Hip guy using a mobile app for business.

Most people rely on smartphones in their daily lives. From communicating and networking to managing their finances and purchasing products, mobile devices have become a must-have. This is an indication of how important developing a mobile app for your business can be. Apps are not only your client’s access portal to your business but also help boost brand awareness and develop a loyal audience.

Depending on its features, mobile apps can help foster customer interaction, enable customers to make easy purchases, and offer direct communication. Due to these benefits, approximately 42% of small businesses already have mobile apps, while 30% have plans to build one. However, you should consider several factors before developing an app for your business.

What to Consider When Investing in a Mobile App

Business owners should analyze the following when investing in a mobile app;

The growth in mobile app use became clear in 2020, thanks to the COVID pandemic. However, this trend is poised to continue. Below are mobile app trends to consider going forward.

1. Enterprise Mobile Management (EMM)

EMM helps in streamlining mobile computing processes in a business. This platform enables businesses to authorize mobile devices used by employees on the company network securely. This strengthens your business’ security and improves staff productivity.

2. Beacon Technology

Beacon tech is another significant mobile app trend that has been adopted by several industries. This incredible location and proximity technology helps with marketing. Beacon uses wireless transmitters and Bluetooth technology to transmit signals.

3. 5G Technology

With incredible speeds, 5G technology is faster than 4G and any other mobile technology. Smartphone companies such as Verizon and Samsung have already launched dedicated 5G chips. LG also has plans of fusing 5G services into its gadgets. With this, developers of mobile applications should take advantage of the fast network speeds to improve app performance.

4. Wearable Devices

The increasing popularity of wearable devices, such as fitness bands and smartwatches, is another trend that will continue to boost mobile app growth. Surprisingly, even after bringing in more than $33 billion in revenue the previous year, most mobile apps cannot integrate with wearable devices. As such, mobile app developers should focus on including integration options for wearable devices.

5. Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence has led to significant breakthroughs in the development of mobile apps. AI has made apps smarter and is saving app developers significant amounts of effort, time, and money. Artificial intelligence works well with machine learning. Integrating machine learning with artificial intelligence gives mobile apps analytical abilities that work with user behavior. For instance, eCommerce apps can leverage this to make personalized recommendations to their customers.

6. Blockchain

Blockchain technology is universally applicable, as it also influences mobile app development. While its integration may be slow compared to other mobile app technologies, most businesses have integrated this for financial transactions.

Mobile Apps are the Future

Without a doubt, mobile app growth is a trend that will continue. Furthermore, the introduction of mobile apps has reshaped how industries and businesses conduct businesses. However, as with any dynamic technology, businesses should keep informed about the latest mobile app trends to compete with others in the market. By using mobile apps, businesses can enjoy many benefits. For example; in-app payments, mobile notifications to boost customer engagements, geolocation features, and A/B testing. Get started on a mobile app for your business to start seeing boosted brand awareness and loyalty. To explore costs associated with developing an app, be sure to check out the app cost calculator I reviewed.


Looking for help? Tired and believing there has got to be a better way?

Let's talk about your business. With over a decade of experience leading companies and transforming lives, and a Master's degree in Org. Development and Leadership, Mike can help you find the best way forward!

Subscribe to receive my latest business tips and tactics in your inbox.

Mike Gingerich life leadership business coaching

avail-an-alternative-to-airport-parking-and-car-rentals

Some years back, the idea of sharing a car seemed absurd. However, with Uber, Lyft and the increase of smartphone applications, the trend has shifted and this has made it possible for drivers to more easily find alternatives to renting a car.  Today, a new way of “car-sharing” is emerging that has the potential to disrupt the car rental industry. With “car-sharing” it means a set of wheels can be found by travelers to use as car owners can now earn money when they are not using their vehicles. Car sharing enables people to forgo the cost of car rentals while having more control than using a car service. It also decreases the time the car spends unused in the parking area or even driveway. As a result, in the 21st century, people much less care about who owns the jeep company now and are much more curious about where to find a decent car-sharing service. Car sharing programs, such as Avail, are beginning to grow in popularity, potentially changing the game forever for traditional car rentals.

What is Avail?

Avail is a peer-to-peer car-sharing program that allows vehicle owners to rent out their vehicles for short periods and earn passive income when they are not using their vehicles. The platform connects outgoing travelers who own cars with incoming travelers who might need a car at airports or within communities.

From the mobile app platform, you can outsource your car when traveling. As well, you can borrow parked local cars belonging to individuals who have traveled or are away on vacation. A benefit to car owners when going to the airport is freedom from traditional long-term car parking fees. This significantly saves you from the hefty costs.  At the same time, those flying into cities have another option for “wheels” while on a business trip or vacation.

How Does Avail Work?

Avail primarily provides two services. You can either borrow a car or park and share your car. Regardless of what you want, you’ll have to register with the platform by downloading the Avail App. Then fill out the sign-up form. Drivers should register with a valid driver’s license. However, car owners only need to upload their vehicle information on the platform.

What are the Benefits of Avail?

Below are some of the benefits of using Avail for those who want to borrow a car.

Affordable pricing – as a driver, you get to see your costs upfront. This eliminates the hidden surprise fees often associated with car rentals or opting for taxis.  Costs typically are significantly less than renting a car from a car rental company.

Ease of use – Avail succeeds in providing drivers with a seamless experience straight from registration. Once you have registered with the platform by providing a valid driver’s license, you can book everything from your phone. Make reservations for the type of car you want even before landing.  Arrive and get into your car within minutes!

Insurance coverage – Avail drivers are covered by Allstate insurance, which eliminates the risks of having to pay higher insurance rates for damage or accidents for the vehicle being used by others. You also get roadside assistance in case the car breaks down on the road as well.  The Allstate arrangement is a key asset for Avail and provides peace of mind for vehicle owners.

Customer support – the platform provides 24/7 customer support. You can reach out through email or direct phone lines.

Car owners looking to park and share their vehicles enjoy the following benefits;

Save and earn passive income – instead of spending a lot on airport parking fees while on your trip, you’ll be making money instead. Car owners receive a fixed amount every day, depending on the type of vehicle. Note that even if your car is not borrowed, you won’t pay any parking fees. And your car gets a free car wash!

Smooth experience – you’ll have an easy time knowing that Avail takes care of your car immediately after dropping it off. After dropping your car at a secured parking lot, you then wait for someone to borrow your car and get paid.

Insurance cover – with the platform, you can travel with peace of mind. Allstate insurance company takes care of any arising unfortunate events while your car is on Avail.

Car sharing is a new and great idea that has a lot of upsides. It is more of an extended transportation network that enhances mobility, among other benefits. If you meet the requirements, sign up as a driver, or submit your car for sharing with Avail. This service is currently available in limited major city airports including Chicago O'Hare International. There are a lot of other vehicle services you can avail of. You can also lease a van or a car and Ford Van Leasing is one you should keep an eye on. Watch for these services to expand significantly.


Looking for help? Tired and believing there has got to be a better way?

Let’s talk about your business. With over a decade of experience leading companies and transforming lives, and a Master’s degree in Org. Development and Leadership, Mike can help you find the best way forward!

Contact Mike today to start the breakthrough!

Mike Gingerich life leadership business coaching

Plugins That Turn a WordPress Site into a Mobile AppFor many people, mobile technology is the only way they get on the internet. Because of this your site must be easily accessible on mobile devices. Many businesses have released mobile apps so users can access their site with a single click. It is now possible to turn your WordPress site into a mobile app (Apple and Android) with some easy to use WordPress plugins. These plugins come in a variety of limited free and paid options. The 4 best choices we’ve found are listed below.

Four Apps To Create A WordPress Site Mobile App

Final Thoughts

There are many different options for mobile app creation. The best choices all involve subscriptions and associated costs. However, much like a good website an app costs money and is worth the expense.

Mobile computing is growing in terms of its use and overall exposure. Add to this the increased availability of cheap tablets, smartphones, and stronger tablets replacing lower-end laptops, and the value of mobile apps is only going to increase.

An effective website is one your users can reach and using an app makes your site far more accessible to your desired audience. An important part of a good app is that it eliminates steps from the user side. Currently to reach a frequently visited website on a mobile device you have to open a web browser, type in an address, or click a bookmark. With an app, you simply click the app after it's been installed. An app makes things easier for your visitors and increases the odds that they will continue to visit your site, including giving the ability for push notifications to the mobile user which is huge! These plugins make app creation easier and allow your site’s visitors easier access.

Have you used any of these WordPress-to-App tools or do you have another that you recommend?

metrics-to-measure-the-success-of-your-digital-marketing-form

Please enable pop-ups to receive the download

Are you keeping up and developing business efficiencies with mobile apps in routines?

Do you wish you were more efficient and able to do more things on the go?

Mobile apps to the rescue!

business efficiencies with mobile apps

In this episode of the Halftime Mike podcast I dive into ways business owners and marketers can gain some new efficiencies with specific mobile apps you may not be acquainted with!

You'll want to listen in!

Listen Now:

[powerpress]

Subscribe:  Halftime Mike on iTunes  | Android users via RSS  | Listen on Stitcher.

badge itunes lrg Growing Business Online: Identifying your Ideal Customer

Business Efficiencies with Mobile Apps

Change is happening!  

The speed of change today is incredible and you need efficiencies in order to keep up.  Look at this image below of how speed of change has increased today!

speed of change

We need to be "Tech Efficient" and "Mobile Device Proficient!"

Traditionally, small business owners have followed four values to greater business success, but as of recently there has been another value that has found its place in small business management.

The traditional values are:

  1. Time management
  2. Delegating tasks
  3. Good customer relations and
  4. Performance tracking

We are all familiar with these values and they are something we generally all try implementing. But now, there is a 5th and increasingly important value: Tech Proficiency, and even more specifically Mobile Device Efficiencies.

Times change and smartphones are an integral part of our work life today.  We have made a significant switch towards mobile technology in managing business activities on a daily basis. We rely on mobile apps, today more than ever, in order to do even the most basic functions such as checking the weather and asking Siri if we should wear pants or shorts tonight.

Handling paperwork, dealing with monthly, weekly and daily reports, financial statements, insurance requirements...the list goes on. With the ever growing popularity of mobile apps, small businesses need to step up their tech game and move some of the paperwork to their phones and tablets.

With that being said, here are some specific tips on how to boost your company’s productivity by using mobile apps at your workplace:

Utilize the already owned apps

Most of us have already downloaded several apps to our iPhones or Androids, but never really used them. All of us have apps that came with the phone but we simply overlook those due to not being familiar with them. For example: every iPhone comes with Stocks, iBooks, and several other very useful apps. If you haven’t had the chance to use these them, that’s probably because you never needed to. However, if you plan on improving your knowledge of eBooks, PDF files, and file management, you should definitely keep reading. If you think your app game is up to par, keep reading and you might rethink your app choices.

Utilize the “Suggested Mobile Apps”

Suggested apps are the apps 90% people download when they first open their phone, and no, we are not talking about Facebook, Messenger and Twitter. Your business will survive without them (but on a side note, if you are not marketing via Social Media, please start doing so). The 3 apps we would like to point out as most useful productivity apps from the “Suggested” category are Google Drive, Dropbox and Evernote.

driveGoogle Drive is advertised as an online storage, but it is so much more than that. It is by far the best online platform for projects and sharing files among colleagues. Just like most things coming out of Google’s workshop, Google Drive is a top-of-the-line product without too many obvious flaws. This online cloud for sharing documents can be immensely helpful, but sometimes it can be impossible to reach, especially if you don’t have internet everywhere around you.

Price: Free to download, 2 in-app purchases available

Dropbox-LogoDropbox has been around for a while and most people know what it does, but few people know what it does better than anyone else: confidential file transfer. Dropbox lets you link an unlimited number of devices to one account which makes the file flow much faster and easier. Imagine how much time you could save by sharing files with everyone at once instead of sending each of your employees a separate email. The thing that makes Dropbox better than Google Drive is the fact that it only needs to be synced once and the files are on your device without any further need to access the internet.

Price: Free to download, with 5 in-app purchases available

evernoteEvernote - from the developers of one of the simplest, yet largely downloaded apps - Sticky Notes - comes the best note taking app for mobile phones and tablets. Evernote is a state of the art workspace that is compatible with almost any device, and can be synced between multiple devices at the same time as well. This app is used for taking notes, editing documents, organizing articles and photos, and besides those features it has a remarkable business card scanner.

Price: Free to download, with 10 in-app purchases available

Utilize the lesser known apps

Converting PDFs to Boost Productivity

If you’ve gotten this far down the article, this is where you can really make a difference. Knowing how to approach your employees, how to present your ideas, and how to most efficiently exchange files with coworkers is the key to small business success. And these lesser known apps will help you on that road:

pdf to wordPDF to Word should be your go-to app in case you ever had trouble working with PDF files. We all know PDFs are famous for being bulky, crude, and hard to work with in general. Well, those days are over. With this app you should have no problem converting your PDFs that need to be signed, edited, verified or copyrighted. All it takes to convert a file is find it on your mobile device and the online servers do the rest for you.

Price: Free to download, with 2 in-app purchases available

createpdftoexcel_1PDF to Excel is the logical sequel to PDF to Word since it does the exact same thing, but this app is more focused toward the financial and marketing sectors of your business. Having this app on your iPad or iPhone can be a game changer when you need to fix a spreadsheet and send it back to your accountant, or when you need to do your math before submitting your yearly tax report.

Price: Free to download, with 2 in-app purchases available

ba3292706929ce528f5caa2a249730cf_200x200Hop is an email messenger that switches your email conversations with colleagues to a more casual chat environment. This app also offers group conversations similar to Facebook’s Messenger, however with one major difference: you can attach files from Dropbox and Google Drive to your chat and share with everyone!

Price: Free

 

slidesharkSlideShark helps you improve your presentation skills, and through the last couple of years has shown to be a powerful sales tool. It allows you to share ideas with your investors and employees from several devices, all the while working on the go.

Price: Free, with one in-app purchase

 

With these seven apps you should be able to improve your productivity by a significant margin. As you can see, each has a different purpose, but the same goal of helping you work your way up the corporate or small business ladder. Now it’s up to you to choose wisely and move on to bigger and better apps!

So what’s your key takeaway from this?  What do you need to do in the next 24 hours based on listening?

Share below!

Business Efficiencies with Mobile Apps Resources:


Help Spread the Word!

Please let your Twitter followers know about this podcast. Simply click here now to post a tweet >>.

If you enjoyed this episode of the Social Media Marketing podcast, please “go over to iTunes,  leave a rating, write a review and subscribe!

Thank you so much for your support!

Why the Halftime theme Mike? 

I’m an Indiana Hoosier native where basketball is the top sport. Every team heads to the locker room at halftime to evaluate the first half and create an updated plan for the second half. That plan includes adjustments based on reviewing what worked and what didn't. The “halftime” is a key review point where the game stops, the team pulls away to huddle in the locker room away from the fans, and they come out prepared and ready to succeed in the second half.

That’s what this podcast is all about, taking the time to pull away for a bit to evaluate, learn, and set some strategies for your business to succeed in the second half. Join me by subscribing and let me be your “business halftime” to help you find great success going forward!

Subscribe: Halftime Mike on iTunes | Android users via RSS | Listen on Stitcher.

Download this Episode:
[powerpress]
Catch all the episodes of Halftime Mike by signing up for inbox delivery below!

 

 

mike-mobile-picsOne of the positive benefits of the explosion of mobile phone apps is the advancement of apps that provide powerful business tools for use on the go.

Here's four of my "must have" business apps that keep me productive while out of the office.

Dropbox

The Dropbox app is a cloud-based home for all my business documents and files, as well as my photos and videos. Since all my files are synced when added to Dropbox, I have access anywhere.  I can be at work and add files, then leave and have access to those files on my phone.  Plus, I never have to worry about computer hard drive failures since my files are securely stored online.  With a great free version and very reasonable paid plan for more storage, Dropbox makes it easy to always maintain access to my important business documents.

CloudOn

A key need while out of the office is to be able to open, edit, and save existing documents via my iPhone or iPad.  CloudOn makes this possible.  CloudOn works with Dropbox, Google Drive(basically Google's version of Dropbox), and more, enabling me to access my Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files, open them, and then easily make edits and changes.  While Dropbox is my storage tool, CloudOn is my software suite.  The interface is similar to Microsoft Office so even on my smartphone it is familiar and gives me the tools I'm used to with the power to make changes and update documents on the go. I can edit existing documents or create new documents and then access the updated version later on my computer, saving time and offering convenience.

Genius Scan

This app keeps me active on the go by being my mobile scanner.

I can quickly scan documents by taking a picture and then the app enhances and allows me to create a PDF file of my scan.  Perfect for when I need to sign documents and email them, I can simply sign, scan, and email from within the app to wherever needed.  There's no more need for , "I'll sign and scan these when I get back to the office."  I simply do it on the spot! This is a free app.

SoundGeckoSound Gecko on iPhone

Yes, that's the name!  Similar to the concept of Audible.com where I can get a book digitally and have it read aloud to me, SoundGecko is my timesaver that reads web pages and blog posts to me.

I can simply copy any website URL and email to SoundGecko or add to the mobile app and it adds the page to a list that are then read out loud.  Perfect for when I'm driving, I can catch up on my reading by listening to my favorite blog posts being read!

With a robust free version, SoundGecko is a timesaver that adds value to my road time!

These are important general-use mobile apps that give me the access I need to keep going while out.  Should I do another round with my top social productivity mobile apps?

What about you, any general-use mobile apps that are key for you on your mobile phone?  Comment below!

07-28-2013-Companies often come knocking, wanting to know how to succeed in growing their business online.

They recognize that marketing and sales have changed in the past 10 years in a drastic and significant way.  From primarily print driven and direct sales person to person, to now being online and global.  As well, the shift has included moving from locally focused markets to facing competition internationally via ecommerce sales.  The changes have been fast, swift, and widespread.

So what counsel do I offer?  I largely look to five key items.  These five items are crucial for businesses to adopt and integrate in order to stay relevant and grow.

5 Keys for Businesses to Thrive in this Digital Age

Blogging

Blogging is your online identity and footprint.  It is the voice that speaks from your website and communicates regularly to consumers, customers, and the world.  Every company website needs a blog.  The ability for a company to produce relevant, engaging content on their blog enables that company to be found in search engines and adds more and more volumes of shareable content that consumers then take further and share more via social media.  Businesses need to be blogging about features of their products, their special offers, events, and other relevant items.  As well, in addition to offering value through content, a blog is truly valuable only if it also serves as a hub that includes active consumer interaction via comments on posts, social sharing tools to increase the reach of each post to others, and the ability to convert visitors to leads via email opt-ins and lead capture features.

Social Media

Social Media is a new norm.  It is here to stay.  Social networks foster person to person communication and the multi-channel methods of interaction then allow businesses to intersect and become part of this community.  Social Media provides opportunities for businesses to be further found, for individuals to ask companies questions and to get support questions answered.  Social Media is becoming a source of breaking news, information, and a gathering place all at one time.  Social Media helps companies because as businesses post and engage consumers, those consumers, in turn, then further share their views, interactions with, and loyalties to companies among their friends and network.

Visual Media

While this may look like a strange addition compared to the two prior points, it's another key and related asset that weaves in with the others and yet stands on its own as well. By visual media we are referring to the use of images and video online.  Images and video are important and vital to communicating on blogs as well as in social media.  Yet, not just as an addition, visual media has now created its own social networks.   Images and video are central to platforms like Instagram and Pinterest which have gained massive amounts of users in the past year alone.  These networks are thriving on their own and they also drive traffic and awareness to other sources such as websites and blogs.  When people are busy and inundated with content, images can communicate and differentiate. Taking seriously the need to communicate visually is critical to the online success of any business today.

Email Marketing

While it may seem like the "old man" in this group of digital tools, email continues to be an important and valuable tool that businesses must leverage to compete.  Email marketing is the ability to send bulk email messages to hundreds or thousands of customers or interested parties that have at some point opted in to allow this communication.  Study after study shows that a business that takes seriously finding ways to grow their email list by capturing leads and then sending relevant and timely messages to the list offers a great way to grow sales, inform consumers, and remain top-of-mind.

Mobile Sites and Apps

Get used to it.  Mobile is here to stay.  With nearly  1 out of 2 Americans using a Smart Phone and the percentages rising monthly, mobile is going to be an important part of any businesses online strategy.  First off is to ensure visitors to your website and blog get a clean and helpful experience when on their mobile device.  Mobile is not simply a website or blog in a smaller fashion but intentionally narrowing down information and presenting in order to best communicate in the smaller and unique space. With smart phones, data plans, and app stores becoming commonplace, businesses wanting to compete need to understand the needs of their customers and communities, and deliver the type of mobile experience via mobile sites and apps that increase interaction and loyalty.

In summary, each of these five items is important in its own right in this digital age.  The priority for each will be driven by the needs of one's customers but each has important value.  When collectively implemented in ways that complement each other, these five keys help drive business success in this digital age.

What do you think?  Anything I'm missing?

Yes, there's an App for that!

The holidays have come and gone, and many opened a gift or used a gift card to purchase a new tablet or smartphone.  Once past the point of initial setup, the question now is, "what apps should I be using?" and "how can I use this technology to best help me in business tasks?".  Apps that you download and add to your tablet or smartphone are the key that takes a device from "good" to "great", and the wide variety of useful apps is nearly unlimited.

Whether your device is an Apple product such as a iPhone, iPad, or iPad Mini, or your gadget is a Android powered device like the Samsung Galaxy S3 or Google Nexus 7, you'll want to evaluate and downloads apps that provide value.  The Apple Store and Google Play app stores each contain thousands of apps covering an enormous amount of applications for different uses.   There are apps for business use for tracking expenses, tools for Microsoft Office files, loads of games for play, educational apps for children, foreign language learning tools, fitness tracking apps and more.

Basically, the answer to your question is, "yes, there's an app for that!"  Here's a quick rundown of some apps available demonstrating the wide array of tools available as well as specifics of how a app can be a useful add-on to your device.

iTriage
iphone-itriage272

 

This app is a handy medical dictionary, perfect for looking up symptoms, finding medical facilities and doctors, and more.  Created by two ER doctors, the free app is a valuable health and wellness resource, as well as a tool that can help you track your prescriptions and medical history.

Cloudon

 

Cloudon is a powerful app for mobile devices that brings Microsoft Office to your iPhone and iPad.  Create or edit Word, Excel, and PowerPoint documents on the go, as well as open and view a wide variety of other files including PDF, JPG, PNG types and more.

RunKeeper

 

Have you made New Year's Resolutions and need a place to keep track of your progress, as well as a tool to send you reminders?  RunKeeper is powerful app used by over 13 million people as a personal trainer!  Track runs, hikes, bike rides and more using the GPS in your iPhone.  The device will track your progress, provide coaching, and can even measure your heart rate and more.  No more excuses for not keeping up with those fitness goals for the new year!

Flipboard

 

Need a place for all your on-the-go reading?  Flipboard is an app for Android and Apple devices that enables you to compile various magazines and news sources into your own personalized digital magazine.  With ability to read, favorite, and easily share content to Facebook, Twitter, and via e-mail, Flipboard makes it easy to browse and stay current on all your favorite reading.

I could go on and on with information about apps for weather, shopping, banking, tracking your to-do list, adding a powerful flashlight, menu-planning, and more.  All these can be added to your smartphone or tablet, most for free or for a nominal cost.  The power of a smartphone or tablet is best realized when a user personalizes the device with apps relevant to one's lifestyle and needs so that helpful tools are at your fingertips.  Gain efficiencies and productivity this year with apps!  Take time to tour the iTunes app store on your Apple device or visit https://play.google.com on your Android powered device.

______________________________________

Mike leads the Social Application division of web design company, Digital Hill Multimedia (www.DigitalHill.com). He is a co-founder of TabSite.com, a leader in Facebook fan page tools for businesses. TabSite offers brands the power to boost Facebook marketing .  For more information on Tabsite, please visit www.tabsite.com.

 

© 2012-2023 Mike Gingerich Global, LLC    Contact   -   Privacy
magnifier linkedin facebook pinterest youtube rss twitter instagram facebook-blank rss-blank linkedin-blank pinterest youtube twitter instagram