“I already have a website. Why would I want an app?”
March 20th, 2021
About 50% of all internet searches happen on smartphones.
If your business already has a website, what value can an app add?
There are 3 main reasons why having an app in addition to a website can be beneficial:
Customer Frequency
Customer Incentives
Increase Business
Customer frequency refers to how often your customer buys from you, or how often you want them to buy from you.
Customer incentives refers to how an app can incentivize customers to buy more frequently.
Increase business simply refers to more sales and a better experience.
Let’s dive in to these factors.
Customer Frequency
Before the internet, nobody had a website. Now, every business is expected to have a website.
If a business doesn’t have a website, it feels like they they’re not an established business.
The same thing is happening with apps, but apps are a little different than a website.
Website
Websites are an “information” place.
It’s tacit.
People go to your website to find out more information about who you are, what you do, and what you’re asking people to do.
Apps
Apps are an “interaction” place.
It’s active.
People use your app to interact with your business either by making purchases or building loyalty.
While every business is expected to have a website, not all businesses should have an app.
Established restaurants will all have apps. Law firms will probably not need an app.
Why?
Because restaurants have repeat traffic often, and customers could use the app frequently.
But law offices probably only have clients once in a lifetime, so people would only use the app once and delete it.
Any business that has frequent, repeat traffic will eventually be expected to have an app, just like all businesses today are expected to have a website.
2. Customer Incentives
An app gives you access to your customer’s pocket.
You can send notifications, provide personalized rewards programs, and give personalized buying recommendations.
An app makes it easier for business owners to interact with their customers in a personalizable way.
Gym Example
Imagine how differently gyms would be if they all had apps?
Billing - You can manage all of your billing information at the palm of your hand.
Workout Data - You could track which machines or exercises you do, and the app could graph your progress over time.
Rewards Program - The app could track how often you attend the gym and earn discounts or products after every X number of visits.
Personalized Recommendations - The app could recommend deals and sales for their nutrition products according to your exercise habits: protein powders for those who use the weight machines, lean products for those who excercise on cardio exercises, etc.
Do you see how an app would make it easy for gym owners to incentive people to come?
An app can allow business owners to incentive people to interact with their business.
3. Increase Business
An app allows for more sales.
I recently visited a Chik-fil-a and I asked the manager, “what percentage of your sales happen through your app?”
She told me that last month they had about 30% of their sales through app orders.
Why do apps increase sales?
Because they make buying easier.
What sales might you be missing out on?
If customer's feel like they have to jump hoops in order to buy from you, they buy less.
When customers feel that it’s easy to buy, they buy more.
Referrals
Lastly, people talk about cool apps, not cool websites.
Nobody ever says, “look at this gym’s website! You should visit it.”
But people say all the time, “I love this app! You should download it.”
An app increases sales not just from existing customers, but from new customers.
Apps can enhance the customer experience in a way that people can rave about to their friends.
Summary
If you already have a website, and you’re considering an app, let’s talk.
An app can help your business grow by boosting sales and enhancing the customer experience.
You should consider an app if your business can support repeat customers and provide incentiving programs for your customers.