The pandemic crisis found ourselves involved in many business projects which cannot be postponed or undone. Startup ventures struck by the sudden pandemic outbreak need to modify their business strategy to correspond to the current situation.
Although all of us stay home, you can still reach out and serve your users or customers in many ways – via a mobile app being one of them.
Mobile apps have become THE common tool for business – not only for corporate businesses but also for new ventures known as startups.
Any business that wants to make ROI (return on investment) should invest in a mobile app as it’s become a ‘survival kit’ in the overcrowded market. A recent study from Emarketer has shown that the majority of smartphone users spend most of their time surfing the Net and that’s a good start point – use the trend to your advantage no matter if you’re an established business or a startup.
Startups should pay attention whether to promote their idea to their target audience or a wide audience depending on their requirements – however you decide, there’s no better way than having a mobile app.
Most startups don’t have enough budget and they should aim to build an MVP (minimum viable product) and make a strong online presence.
How can a mobile app help your startup to thrive?
Establishes Brand
When you start your business, the first thing you wish for is that you’re ‘recognized’.
If you want to be recognized, you shouldn’t ‘just’ develop a mobile app – more important thing is that your mobile app provides value to your users.
This means that your mobile app should have all the necessary features necessary to attract your targeted users. Once your app attracts users only then you can expect your app to start making sales.
Find a reliable development company and explain your idea – check the value your mobile app will bring and make sure that all the features are valid and aligned with your initial idea. The entire process is gradual so don’t try to rush things – be patient and always keep in mind the value you provide to your users.
Mobile apps create awareness for businesses and if done properly, they drive a positive effect.
Ensures Visibility
Similar to our lifestyle nowadays, people need services non stop, meaning it is highly important that you have 24×7 online availability unless your business focuses solely on your country. During pandemic, online demand for services has witnessed a significant growth as per example of Statista.
Keep in mind that your business can grow in the future and always leave some space for some ‘unpredictable’ situations. Having a mobile app enhances your online presence and also increases the visibility of your business or brand.
As already said, the majority of people use mobile over the web and additionally, people use apps for almost everything – online shopping, booking hotels or various events, leaving feedback or comments and much more.
Use these trends to your advantage and offer yourself online – be present 24×7.
Triggers Engagement
No matter if your business offers products or services, what really matters is that you enable customers to interact with you.
A mobile app provides an opportunity to boost your business and also helps expand it along the way. Make sure to develop a mobile app that is able to connect with your customers and save their sales records to give you further insights.
A mobile app is a great way to engage your users – you can increase user acquisition and retention with different features like push notifications, rewards and loyalty programs. Many users respond positively to loyalty programs as they see it as a way to save money, earn rewards or points, earn a special discount code and much more.
All these features can help you to establish direct communication with your users.
Builds Customer Relationships
In this highly competitive age, your startup cannot survive without a proper CRM system for faster sales.
Building a healthy and trustworthy customer relationship has become incredibly important for every business, let alone a startup.
Mobile CRM is extremely efficient because it can integrate a variety of information about your customers in one place and provide you with access at the palm of your hand – any time and at any place.
This enables you to include task management features to assign tasks to yourself or others.
In order to build better customer relationships, your mobile app needs to operate well at all times – make sure that your customers can access it quickly and stay engaged while using it.
Delivers Marketing
Today, mobile apps are a direct marketing tool because they provide so many features that guide customers to get all the information they need.
The information the apps can provide is usually pricing, a news feed, search, bookings, shopping, forms and much more. With a mobile app, you enable your customers to contact you and use your services.
Your mobile app can reach out to customers via special offers for promotional purposes or push notifications, allowing customers to access the information they need and inform them about current discounts or loyalty programs.
Always stay in touch with your customers.
Helps with Social Media
The trend of social media sync in mobile apps has already picked up and shown that it’s a game-changing tool.
The latest study from Linkedin has shown that small and medium-sized companies turn to social media as their marketing channel – social media can show the success rate of your marketing efforts and the entire growth process. That way, you’ll know if any stage of your marketing process is underperforming and which part exactly so that you can improve your effort or change the approach.
Integrating your mobile app with social media channels will provide you with features like keyword monitoring, all-in-views of social media accounts, various ways to engage with customers, deep analysis and recommendation and more – all of these are beneficial for a startup.
If you want to engage with your users and facilitate registration or login process or enable your users to reach you at all times, you should sync up your mobile app with social media channels like Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin or other social media platforms.
Facilitate the process for your customers through social media.
Enables Geo-Targeting
If you have trouble with targeting your key users, a mobile app can save your time and effort with its location-specific and time-sensitive features. Incorporating geolocation into your mobile app enables you to send special offers to your users who are close to your brick-and-mortar store.
Geo-targeting can help you to cut your overhead costs, narrow your focus and deliver ads specifically tailored (deliver targeted ads to users at the right time and in the right place) for your preferred user group. You can also display coupons and deals to potential users nearby or just help them to find your business directly on a map.
Geo targeting enables you to send personalized messages to your customers.
Manages Finances
Since startups have a limited budget, you must accurately manage your assets and finances if you want to operate for the long term. You can manage your finances effectively with the help of asset management features in your mobile app.
Some features provide expense and payment tracking, receipt scanning, invoicing, etc. It allows you to manage and update assets easily while on the go, associate tasks, appointments, reminders, notes and more.
By properly managing your assets, you can ensure that nothing goes missing while getting the most out of the limited resources you have at hand.
FINAL WORD
As mobile apps have been considered game-changers for businesses recently, it is an investment worth your money, time and effort.