The recent years have seen quite a large number of new businesses starting up. People are quitting well-paying jobs in droves so they can make money while following their passion. After all, if you enjoy what you do, you will never work a day in your life, right?
We are living in the age of entrepreneurship
Following this ideology, people are realising their true potential and setting up businesses of their own. With hundreds and thousands of new, independent ventures emerging every day, the modern times can rightly be called the age of entrepreneurship.
What has further made this trend blossom is the recent advancement in the fields of computer science and information technology? From managing our accounts to billing our customers – the rapidly developing computer software has made running your own business a walk in the park.
Many start-ups are doomed for failure right from the beginning
But even though there are countless new businesses being set up with each passing day, only a handful will actually have a real chance at becoming a legacy. According to a study, it is only a mere one in ten startups that will live past their 120th day. The biggest reason for this: the increasing intensity of competition in the corporate world.
All types of businesses are affected by this competition and are continuously trying to better themselves. However, it is the small and medium scale businesses that have been most in the line of fire. These small organisations are short on both – time and money. Perhaps this is the reason that of all the local start-ups being born today, over 90% are doomed for failure.
The reason for the failure of most new start-ups is often poor marketing strategies
So how do you fight off the threat that this intensely competitive environment makes to the existence of your new startup? The most effective way to ensure that your business not only survives but also thrives in this harsh corporate world is to amplify your marketing efforts – investing your limited resources in more cost-efficient and time-saving strategies.
Everyone who has studied the basics of business knows that marketing is one of the most important aspects of running a commercial operation. If it were not for an elaborate marketing strategy, it would only be a matter of time before a firm went under – no matter how excellent the quality of its products is. When nobody knows you, nobody buys from you.
Turn to modern marketing strategies to save your small business
These days, merely putting a few advertisements in the local paper and hanging up a few brochures in the marketplace is not enough to get you the business you will need to keep your corporation afloat.
To truly succeed and become the king in your field, you need to embrace the modern marketing tactics and smartly employ them to attract your target audience. The added benefit to using these advanced methods is that they are often easier on your pocket than their more-traditional counterparts – perfect for small businesses.
Mobile apps are a great way to promote your little firm
One of the most effective ways to market your business while not going bankrupt is using mobile apps to help your venture grow.
We have all seen how the mobile app industry has been flourishing lately. Everyone – from your great grandparents to your sister’s one-year-old who has not learned to talk yet – are continuously glued to iPads and smartphones, tapping away on one app or the other.
An average smartphone user in the United States surfs different mobile apps for about 2.3 hours every day. With these overwhelming numbers, it is totally understandable how using apps can impact the present and future of your business. You can take help from forums like Airg reviews and other feedback platforms to select the best app for your marketing practices.
In this article, we will discuss the mobile marketing apps that every small business owner must be aware of – and use – in 2019. Let’s begin.
1. Yelp
We will start this list off with everybody’s go-to app when they need reviews on the new, fancy restaurant that just opened up two blocks away – Yelp. This 4.2 stars app is perhaps one of the most trusted sources to help consumers pick out which local businesses are worth it.
Due to this effect on the audience, Yelp is simply cannot be overlooked when you are trying to attract business. This fact is widely understood by the 135 million businesses that are already using it. The score you have on this one app is almost proportional to the number of people you will be serving to every night. This is why it is so essential for every new start-up to have a Yelp account.
Having an account here does not only gain you insight into how your target audience perceives you, but also allows you to respond to the reviews left by them. Hence, while gaining valuable feedback, this app helps you in crisis management as well as building a connection with your customers.
2. Twitter
Next, we will again discuss one of the giants when it comes to apps – Twitter. If you thought the Twitter app on your phone was just to meet friends, post memes, or pass the time waiting in the dentist’s office, you could not have been more wrong.
With a rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars on the PlayStore, this app is being used by millions of people all around the world who are hoping to socialise and stay relevant. Why should your business stay behind?
The extensive global community on this app allows us to connect with hundreds of thousands of new potential customers. This is achieved in two ways. One, through paid advertising about your business to targeted consumers. Second, it also allows you to create a social media persona that can market your products for free, while also simultaneously building a relationship with your target audience.
3. Perka
The third app we will talk of today is one that has not been here a long time. Nevertheless, the success it has achieved in the short period since the launch has made it a deserving candidate on this list.
Perka is an app that helps businesses reward customers for their loyalty – hence, encouraging the users to keep buying from their company. This app lets small businesses employ a loyalty program by having people collect reward points for each purchase.
Once an individual has a substantial number of points in his or her account, they can then turn them in for exclusive perks and benefits – ranging from a nice discount to a buy one get one free offer. Hence, this app is a reward punch card gone digital to avoid the hassle and expenditure that comes with managing cards.
4. Mail Chimp
Though it is probably the oldest way to advertise yourself digitally, email marketing seems to be staying here for the times to come. This digital marketing technique has proven to be one of the most effective ones till date, with studies claiming a return of $44 for each dollar invested in the purpose.
This is why Mail Chimp has made its place on this shortlist. Allowing you to automate your email campaign it ensures that you do not lose communication with your customers. In addition to building a relationship with the customers, they are regularly reminded and updated about your products and services and encouraged to do business with you.
5. Campaign Monitor
A similar email marketing app to Mail Chimp is Campaign Monitor. Just like Mail Chimp, this app also offers email campaign automatization. In doing so, it helps boost the list of subscribers you have and promotes a better relationship with your audience – maximising the chance of them buying from you.
However, Campaign Monitor also adds a fringe benefit to merely sending out regular and frequent emails. Due to its ability to integrate with other business software designed to monitor feedback (Salesforce or Get Feedback, for example), it also overcomes the problems with data collection. With this integration, you can see exactly how the audience responds to your marketing tactics and what you need to fix to ensure even better results.
6. LinkedIn
The last app on our list is specifically beneficial for B2B corporations (businesses that sell to other businesses). This networking app adds the professional touch you need when you are marketing yourself to other professionals.
Linked In allows you to keep in touch with all the industries that could affect your sales numbers, and enables you to promote your products and services in a white-collar style.
The final word
The above are only some of the most essential marketing apps new startups should be knowing today. Other than these, apps like AirG, Mention, Get Response, and countless others are out there to help businesses grow – in sales as well as in the quality of their customer service.
Perhaps, we might have missed some of your go-to business apps in this shortlist. If so, comment below and let us know what benefits it offers to a small scale organisation. Is it available on the app store for free? How much of a difference has using it made to your success? We would love to know about your experiences!
Author Bio: About Michelle Joe: Michelle Joe is a blogger by choice. She loves to discover the world around her. She likes to share her discoveries, experiences, and express herself through her blogs.
