Mobile App Features for Growth

You’ve decided that a mobile app can help your company or organization improve service and grow.

Which features do you need to make the most of your new app?

Here are 6 features we often include in an app. All are available using our app developer native CMS – no custom programming needed. 

1. Promote Products or Services

An app can be used to highlight and promote specific products you want to move.

An app can be updated quickly to promote products during key selling times, such as seasonal trends or special holidays. This can seamlessly connect with your social media selling (see our blog post on using social media to increase ecommerce sales)

Example: This app includes a trends section, where new styles of the season are featured.  A benefit to the app subscriber is the timely notification about trending styles available online or in-store.

2. Offer Coupons

An app can be used to offer coupons for in-store or online shopping. The app can help generate email addresses to be used in email marketing through offers.  One such offer is for coupons since an email and name are required to access the coupons.

Leaf & Petal is a retail women’s clothing store with online and brick-and-mortar shops. An example of their coupon offers is shown here.

Ecommerce coupons on App

3. Push Notifications Drive Sales

Users can opt out of notifications at any time. But, since they have downloaded your app, it’s a good bet they want to hear from you.

Make sure the content of the notifications is in keeping with the spirit of the app. If you do, your users will be glad you sent a notification.

Push notification examples:

  • Discounts
  • Sales event
  • Open house or other events
  • New product arrival
  • New services available

4. Promote Events

Regular users can quickly access events, a big plus when on the go.  Content can be displayed in a variety of formats with a simple listing being most effective.  To reduce work, events can be connected to your website or other event platform.

Example: This app connects to the client’s website to display events, there is a click-through to sign up if appropriate.

5. Up-to-date Information

Your members or community will stay up to date with the latest information. You can feed content from podcasts, blogs, or other resources on your site.

Example: This membership organization feeds a podcast on their app. This nonprofit community resource organization provides current resource information.

6. Seamless Integration with Website Design

Brand consistency will increase customer retention.  It is important to make a strong visual connection between website and app.  For SEICAA, the app design connects with the brand and extends it to be more playful, a good fit on the smaller screen.

Apps also need to seamlessly integrate with an ecommerce web store.  This avoids the redundant work of adding products to the app.

Need Help Thinking Through a New App for Your Organization?

We can help navigate the options and set up an app that meets your business needs  We’re here to discuss options and ideas, or generally help with design, strategy, and implementation.

About the Author:

Hi, I’m Barbara Irias, a principal at Placemaking Group, with a focus on Website strategy and how to use new technology to help businesses grow. Placemaking Group helps many small businesses achieve their marketing goals through the use of web and digital technology.

If you have a question you’d like to see answered, please email me. Thanks for checking in.

Contact Barbara at 510.519.6402, or connect with me on LinkedIn.