You might be startled the first time you're out and about running errands, and your phone notifies you of a special promotion going on right now in a store you're about to enter. How did someone know you were right there?
Location data settings on people's phones - embedded in their GPS-enabled apps and gathered from online transactions - might seem obtrusive to the most private among us. But some consumers are not just okay with sharing that information wherever they go; they actually want to share that data because they know that many businesses will use the information to make special offers when they're nearby.
As a business owner, you can leverage location-based marketing tactics to get more feet through the door of your shop with a custom-designed app. Here are some tips that will help you get more sales while also building a stronger connection with your customers.
Personalize Your App
Learn what you can about your app users so that you can provide the sort of content and special promotions they're most likely to appreciate. Consider adding features to your app that allow you to address your users by name. You might even want to make it possible for them to build and curate a shopping list as well.
Reward Their Loyalty
Look for ways you can incentivize your customers to use your app. Maybe they'd appreciate a special discount only for app users. You might also get good results by gamifying their experience of doing business with you. If your incentives are timed well and delivered to users who are nearby, you could easily nudge them to make a buying decision they had not planned for that day.
Go with a Mobile Wallet
One challenge that stands between you and the next sale you make is the pain of payment. You may have noticed that convenience stores, gas stations, and other retail shops now offer mobile wallet options. With a mobile wallet, a customer can save coupons as well as being able to pay more quickly and easily than traditional payment methods.
Don't Be Creepy
The options and opportunities that come with using location-based data and apps are constantly expanding. As with any tactic that hinges on using what you know about your customers to entice them to come spend more money with you, you're going to have to walk a fine line. You don't want to add any function to your app that would annoy or unnerve your users - but you also want to be sure you leverage this technology to get more customers coming in more often, buying more on each visit, and interacting with your business in a way that brings new customers your way.
If you haven't yet deployed an app for your business - or if you're not even sure how it would work for you, be sure to ask us for details. The technology is here! If you can use it for good, it can do wonders for your bottom line.