, you’ll be able to sell more of it, and more quickly and easily too.

It’s Easy Direct Marketing

Apps are the ideal way to do direct marketing. They provide all the details that you want your customers to know without you needing to create additional marketing avenues for them. You can use your app to advertise a sales or special promotion, you can use it to remind highlight certain items, you can even use it to remind people of special occasions that they might want to buy a gift for. Everything is at your customer’s fingertips, and they can also control how much advertising they see by deciding to use the app or not – so although you can give them the information, it won’t feel as thought it is pushed on them, which can be off-putting.

Added Value

Everyone loves to get something for nothing, a bonus gift, some added value when they buy something. As long as your app is free to download, this is the ideal piece of added value that will make your customers think that they are truly appreciated and that you are looking out for them by providing them with an easy way to get in touch with you, and to search for your products. You can even use it in place of a loyalty card, and people can keep up with their points that they have earned through shopping with you online.

Build Your Brand

Having a mobile app for your business will help to build your brand, and contribute to your brand awareness. Think of a mobile app as a big billboard sign, or advertising on the side of a bus. It’s big and bold and needs to be seen, so you will need to ensure that your logo is eye-catching (you can get design tips here) and your message is easy to understand. Ensure that your app is full of features that your customers will love, and keep your brand in mind at all times. Combining these two features will build your brand, and your business.