Go Local Mobile!

Go Local Mobile!

If you have a business that caters to local market and you don’t intend to go global, you might have a valid argument for not having a mobile strategy. But what if your mobile strategy could get you a better grip on the local market itself? Now that’s a great argument too.

Here’s how local businesses can get a better grip on the local market growing their business in lesser spend than in traditional advertising.

Encash the ‘Mobile Moment’

Mobile moment is the exact moment when someone looks in to their mobile for something they need in that very moment. This could be some information, some place to eat, something they purchase, a song, a movie, or anything that your mobile can provide. By advertising in the relevant places with online banners and ads, you can encash on the mobile moment. Consider this use case; Alex was looking for pet food on his mobile phone. He saw an ad on Facebook about this pet store that has pet food, pet grooming services and vet services, plus it’s local. Bingo, Alex found exactly what he was looking for and by being in the right place at the right time, the store could encash on the mobile moment.

Good places to start with would be social media, advertising for local markets on social media, advertising on apps that provide geo-based advertising.

Encash on Your Mobile Presence

Mobile presence does not necessarily mean an app. While an app gives an added advantage, a responsive or mobile website does it as good if not better. Search engines are biased towards businesses that have mobile presence. When a user searches for something on the search engine, the search engine algorithm filters results by GPS location and, by mobile presence. So, if your business has mobile presence, you have a fair chance of having your listing placed ahead of someone who doesn’t. fair and square.

Have a responsive or a mobile website. Again, social media presence will give added advantage. Do get listed on all yellow-pages like listings popular in your area. You might even consider sponsored search results or Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising.  

Did Your App Just Get Uninstalled? Ouch!

You meticulously planned the app, got it created, chalked out a marketing plan that would make your app stand out amongst million others, incentivized users to download it, and boom, next thing you know is a chunk of users uninstalled it already…ouch! That must hurt. If it happened to you, here are some insight into what users expect from an app, and why they uninstall it. this should give you a fair platform to start your analysis and get back in the game.

According to a market research conducted by Survata, 71 percent of respondents, aged between 18 to 44, feel that tangible rewards was one of the most motivating factors leading to downloads. That said, retention also is dependent on benefits, but more than benefits, it is about performance.

When a user downloads an app, there’s brand promise, performance promise and value promise that user believes in, and downloads. To be able to engage its users, the app needs to be able to live up to that promise. If it fails in meeting expectations, users stop trusting it and uninstall it. For instance, for a retail app that promises to provide convenience and variety, but has a rather complicated navigation and limited stock, fails its users’ expectations and subsequently users uninstall it.

Another important factor is technical excellence. Users expect apps to be technically perfect, that’s the point of having an app in the first place. If your app crashes or freezes, users will uninstall it.

Last but not the least, you need to give your users reasons to come back to the app again and again. If you cannot bring your users back to the app, your app will become redundant to the user and will be uninstalled.

App users are fickle. Your marketing needs to be sharp, focused and agile. You need to race ahead of the users’ minds to be able to stay in the game.

How To Streamline Delivery with App

Mobile apps are not only bringing convenience and cost-effectiveness to consumers, but are also aligning business processes, saving man-hours, accelerating response time, connecting teams, expediting operations and catalyzing internal processes, helping businesses make huge savings and take giant leaps in customer fulfillment.

While apps are affecting all areas and functions of businesses, here’s an example of how an app can streamline ‘Delivery’ for retail businesses.

For retailers, especially in the online and mobile domain, ‘delivery’ is one of the most critical functions in the entire business processes cycle. With limited spaces for storage available, exorbitant warehouse costs, and increased same-day-delivery demands, delivery and fulfilment have become a real challenge, especially for small businesses that do not operate with the luxuries of sheer scale enjoyed by retail chains.

Delivery and fulfillment issues can be sorted by an application that combines planning, execution and reporting to monitor and chalk-out optimized delivery routes with real-time tracking, all on mobile devices to increase effectiveness. Here’s what companies need to consider when getting an application created for delivery.

Cost per delivery will considerably come down drastically if your trips are logistically planned,even if the number of deliveries goes up. The following features will in your app will ensure you have a smooth, hassle free and efficient delivery process.

·       Vehicle tracking – GPS tracking will ensure you are on top of the vehicle movement system at all times.

·       Live map – A live map of the entire region where your deliveries are taking place, with zoom in feature, will help you keep track of your vehicles and plan the delivery system better.

·       Assigning deliveries – The app should be capable not only of tracking but should enable you to assign deliveries as well. For instance, a delivery truck gets jammed in traffic, the other truck has just finished delivering closeby, the app should be capable of assigning the job to the second truck and making the de-tour changes both the trucks. Both drivers should receive real-time intimation with scope of receiving acknowledgement as well.

·       Automatic re-scheduling – The app should have auto re-schedule feature wherein all detour deliveries, uncompleted deliveries should be scheduled for the next day.

Although there can be a lot more features that can help, but more or less, if your app can give access to real-time tracking, mobility planning, auto re-schedule, etc., your delivery system will be streamlined and you’ll be able to see the efficiency and of course the savings.