Going mobile? Doing it right!

Last week I discussed how important it is for your business to be on mobile. Here, I‘ll mention a few ways of how to make the best of your mobile presence.
Making the move to mobile isn’t an easy task. There are a range of factors you must consider before going ahead with your mobile strategy.
The only thing that’s certain is that you no longer can take mobile as an option. You must be there or suffer the losses.
To be successful in this new age of business, engaging customers through their mobile devices is very important. Smartphones users are on the move and your mobile platform is usually the first point of contact that customers will have with your brand. Delivering an awesome customer experience from the start is the difference between what will make you stand out from your competition.
But just because you have to have a mobile presence, doesn’t mean you start running head down towards a mobile strategy. Having the right strategy is important not only to capture market share and the revenue it’ll bring, but also to save costs on marketing and sales campaigns that have little or no ROI.
Here are a few things to consider before framing your strategy for mobile:
It’s a different platform
You must measure customer value differently on mobile. With web, your focus is on near time conversion. With mobile conversion is just one of the aspects of value. The people who use your app and refer it to others are just as important.
Your mobile website is not your app
Obviously dedicated mobile apps deliver a far better customer experience but mobile websites have their own utility. The ability to be accessed on any mobile platform is their biggest advantage. Make your mobile website as useful as possible, but don’t just use it to flaunt your app. While it’s important to get customers to start using your app, pushing it too much can drive them away. So you must have a slow and steady approach to make your customers “get the app.”
Your mobile website is important
Once your app takes off, don’t ignore your website. Do not let it shrink and go into oblivion. A successful mobile presence needs you to be present on every level, not just with an app. Take that into consideration especially if you don’t have much experience on mobile.
Any time can be prime time
Unlike television, or other forms of advertising, mobiles devices are used all the time as opposed to being used at a specific time of day. Push notifications can be sent as and when you have to send important messages or alerts to your customers.

Make notifications count
Badgering your app users with irrelevant notifications will drive them away. You have to make them personal. Use data from users that you get through the app to make personalized messages. Everyone likes to feel like they’re being dealt at an individual level. It is important to note that you shouldn’t also be late with notifications, making them obsolete. You should work on a strategy on how to take advantage of your notifications in a way that your customers don’t feel harassed by them.
Making the move from web to mobile is very important. The more you wait the more you stand to lose. It is also important to map out how you’re going to go about it. Anything done in a rush can do more harm than good. So plan your mobile strategy before you hasten to get on the mobile bandwagon.
At Ephlux, we work on making amazing and engaging mobile applications. We’ve worked with a wide range of clients to help them gain a mobile presence to engage their customers in a better way. We are always striving to design and develop solutions that work best with your mobile strategy. So share your ideas on how you want to make a mark on mobile and we’ll be there to help you reach that goal.
Photo: Katherine Peth