Say what you wish about the smartphone addiction that has taken the UK by storm, but there is no denying that you can get a hell of a lot done when you’ve got this thin device in your pocket. You could pay for your car park in a click when you’re in town. You can book your restaurant for the evening. If you’re feeling lonely, you can arrange to meet up with friends. If you forgot to buy a birthday present for a relative, you can buy a last-minute gift that will be delivered on time via your phone. You can even use your phone to pay for your coffee on the go, with extra cream on top!
In short, even though the British population appears to be addicted to their smartphones, there are plenty of excellent reasons behind their phonephilia. First of all, you can do anything you need with a phone. It’s not just pointless behaviour; it’s making your life easier in many ways.
The question that remains to ask, though, is whether your smartphone could also make your business life easier too.
Put yourself in the shoes of your clients. They are going to use their smartphone to interact with your business and more importantly get the first touchpoint through your fast lead conversion paths. It’s important at this point to understand which are the most effective conversion paths for your leads, aka where your leads are going to commit to a purchase. There are two primary platforms where income-generating conversions are likely to occur, through your website or via an app. Depending on your business type, it’s a good idea to have both platforms available on smartphones. A mobile-friendly website is a must. However, working closely with professional app developers will ensure that you can provide a direct path to basket for your customers. Apps work best for retailers, but they have shown highly positive results in the finance, education, health, marketing, and real estate markets.
Admittedly, while your website or app is the place where users are going to purchase, they also need to track your activities and news. Social media platforms are designed to be not only mobile-friendly but also to perform better on mobile devices, as they can benefit from the real-time post momentum. In the business world, your social media presence allows you to connect with your audience and boost your brand awareness. More importantly, you can use your presence as a way to approach new communities and develop meaningful interactions by connecting with local businesses and influencers.
For entrepreneurs and self-employed professionals who are often on the go, a smartphone is all you need to manage your business activities. Indeed, using MailChimp, you can manage your email campaigns effectively. If you don’t get the opportunity to set up a physical office, Traveling Mailbox provides you with a physical address and uploads your mail to your Evernote account, keeping your business running on the go. Additionally, there are many accounting, web builder, work management, and storage functions available to smartphone users.
While it might not seem practical for all companies to run on a smartphone environment only, it’s fair to say that mobile professionals can run a tight business with a phone. Maybe the future of digital businesses is laptop-free.
[Image credit - Does smart business mean smartphone only?]