It has been a while since I wrote anything.  I have been busy designing plans to build a new home for my wife and family.  We are so excited to build an energy efficient home that will save us money on utilities and provide us the comfort we like.  Well enough about that lets talk about the market.

The mobile market continues to increase and businesses in almost every walk of life are starting to see the necessity of jumping on board.  We have helped businesses in the chiropractic, dental, orthodontic, property management, network marketing, savings guides, schools, theaters, restaurants, hotel/resort, dj/bar/clubs, carwash/c-store/lube, and credit management.  As you can see the diversity of businesses who are recognizing the need to go mobile covers a broad range.  What is common with these businesses? There is one thing that is common and that is the decision makers are forward thinking individuals who are seeing the speedy advance of the mobile market and they want to be accessed by their customers on the go.   It is happening join the mobile movement!

When you look at this image you see mobile app usage has now surpassed desktop users. This is important to know for your business because your market is going mobile. Now is the time to catch up to your customers. They are driving your market and if you want to access them you have to consider mobile.

By 2015, it is estimated that close to a billion consumers will be using mobile devices only (no laptop, no desktop). And many, many others will be using their mobile devices more often than their other devices. For small businesses, this means that maintaining a mobile presence is highly important, if not essential.

The main choice many business owners face is, “Should I have a mobile website or an app?” Luckily, the answer is clear: both!

Recently, we surveyed 500 small businesses that have mobile websites and apps, and 81% said both are equally important!

Here are the highlights:

Mobile website versus mobile app:

• Value. 61% said an app provided a better return on investment.

• Customer preference. 81% said customers preferred the app to the mobile website.

• New customer generation. 75% said app was better for customer generation.

• Repeat business. 86% said app was better for creating repeat customers.

• Usage. 61% said app was used more often.

The app pretty clearly has the edge in the opinion of most small business owners. But that doesn’t mean that apps are right for everyone. The infographic found below contains the rest of our findings, and a wealth of information for small businesses considering “going mobile.”

Mobile marketing looks complex and sophisticated from the outside.  When you begin to examine it closely you will realize it really is no different than any other marketing modality.  The key to mobile marketing is the correct tools and understanding their best use. What are the correct tools?  Before answering let me preface my answer with the additional tools that are necessary in today’s world.  With the advent of social media, ie., Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, and many others the market has changed to the point that “word of mouth advertising” is now almost instantaneous.  Using these mediums have become a must and can help tremendously with any business.  The opportunity to include these as an option in mobile marketing has increased with technology.

The use of a well designed mobile website is a must for every business.  A mobile application is also extremely important. The way to make mobile marketing easy starts with designing your website properly and then using it.  Create a mobile application and then update it regularly to create customer retention.  After you create your mobile website and mobile app, consistently update them and you will find your mobile marketing becoming very easy.

Mobile marketing is a very fast paced evolving environment. Keeping up with the trends however is not that difficult. You must have the proper tool set to do so. What are the correct tools to have?  First you must have the understanding of your mobile market. Most  businesses have customers who use their mobile devices multiple times each day to search for specific information.  If you do not have a mobile presence you are losing out on those customers and on new customers.

“By December 2012, comScore found that nearly 86 million people searched for information on local businesses via mobile, a 25% increase over an eight-month period. More than half of these mobile local searchers said they researched on the devices because they were on the go and needed immediate information.”

The tools of mobile marketing include, first a well designed mobile website, second a mobile app with the functionality to interact with your customers, third a text messaging system, fourth easy customer access functions in your mobile website and app, fifth email marketing designed for mobile devices.  You must implement a mobile marketing plan taking advantage of the tools you currently have the a plan to implement the tools you do not have.

The secret to mobile marketing is start with what you have and move to take advantage of the additional tools available.  For help in implementing and on the tools or for a free mobile consultation you can call Impact Mobile Apps and someone will be happy to assist you.

With #mobile devices becoming the largest access to web searches the marketing environment is changing. While the principles of #marketing stay the same the media is going mobile. This means business needs to convert their messages to a mobile format, whether a mobile website or a mobile app or both.  The advantages of going mobile are becoming more apparent with each new day.  Thousands of customers are looking for businesses on their mobile devices. Are they finding your business or your competitors. Now is the time to begin a mobile marketing campaign! For help in deciding where to start we are available, call or email us info@impactmobileapps.com or (801) 900-3999.

Do you have a #mobile #website? If you do is it set up to be user friendly? Is is simple and yet descriptive?  Have you asked your customers what they like or want to find on your mobile site? If you have answered no to any of these this might be of value to your business.

When you have a mobile site it is important to make it thumb ready. Meaning you can hold a mobile device in one hand and navigate using your thumb.  You should keep the main page very simple with tabs to call and directions for your location that are easy to see and easy to reach with a users thumb. The rest of the information can be located in other tabs that allow the user to find the most pertinent information.  You can leave the bulk of the information on your main website.  Use these simple practices and your mobile website will do a better job.  

For more information specific to your business, you may contact us and request a free mobile analysis.   

Your customers have gone mobile when will you join them?

* Mobile coupons are 10 times more likely to be redeemed than mail or newspaper distributed coupons.

* 50% of people made a special trip to a store to redeem a mobile coupon.

* More than one half of all local searches are being performed on mobile devices.

* Mobile creates a more personal experience for the user.

* Over 75% of marketers plan to include mobile in their budgets, don’t be part of the 25% left in the dust. Join us in the mobile revolution.

* 9 out of 10 mobile searches result in a purchase or in-store visit.

The #mobile market is moving very rapidly, this year will mark the takeover of mobile with more internet searches on mobile devices than on desktop computers.