People today pretty much have their smartphones glued to their hands. In fact, they're probably using their smartphones even more than their computers. If you want to get their attention, you better have an app for that. Luckily, you can give them just that.
If you need to grow your small business, you need to reach people. Knowing that most people like to be contacted through their smartphones, it's a good idea to give them an app to learn more about your business and maybe even buy something.
Creating an app seems like a great idea, but how do you go about doing that? Here is a comprehensive guide on how to create a successful app for your small business.
Why Create a Mobile App for Your Business?
There are several great reasons to create an app for your business including that it can help you reach a much larger audience. Some people prefer to utilize apps than other resources, and now you will be able to connect to this population. This, in turn, can help generate sales and increase brand awareness. In fact, it's bad for business NOT to have an app on the market. This is especially true if you are in the entertainment, technology, fashion, or beauty industries, and it's also especially valuable for any product marketed to a younger demographic.
Steps to Take to Create a Successful Mobile App for a Business
You don't just decide you want to create an app for your business and have it appear the next day. Building a quality app requires several steps and takes time. Below are the steps you will need to take:
Budget
Before you create an app, you need to decide how much money you have in your budget to make your app. Unfortunately, it's not free to make an app. You'll have to pay for someone to create it, and there will also be costs associated with running the app. A typical budget for an app fits in three groups: under $10,000, $10,000 - $50,0000, and over $50,000. Understand that this will be a significant expense, and once you've set your budget, you can determine how you will move forward.
Compare
There are millions of apps on the market today, and some of them will be in direct competition for your product or services. You should research your competition and learn what they offer and how it can be improved. Is it user-friendly? It is as attractive as it can be? Is it cohesive with the company branding? Does it have all the features that other people are looking for? Look for ways to improve on what is already out there so that you have a leg up in your industry.
Decide What You Want Users to Be Able to Do with your App
Once you have decided to make an app, you have to choose how your app will operate. What exactly are your users going to be able to do with it? You may think that the developer will be the one to decide that, but you must give the developer those instructions. Some common things included in a business app are:
- About Us
- Chat
- Contact Us
- Content
- E-commerce
- Forms
- Products
- Push Notifications
- Rewards
- Social Media Links
- Videos
It's important to remember that you don't need to have every feature available on your app. When you do decide what you want, you need to be extremely clear in communicating to your developer exactly what features are most important to you.
Develop the App
The most important step of the process is actually developing the app, and there are several decisions that you'll have to make at this stage that will be largely affected by your budget. You need to determine what code language you are going to use, the developer, and the platform. There are a number of options out there, so it's important to take the time to research your options carefully.
Test and Fix Your App
When you see the first demo, keep in mind that nothing is perfect, and building an app specific to your needs will take trial and error. You need to test your app before it goes on the market. In fact, you should probably hire a focus group to use the app and tell you what they think so you can improve it. Then you can make any tweaks you need to make before you go live.
Go Live
The last thing to do is to go live. Make your app available to the public so that they can utilize all the helpful features it offers. Of course, you'll have to let people know that the app is available by announcing the app on your website, in your store, and across social media. After you go live, be sure to monitor the app and its success so you can make appropriate adjustments if needed.
Helpful Tips to Keep in Mind When Creating an App
While the steps may seem simple, there's still a lot to consider when building your app. Here are some tips to consider:
Keep Your Audience in Mind
Your app is not designed for you- it's designed for your customers. Therefore, it's extremely important to consider your customers when you design it. Who do you appeal to? Who is your target audience? Make sure that you use a design that would appeal to your audience. You also want to consider how familiar your audience will be with apps to determine exactly how complex you can make it.
Use the Latest Technology Available
Technology moves quickly, and everyone wants the newest and latest features. Many times, new technology is designed to make the experience better for the user. Keep in mind that most users will be using the latest version of mobile technology, so you will want to make sure that your app is up to date. The last thing you want is for a user to disregard your app because it is out of date or doesn’t work properly.
Give People A Discount for Downloading the App
In order for the app to be effective, you need to get people to download your app after you created it. People will be more likely to download your app if they think that they are going to get something out of it. Earn a sale while also giving the customer a discount for their first purchase using the app. It's a win-win for everyone! If you have a retail store, you can also encourage employees to help people download the app to get the discount.
What to Avoid When Creating an App
There's a lot of advice available on what to do when you make an app, but there isn't as much information on what NOT to do. Here are a few things that you should avoid when you create an app.
Having Too Much
When you build an app, you may think that giving your customers absolutely every feature available is the best thing to do. However, flooding the app with a lot of unnecessary features can make it more complicated to use, and this can discourage people from using it. Simplify your app by just including the most important features for your users.
Don't Use a DIY App Builder
There are app builders out there that may give you the opportunity to create a very simple app for your business. The problem with the DIY app builders is that they severely limit the capabilities and overall look and feel of our app. If you want your app to do everything you want and look the way you want, you're going to need a professional, custom-built app.
Don't Ignore the App After You've Created It
Just like a website, you need to perform regular maintenance on your app. You will also need to have technical support available for people who might be having trouble with the app. Finally, you want to monitor the app. Are people using it? What are they using it for? Are downloads increasing or decreasing? Keeping up on this information will help you make any necessary changes.
Keeping up with technology is a huge part of building a company. If you aren't moving forward with everyone else, you could be left behind. For that reason, a new business can greatly benefit from an app because it can reach people and boost business. Creating an app for your company can seem like a headache at first, but when you know what you're doing, you can see how beneficial it can be for you and your business. You just have to remember that the app is worth the time and money it will take to build it. Once you've decided that you're committed to building your business, get the wheels in motion by starting with a vision. Once you have a vision, put it into action. Use these tips and build your app!
