It's amazing that an absolute majority (89%) of marketing and sales specialists believe they're on the right track with their sales enablement strategy but they also believe that serious changes need to take place for them to maintain their leading positions in the market. The unbelievably mobile environment of tight deadlines, the need to be online 24/7, and deals that are signed and closed on the move, all pose entirely new demands for sales professionals. However, the technology has not yet been adopted by the majority of companies - only 30% of sales reps use innovative sales enablement platforms.
The existing challenges can be solved using mobile technology and digital tools that shorten the sales cycle and change the very nature of enterprise sales. Just imagine how convenient it would be to distribute mobile catalogs or price lists right to your sales representatives, dealers or retail partners in a matter of minutes. The same works with your clients. Push notifications have very high open rates, and they give users an entirely new branded app experience.
Mobile apps are also a way to improve staff training, measure sales cycle effectiveness, and guarantee instant communication about products, services and their features. Research shows that 84% of American B2B sales and marketing executives regard app-based solutions as an essential digital tool for increasing sales efficiency. There is also a strong international trend - apps are recognized as a priority investment in the UK (84%), the US (82%), and Germany (74%). Mobile apps are a new, personalized, and on-the-go digital channel that is transmitted through the most personal of all devices - a smartphone.
After taking a closer look at the Lakeland use case that Adobe used to promote mobile apps, we can see that the company was able to expand the market by engaging a younger audience and fostering an even closer relationship with app users by introducing an entirely new level of interactivity. Content was distributed instantly through social media sharing, and the products could be bought immediately using the app.
If you are a big producer, you can deliver your price lists or product feature news right to your dealers or smaller retail companies instantly, with the help of mobile apps. Just ask them to scan a QR code, and they're ready to go!
Image Source: ats Mobile Blog, Why Is Mobile SEO So Important?
On the other hand, if you're a retailer, you have to distribute sales catalogs, brochures, coupons, and other printed material to your customers. How do you do this? With a mobile app, you can publish your marketing and promo materials without spamming clients with texts or emails that never get opened. Just send a push and offer an engaging app experience where the client can easily retrieve all the information they want about deals, new products, or your current range. You now have a loyal customer with a high value for your brand.
This is an awesome opportunity for retail. It gives your products a new level of intimacy with the customer, as many of us take our smartphones and tablets everywhere we go. Speed of distribution, personalization, high open rates for push notifications, and the ability to optimize marketing are especially valuable features of mobile apps.
And what has been your experience with mobile apps? Are you planning to develop one or are you working on marketing an existing app? Please share your thoughts.