Benjamin Franklin recommended that you build an App.
Well, sort of.
“Time is money,” Mr. Franklin advised, in his pamphlet Advice to a Young Tradesman, Written by an Old One. You’ve probably heard this thought on the value of time before? Perhaps, in a way, Ben’s ponderings from 1748 are applicable today in a, well, application he never could have predicted. 265 years later, our lives are extremely fast-paced. While Ben Franklin discussed the value of hours and days, we look at mere seconds and see dollar signs.
Simply put, no one can afford to wait anymore. We’re all getting used to the availability of instant information. As a business owner, if you know that your clients appreciate streamlined, highly informative content available rapidly, then you can keep them happy by providing information that is always accessible. Unfortunately, a nice website (and even a mobile-optimized site, at that) doesn’t always cut it anymore – sometimes your clients can’t be online, or their browsers are slow. Perhaps there are other helpful features you could offer your customers that your website simply can’t handle. Enter the value of a custom-developed App. Without bogging down on the “middleman” of an internet connection or browser to process information, smart phone and tablet users enjoy the convenience that apps have to offer – saving time while offering valuable information and helpful tools.
Statistics show that to compete, businesses today must market to a world of mobile users.
“Of the 1.2 billion computing devices sold in 2012, smart phones and tablets out-shipped PCs by 2-1” says BusinessNewsDaily’s Elizabeth Palermo. According to Apptopia, “worldwide business mobile devices are projected to grow from 889 million in 2012, to over 1.4 billion by 2016.” But don’t think that it’s your customers alone with mobile devices in their hands; most of your vendors, suppliers, and even employees are already equipped with a smart phone or tablet. But you probably already know that mobile devices are this popular – all you have to do is glance around you. The problem: businesses are missing out on the incredible opportunity this technology offers. A recent study from Progress Software proved that there’s an actual deficiency: “organizations are not moving fast enough to develop and deploy mobile applications for staff, customers and partners.” This year, you’ll notice the trend shifting – savvy companies are catching on.
So how much does developing an App cost?
You really didn’t want us to say “it varies” – but it does. Depending on your design needs, what you want the App to do, and who your targeted users are, you may be looking at a great simple App design in the $10,000 range, or a fully-featured advanced project that is upwards of $30,000. In fact, your App should be unique and specifically valuable to your users, so there really is no basis or cost idea to grasp until you speak with a design team about your situation. (Shameless plug: YCP offers a free initial consultation to talk through your new App ideas!) There’s another factor to consider, as well:
What does developing an App offer?
• Long-term benefits: Apps offer a lasting connection. If you think of a new idea, or an added feature that will be helpful for your clients or employees later, you don’t have to wait for them to check your website again to notice your improvement. With a simple App update, your user’s phone or tablet automatically features your enhancement.
• Better functionality: An App opens up opportunities to utilize phone or tablet features like GPS, camera, and more. You can offer better tools to your employees, better data for your vendors, and usable information like coupons and other valuable features to your customers.
• Better reach: An App can also be accessible even when the device isn’t connected to the internet. Even your sleek mobile-optimized website can’t offer that.
Do you have an idea for an App that could save time, improve your team’s productivity, or boost your business by helping clients? Or are you interested in developing an App that would advance your marketing, but you need some App ideas? Your Creative People offers an experienced team of App designers that can create solutions for you. Let us know how we can help!
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Marketing, Strategy, Small business, Mobile Sites, App Design, trends