When you’re approaching how to make an app for your business or how to get an app for your business you need to make sure you’ve got the right amount of time, staff, and money needed to build an app and make it successful. A mobile app for your business can be a great investment. It can provide added value for your customers and potentially bring your business to an entirely new audience. However, creating a functional and user-friendly mobile app is not easy. It involves a combination of careful planning, vision, and good design skills. Also, not every business creates a successful app that works as intended.
To further explore creating an app for your business, we have assembled some tips that will ideally help you navigate how to get an app for your business up and running. Consider checking out our previous post about mobile app development tips for start-ups for additional information.
What Is The Goal?
A crucial part of creating an app for your business involves identifying the clear goal or function the app is intended to accomplish. Creating an app just for the sake of making an app is not going to be beneficial.
However, when you have discovered the mission and goal of the app, you can start with development. The app’s development should be focused on fulfilling the core mission of the app. If you do not do this, you may end up creating confusion with consumers and burn through valuable resources.
Can We Afford It?
Making a mobile app for your business is far from easy. Making a mobile about and being sure that it works as it should is something that takes time, manpower, and lots of money. You should be honest with yourself when you consider whether or not you can afford it. Also, will pumping lots of money into an app really benefit your business, or would that money help your business more if it was spent in a different, more beneficial capacity.
Who Are Our Customers?
A huge question to consider before developing an app for your business relates to considering who your customers are and whether or not they would be interested in using an app instead of just going to your site.
With customers between the ages of 18-35, they’ll probably prefer using an app rather than visiting a website. However, if your customers are older, they may not even care about using an app whatsoever. That is why - before even developing an app - you should be sure that your audience will be receptive to any mobile-oriented developments. If you think they will be, developing a mobile app could be right for you and your business.
Is This Core To My Business?
Aside from assessing your target audience, any business also needs to determine if developing an app makes sense for their brand at this specific point in time. You should ask yourself whether or not expanding what you are offering to customers is core to your business.
Be sure to carefully consider the pros and cons of offering a new tech solution. You do not want to jump into something only to regret it down the road. Remember, non-tech companies will usually underestimate the cost and effort needed to roll a high-quality app solution onto the market. In a lot of cases, if you do not believe you can do it well, you should probably just hold off all together.
How Long Will It Take?
Taking the size and scope into account, a mobile app could end up taking a very long time to fully complete and test. As such, businesses should plan around this. Think about your mobile app design and decide whether or not new features will roll out on your site while your app is being developed. If the answer to this question is yes, are you going to be ready to bring the site’s new features to the app on launch day? Sync your project time with your project schedule.
Do I Have Enough Employees?
You should also consider the staffing needed for creating a mobile app - think designers, developers, testers, and more. And, if you are short-staffed, consider whether or not you have the money needed to hire a team that will create a first-rate mobile application. Asking this question should give you the opportunity to create a development plan - a crucial step in mobile app development.
Conclusion
Asking yourself these questions and taking inventory of your answers is a key step on the path to mobile application development. Check out the KitelyTech blog to learn more about application development - like this piece on using AngularJS in custom web application development.
Also, consider contacting KitelyTech today if you are a small business owner or entrepreneur with a tech idea. KitelyTech loves to work with small business and creative thinkers to bring their business ideas to life. Contact KitelyTech on (800) 274 2908 today to learn more.
