Mobile apps are very similar to small businesses: their number increases every day and their goal is to get the job done in the simplest manner, without unnecessary complications. All small business owners who want to be up to speed with the technological developments, as well as competitive in the market and – most importantly – of use to their buyers and customers will invest in mobile applications. These are the main reasons why they certainly should…
1. The near future is all mobile
It is estimated that by 2015 two billion people will own a smartphone while more than 780 million of them will be using a smartphone or a table exclusively, meaning they will not even own a laptop or a desktop computer. Also by then, Americans will have discarded the bulky computers and will be using mostly mobile devices for local searches. These numbers, with the data that 55% of searches on mobile devices result in an action – a visit to the store, a call or a buy – testify to the importance of mobile devices, as well as of how important it is to start conquering that world on time.
2. Think mobile, spend locally
A study done by Pew Internet & American Life Project has shown that 74% of smartphone owners use location services such as Foursquare and Yelp to find restaurants, shops and cafés near them while 18% of them also check-in. Another study, done in 2013, just before the start of the Christmas holidays discovered that 66% buyers plans to do their Christmas shopping in local and private stores while smartphone owners shared that 68% of them plan to use their mobile devices during the shopping as well as the fact that they will spend 27% more on holiday shopping than those who do not own a smartphone. Small business owners who lean on the local community have to start thinking about their mobile strategy if they wish to stay competitive and plan to make their slice of the cake a big one.
3. Mobile payments
That the future is in mobile payments is the mantra repeated by all whose business is the internet. We are probably just a few short years away from the time in which every small business owner will worry about getting the option of mobile payment. Nothing to worry about, Androids and iPhones will be ready by then. Paypal already charged $27 billion dollars via mobile payments last year. There is no doubt in which direction the future is going – the number of mobile internet users is increasing, and these are the people walking down your street, browsing the internet and looking for you. Or your competitors.
4. Users
Investing in mobile applications is a good way for small business owners to stay competitive and relevant in their fields, to additionally strengthen the awareness of their brand and to be in constant touch with their clients and users. Mobile applications can also be used to provide a quick and safe customer support as well as start a loyalty program thus showing and proving you care about your users. Moreover, a mobile application can help you gather relevant data about your user base which you can then use to optimize your business and your promotional messages that you are sending via all the available marketing channels.
5. Speed and all the other virtues
Everybody loves a speedy service just like everybody hates waiting in line. If your small business is on a smartphone, your client will be able to contact you in a fraction of a second and it will be much easier and simpler for him or her to do so this way, through a service that you, as the owner, control in its entirety. The Gartner study estimates that in 2013 about 102 billion mobile applications have been downloaded! It is estimated that by 2015 mobile marketing in the USA will generate 400 billion dollars – compared to the $139 billion in 2012 the trend, which will only continue to grow is clearly visible. Almost 45% of all American mobile marketing campaigns rely on application download. So, it is high time to start setting up a mobile strategy before it is too late – the clock is already ticking.