Building your own app can be a smart business decision

Mobile apps have become essential marketing and sales tools and are being used more frequently by small businesses across multiple industries. In addition to having a mobile-friendly website, a mobile app will make your small business look professional, innovative and tech savvy, allowing you to compete with companies of all sizes.

Having an app helps communicate key information about your company (including location, hours, directions, product/service offerings), provides customers a dedicated resource on their device and can help drive new prospects to your business.

While business owners may worry that developing and maintaining an app may be overwhelming or expensive, having an app is a smart business decision to stay competitive and visible. Apps provide significant benefits, helping small businesses better engage with customers and prospects, boost sales, attract new audiences, gather feedback and build brand loyalty.

Here’s some advice on where to start when building and maintaining an app:

• Define your goals. Before you attempt to design or build your app, decide on its purpose and mission. What do you want it to do? How will it attract and engage key audiences? How will it make users’ lives easier or better? How will it be different — and better — than other apps in the marketplace?

• Strategize your approach. App builders like iGenApps and Jotforms are great resources that are intuitive and user-friendly, but the effort can still be time-consuming. Decide whether you have the bandwidth to take this on, especially if you’re responsible for all other aspects of your business. It may be wise to hire a professional to build the app, so you can focus your time and energy elsewhere.

• Conceptualize the look and features. The app should be an extension of your brand, with a similar look and feel to your other marketing materials, such as your website. Use the same color palette and visual elements (e.g., your logo and fonts). Determine what features you’d like to include, such as e-commerce, a messaging section, etc. Look at other companies’ apps and decide what you like (or dislike) about their approach, design and features. Scroll through sites like Dribble, which showcase creative work, for design inspiration.

• Keep it fresh. Don’t let your app get stagnant. Update content and offerings regularly by adding new products or services, spotlighting upcoming sales, promotions or events, and offer loyalty programs. Digitize your loyalty program, so your customers can collect their rewards via the app to increase downloads and return customers.

• Get valuable data. Your app will allow you to track downloads and user engagement. You’ll also be able to measure other key metrics, such as your most (and least) popular offerings, allowing you to make more informed, databased business decisions (e.g., which products to carry or discontinue) moving forward.

Tabatha McKay is area vice president/general manager for UScellular in New England.