Recently I was involved in bringing a client into the mobile revolution. And we considered a mobile application. It seems that everyone nowadays has a mobile app for their business. I, however, recommended against a mobile app for the Dulles Regional Chamber of Commerce. We instead opted for an interactive and user-friendly mobile website.

I think there has to be a great value-add to the consumer to convince them to download an app on their phone. Most smart phones can only hold so many apps. I’m not inclined to open that many apps unless it is something I can’t do on a website. Due to the nature of my business, I utilize social media apps on my phone. I also use a few social gaming apps. I suspect many consumers are like me and are reluctant to add an app to their phone.

Unless there is a compelling reason to use a mobile app, I don’t see the point. Add to that the cost of creating an app, making it compatible across all platforms and then having to maintain the compatibility as mobile operating systems are updated seems very expensive to me.

Here are 3 points to consider before investing in a mobile app for your business:

1. Compelling reason. Something your app can offer your customers, that they need and will make it easier to do business with you. A good example of this is the  Starbucks app which allows users to find the nearest store, reload their card and track their rewards.
2. Mobile traffic. Look at your site traffic. What percentage of your site visitors are accessing your site on mobile platforms? This will give you an idea of, not only the audience adoption of an app but also what platforms you should focus on in development. For the Chamber, less than 10% of their web traffic was from mobile which tells me the likelihood of adoption of a mobile app is very low.
3. Is there an ROI? Let’s face it. We are all in business to make money. If there is no return on the investment, then what’s the point? Mobile sites are cheaper to develop and tend to work across all platforms. The development time is also much faster.

If you are still convinced you need a mobile app, start with a mobile website and install some type of analytics to see how it is used. This can give you valuable data on what to include in your app during the development process.

I can think of few small to mid sized businesses that would need a mobile app.  Whatever you decide for your business, be sure to promote it to your audience. We created a pop up banner for the Chamber that is used at all events where we walk members through how to read the QR code and how to bookmark the mobile site.

Have you considered taking your business mobile? What did you decide? Let me know in the Comments below.

Series: Taking Your Business Mobile – part 1. Next entry: What Should I Include in My Business’ Mobile Website?

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The media hype, warranted or not, over social media sites can be overwhelming especially for small businesses. Where to start? How to keep up? It seems like it could take up all your spare time and it can. This is why I recommend a well thought out strategy for small businesses that includes social media as part of an online strategy which is just part of an overall marketing strategy. However, if you have a retail location, I have one social media site that you can take advantage of with only a few minutes a month of time and the rewards can be immediate. What is this magic site, you ask? foursquare.

The definition. Foursquare is a mobile application that helps you find new ways to explore your city. Foursquare helps you meet up with your friends and lets you earn points and unlock badges for discovering new places, doing new things and meeting new people. Users can also choose to have their Twitter and/or Facebook accounts updated when they check in

The company was founded by Dennis Crowley and Naveen Selvadurai and is based in New York City. The service launched in March 2009. There are currently nearing 1.6 million users and with 10+ check-ins per second. And the numbers keep climbing. They have been called the next Twitter in regard to meteoric rise in users and influence.

It’s part social networking site, city guide and game – all in one. Users check in to local establishments and earn points for checking in. Their friends can see where they have checked in. Users can also unlock certain discounts and tips that other users have left behind. And it’s not just discounts; tips include what to order at a restaurant and what not to miss at a museum. This is word of mouth at its best. Since the application uses the GPS location of the user’s mobile phone, a user can find places and discounts that they would not have been aware of otherwise. For a quick overview, visit the demo video on the home page.

I’ve noticed that foursquare is currently being used by restaurants, bars and coffee houses. Most discounts I have seen are for the mayor of the location (the foursquare user who has checked in the most times at that location in the last 60 days). This is where the game aspect comes in as users earn points and badges for checking in. Right now Starbucks is offering $1 off Frappuccino to the mayor of each of their locations.

It is nice to entice foursquare users to compete over the mayorship of your location; however, I think many businesses are missing the boat. I would offer a discount or special offer to any foursquare user who checks in. You can still offer a super special discount for your mayor.

What kind of investment will this take? Unlike social media sites like Facebook or Twitter where frequent updates help you stay in front of your fans and followers more often, foursquare users see your specials when they are in your neighborhood. A modest investment of a few minutes a month to change the special and you are on your way to participating in this new online trend. Don’t stop there; promote your special on your other marketing platforms along with in-store materials provided by foursquare. Find out how to access your listing and get in-store materials on the business page.

Foursquare is also sharing info with local merchants who use foursquare to share discounts. So you can keep track of your best customers and get an idea of their habits through foursquare.

If you are a retail location like a restaurant or retail store, I would get online right now to verify your location information and add a foursquare special. It’s easy and you can start tracking results right away.

Today and tomorrow, the world turns not only to the Super Bowl, but more conversationally to this year’s crop of Super Bowl ads. The premise of this blog is to share good and bad examples of marketing in action which I denote as Brilliant! or Daft! Of course, my denotation of these marketing examples are based solely on my opinion and experience as a marketing consultant. I believe all marketing should be measured solely on sales and nothing else. If it’s boring, but the phone is ringing – stick with it. If it is cool, new and exciting, but the phone is not ringing then what is the point. Businesses are after all in existence to make money.

That being said, the Super Bowl ads often highlight many Daft! advertising efforts. The most popular and most remembered Super Bowl ad of all time – the Mean Joe Green Coke ad – was pulled after just a few months because it did not result in an increase in sales.

A recent Ad Age article about holiday ads shows that while consumers like them, that doesn’t mean they’re influenced by them. A new survey has found that half of consumers say they’re not inspired to shop at the retailer whose holiday TV commercial or online promotion they liked best.

So enjoy the game and the commercials, but don’t model your small business campaigns on anything you see today.