3 things to consider before getting an App for your Business

 Consumer habits are shifting towards mobile consumption as smart phone technology and merchants begin to provide more opportunities for customers to purchase their products via their mobile phones.  As these trends begin to effect small business owners, many are wondering if and when they should invest in their own mobile application. According to a report by Forrester US consumers only use an average of 25 apps and 88% of that time is spent with only 5 apps; so as  small business owner you have to weigh the cost vs. reward when considering your own app or native application.
A person's mobile phone is very valuable real estate in a persons life, and even though phone providers provide unlimited data options for phone calls, text messages , apps and multimedia files, you are limited to how much data your phone can hold. I always advise my clients to think about about  3 things when you ask a customer to download your app:
 #1 Data
Is my app 'heavy" meaning does it take up memory and compromise the performance of my phone. The more bell and whistles your app comes with the heavier or more needy it is and can put a strain on your customers phone. Also people store videos and photos of family  and their favorite songs on that same phone. So make sure your app is more important than that as you might be asking them to compromise getting all of Jr.'s basketball game the favorite workout mix.

#2 Utility
How often does my customer interact with my business? Can they do this via my mobile website? These are a few questions to ask yourself to ensure that your app will not only be downloaded but also utilized.  According to Localytics 23% of all user abandon app after download which is about 1 in every 4 users. I would always advise my clients when thinking of the design and functionality of the app, think of a way to get the user to check it often or provide some "utility". For example I have a radio station that I consult with and I advised them to add some type of musical trivia game to their app as a way to not only keep the customer engaged but also keeps the customer on the app which can help with advertising. 
Optimized for Mobile.

#3 My mobile site might be good enough
Some website providers already provide mobile optimized sites or site that look and work well on mobile phones, so you might not need the extra step. If you use some of the main site builders like Word press, Wix, Weebly, etc you more than likely have a website optimized for mobile phones. The best way to make sure is to use your mobile web browser and put your url and see if you are able to function and if the experience is similar to that on a desktop.
It is true that customers are moving towards mobile everything world, however they have preferences and expectations when it comes to their mobile experience as the experience you provide with your product or service. Any inconsistencies in either experience can hurt you long term. If you are certain that a mobile application is for your business do some thorough research on cost, monthly maintenance, and updates. If you need some guidance or help you can always send us an e-mail at info@themotivatingmarketer.com Good luck.

---