How Can You Connect With Customers Using Mobile Apps ?

How can you connect with your customers using mobile applications ? A recent WSJ article, "Services Tailor Apps for Small Businesses" written by Riva Richmond shared some important information about using new affordable tools to generate mobile applications. Mobility is surging and customers are increasingly accustomed to having information important to them delivered via their mobile telephones. Mobile Apps can be an effective way to connect with those customers. Here's what the WSJ article had to say:

In general, businesses that rely on repeat customers, like restaurants and retailers, or have intense interaction clients for some period of time, like real-estate brokers and car dealers, are the most likely to benefit from an app, said Greg Sterling, a senior analyst at Opus Research Inc.

"For ongoing, regular contact with customers that are on the go, it makes sense as a promotional or loyalty tool," Mr. Sterling says, since apps enable businesses to send out coupons and event details, including by text message, and customers can easily place orders or contact you for information.

But businesses that are looking primarily to attract new customers, such as doctors, lawyers and contractors, may find an app is a bit of a waste.

So how can you create mobile applications ? Technology is driving the cost of creating and deploying mobile applications down. Services including MobileAppLoader, SwebApps, Mobile Roadie (as shown above) and Kanchoo have emerged to help any sized company create apps. With easy-to-use online templates, much like those used to make low-cost Web sites, a basic iPhone app can take as little as 15 or 20 minutes to make and cost as little as $15 a month in hosting charges.