The Great Business

According to BBC 2′s Virtual Revolution Programme – broadcast on 3rd March 2011 — younger people are developing ‘Fox’ like attributes — gathering and sharing small snippets of information to gain knowledge).

This fundamental change in how we gather knowledge explains why social websites like Twitter and Facebook are so popular. And it also explains the growth in iPhone apps.

So how can you use this change in consumer habits to promote your business?

Instead of sending long, content-rich brochures and letters to your customers and prospects you can feed snippets about your products or service to your target market. And using a mobile app to deliver those tit-bits makes it easier for your customers to connect and engage with you.

Do Business Apps Really Work?

When I first looked into the idea of a business mobile app I must admit I wasn’t sure that it would have any real business marketing value, after all the majority of apps seemed to be games. And I did wonder if apps are just a fad that would soon lose their appeal.

Got that wrong, didn’t I?

Because I read about the success a limousine hire company in London was having with their bespoke iPhone App. The company reported receiving 1.4m worth of bookings through their app during May 2011 and the trend looks set to continue.

You can put your app into Apple’s iTunes App Store and / or on the Android Market Store — making it easier for people to find and download it. If it is to be used as a marketing tool then I’d recommend putting it up as a free app and encourage your customers to tell their friends about it.

How Can You Make Your Business Mobile App Popular?

If you are planning to make your iPhone app available through the iTunes App Store, you have to meet Apple’s terms of business. And Apple are not keen on pure marketing apps. The app has to have some functionality the user enjoys or finds useful so the app is opened and used frequently. If the app also uses an iPhone feature, such as the camera or the GPS function, then Apple are more inclined to approve your app for the App Store.

So what should you include in your mobile business app? How can you find out what would appeal to your customers?

The simple answer? Ask them.

You could ask your existing customers to complete a quick survey in which you list the features you could include in an app. Ask them to choose, in order of preference, the feature that appeals to them.

Here’s a list of features you could potentially offer:

• Your Events diary
• Instant GPS directions from their current location to your premises.
• Picture Gallery — let your customers see themselves enjoying your event or display your products.
• Product or service list with prices — e.g. a restaurant or bar could include their menus and prices, make it easier for customers to plan a night out.
• Reservation request — ideal for restaurants or hotels, one-touch booking from inside your app.
• Special Offer Vouchers
• Quick Response Vouchers (these are scannable vouchers – one of the latest technological advances on mobile phones).
• Your Newsletter
• Customer Feedback — let your customers tell you what they think.
• Instant access to your YouTube videos.
• Instant access to your Facebook page.
• Instant access to your Tweets.
• Tell-a-friend — an easy way for your customers to share their experiences with friends.
• An in app calculator — e.g. a tip calculator for a restaurant, a mortgage calculator for a mortgage broker or estate agent (real estate), a VAT or tax calculator for an accountant).
• Tips — ‘How to’ guides that help your customers.
• Ask a question — let your customers send a question by email from inside your app.
• Email photo — encourage your customers to take a photo and send it to you, perhaps a photo of them using your product.
• In app 1-touch calling — a single tap to automatically dial your phone number.
• Instant messages with breaking news or offers.