Business is changing. Changing so fast that it’s a full time job just to keep up with the changes. Marketing & advertising especially. When it comes to the tech & web side of business, it’s changing even more. In case you’ve been living under a rock for the past couple years, let me point out a few examples.
Text messaging. Smart phones. Mobile apps. Voice search. Your customers are using all of these, but can you reach them through the new mobile medium? As your customers adopt wireless communications to their on-the-go lifestyle, your job as a business owner is to reach them where they are, which happens to be on a cell phone or other mobile device. Mobile marketing is the most effect way to accomplish this.
- 93% of Americans own a cell phone
- 75% of these users send or receive text messages
- 95% of text messages are read
If your business can’t be found via mobile search, you’re losing customers.
If your business doesn’t have a way to contact customers instantly, you’re losing sales.
If your advertising is unseen or ignored, you’re irrelevant.
The most effective advertising in today’s economy is mobile marketing.
- Consumers no longer use the yellow pages for anything more than a door stop. Spending $1000’s of dollars in the phone book is a huge waste of money for most businesses.
- TV viewership is at an all time low. Those ads that used to bring in traffic don’t work anymore because of Tivo, Netflix, and Youtube.
- Radio stations are fighting to stay on air. Listeners have switched from local FM stations to satellite and internet radio, as well as their own created stations through iTunes, Pandora, and Spotify.
- Billboards are extremely expensive and at a premium due to city regulations and competition. (Plus, everyone’s so busy texting that they’re not paying attention to billboards anyway!)
- Even the more recent online avenues such as pay-per-click and search engine marketing has gotten more competitive and expensive.
- The internet is changing quicker than ever. No longer is it located just on your desktop computer. With laptops, the ipad, tablets, mobile web, and smart phones, it’s changing faster than anyone ever thought possible.
So where does that leave you, the small business owner, trying to grow a business, attract new customers, keep down costs, and increase profits? Mobile, that’s where. Everything is shifting to the mobile space; internet use, social media, advertising, your customers.
Mobile Applications, or just “apps”, for short, are the way of the future. Take a walk down the street or through the local mall. See how many people are staring down at their phones? Guess what…if they have any type of smart phone, they’re undoubtably using a mobile app.
Whether it’s for social media, games, performing a web search, or checking out the daily specials at a favorite restaurant, apps extend the basic cell phone functionality to that of a full computer.
Does Your Business Need an App?
How can a mobile app help your business? Especially if you already have a website…or maybe even a mobile site?
The answer is a resounding “YES!” and here’s how:
A mobile app gives you the ability to:
- Send push notifications to user phones. This is 10 times more effective than email and is instantaneous!
- Give your app users step by step directions to your location through their phone’s GPS.
- Allow users the ability to access a list of information, menu, employees, and more, directly though their phone.
- More exposure for your business in the app stores. Ten’s of thousands of app searches are performed each day.
- Allows users to connect with your business in both a social, and mobile way.
- Distribute coupons directly to your loyal customers who have download your app.
- Set your business apart from your competitors who don’t have an app!
So how does that sound… intriguing? To wet your appetite even more, Spears Marketing is getting ready to roll out a VERY affordable option for small businesses to get their very own iPhone, Android, and HTML5 mobile app. More details to follow soon.
Imagine being able to send a message to all your customers about an upcoming sale with just one click, and have 95% percent of them read it? Text/SMS marketing is how you do it.
How about sending out a coupon to potential customers who are already searching for your product or service?
What if your business had it’s own iPhone or Android app that loyal customers could download for their phone, and which you can update with your latest news, sales and more?
These are all possible with mobile marketing. It’s not where the internet and commerce is headed. It’s where it is now! If you’re not going mobile, you’re losing business!
Can’t wait? Contact us to learn how we can help you out with a mobile app even sooner!
Great article! I believe Mobile Apps will eventually become a necessity for businesses of all sizes with all budgets. This is going to change how small-medium businesses employ their marketing strategies. Mobile app technologies gives small businesses a fighting chance to compete with the big players.