So you think you should just develop your custom mobile app to reach zillions of users, make big money, and become famous? Well, today, I would like to address why you just should not do exactly this.
It will cost you fortune
Money always comes first. How much does it cost you to make your custom mobile app depends on what you are trying to accomplish. Of course, it depends also on who and how builds the app. If you think to have something basic (like a calculator, stopwatch, or timer), you will pay a few thousand euro. And as the complexity increases so does the cost. A more complex mobile app can cost you easily more than a hundred thousand euro.
Well, and if you think you need something really fancy like the Facebook app, be ready to spend a few million euro. Last but not least, it would be a mistake to think of custom mobile app design and development as a one-time cost. Creating the app is only the tip of the iceberg. Plan a lot of money for some maintenance and several updates per year.
No one will use your app anyway
And then, it seems highly unlikely to achieve these three above mentioned things. It is estimated that around 1 out of every 10,000 mobile apps see some sort of success. And among them, just a small fragment becomes really popular. People spend nearly a few hours a day on their mobile phones and on apps, but only a few apps see heavy use. So, no matter how good your mobile app eventually is, the reality is that people spend the majority of their time on just a few apps.
Those essential apps do vary from person to person. However, the most popular apps in Czechia as well as in the world are instant messaging apps such as Whatsapp and Messenger, social media such as Facebook or Instagram. The social media and communication apps account for 50% of time spent on mobile apps globally. Then you have a handful of streaming apps such as YouTube, Netflix, or Spotify.
As the evolution of mobile payments continues, today, people use the mobile phone more and more to pay for a wide range of services and goods. With that said, mobile wallet apps such as Apple Pay, Google Pay, or Samsung Pay belong to the most popular apps, too.
Mobile marketing does not have to involve creating a mobile app
You might think that a mobile wallet is just about payments. Actually, it is a service that manages digital content from multiple brands. Such as offers, coupons, loyalty rewards, tickets, boarding passes, and bus or train tickets, gift cards, information cards, loyalty cards, membership cards, hotel key cards, IDs, driver’s licenses, electronic receipts or product information. Beyond transactions, the mobile wallet allows for deals, promotions, or discounts to appear as push notifications on the lock screen of your mobile phone.
It is difficult to differentiate for small businesses. Difficult, but not impossible. Being memorable to your customers is crucial for long-term success. Provide great customer service, build strong relationships, and come up with something new.
Customer loyalty is always important. And even more in the current downturn. You can emerge from the pack leveraging the mobile wallet – a new and powerful marketing and loyalty platform.
Engage customers with mobile phones offering them branded digital content for mobile wallets. Present people your deals, promotions, or discounts and make them feel appreciated. Despite this pandemic, people still look for deals.
Ladislav Poledna inspires interested readers to “Become Digital” by publishing materials about digital marketing in his Prague Monitor column and aptly named blog. He has built a career around successful relationships and innovation for the past two decades. At present, Ladislav manages the Power Solutions division of a Fortune 1000 company in Central and Eastern Europe and also oversees operations of the producer’s regional office in Prague. Recently, he co-founded a B-to-B software service company making mobile marketing affordable and easy to use. Ladislav’s philanthropic contributions include a long-term relationship with a charity focused on funding dreams for people with muscular dystrophy.
Become Digital
Mobile phones are long becoming the main “screen” in peoples’ lives. Mobile marketing is no longer an innovation but a part of important decisions. Read articles on mobile marketing to get inspired on how to connect with people where they spend a lot of their time.
