Often times, when we think of holiday business, we inherently revert to foot traffic in brick and mortar stores and an influx of packages that result from those convenient online sales. But mobile apps seem to resemble a missed opportunity for brands to optimize sales and generate increased revenue. A potential shock to some of you, research shows that in 2015, a whopping 60% of consumers made holiday purchases through their smartphone. Not to mention that with social media apps integrating instant shoppable capabilities, buying your favorite products at the touch of a button has become more streamlined than ever.
You’ll want to tailor the inner workings of your app to meet the convenience needs of your audience, and these tips are designed to prepare your biz for a successful eCommerce season ahead.
Show love for loyalty.
When you have a loyal audience base, you want to affirm those customers of your appreciation for their ongoing support—and adding a loyalty program to the mix is a great way to do that. In fact, 80% of consumers reported they would willingly switch brands and make purchases if the incentive is appealing enough, so there’s a real opportunity to grow your audience here. Consumers want to feel like they’re getting something meaningful out of their purchase patterns, so a loyal program is an effective way to hook new customers while keeping your current audience in good spirits.
Get personal with push notifications.
Push notifications are a convenient and strategic way to maintain interaction with your customer base, especially when you’re pushing coupons and promotional offers to drive sales. Not only does it help your brand remain relevant and in the minds of your audience, but, statistically speaking, push notifications are significantly more effective than email marketing initiatives that include links, as consumers are 30-60% more likely to respond to push notifications and place an order on the spot.
Consider a convenient check-out.
Let me say this loud and clear: If the payment process is difficult or tedious for your audience, they will leave their cart of items behind. Few things are more frustrating than a process that should be short and sweet, and instead becomes a nightmare of a headache. A simple way to do this is to reconsider your process for receiving and inputting customer information. Shopify is great about storing information and using auto-fill capabilities that are accessed by the use of a phone number. This is a total bonus for consumers, as many say that having to drag credit cards from wallets to complete a purchase is a drag. Again, convenience is such a huge priority for customers in this day and age.
Showcase on social.
One of the greatest benefits of mobile apps is how assimilated they are with social media platforms. Sure, creating an app is a highly-valuable marketing tool, but the ability to to integrate your app with your Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter accounts is vital. It’s easy to cultivate increased exposure, convey the experience your app has to offer, and create a community among your people. Plus, it’s free. So it’s a win-win.
Always evolve.
As people continue to spend increased time on their mobile devices and less time on desktops, it’s so important to be sure you’re always improving your mobile app. I truly cannot emphasize this enough. There are abundant opportunities to generate revenue through your app—whether it’s through mobile transactions or even running advertisements from other brands. Investing a continuous effort in your app will pay off in the long run, so be sure you’re making it a priority.