Mobile marketing tips for small businesses
Posts tagged apps reseller
Tips for Marketing through the Chamber of Commerce For Mobile App Resellers
Mar 14th
Chambers of commerce are an often-overlooked way for businesses to market their services. Their influence can be so powerful that a tiny startup can be launched into the national conversation primarily because the startup was active in chambers of commerce.
This is exactly what happened with Constant Contact, the small business marketing solution that now sits in the top half of Deloitte’s Technology Fast 500. Constant Contact’s CEO attributes much of the company’s success to participation in chamber of commerce activities.
So, what is a chamber of commerce, and how can mobile app resellers get in on the action? Let’s break it down.
Chambers of Commerce
A chamber of commerce is, in its simplest form, a network of businesses and a generalized trade organization. There are chambers of commerce in almost every city, state, and nation, and they number in the thousands worldwide. Total membership includes millions of businesses.
The purpose of a chamber of commerce is to promote the interests of its member businesses, which usually involves interaction with government entities and other related organizations. Chambers of commerce also hold events and pursue other initiatives to promote the member businesses themselves and help them grow.
How Not to Fail at Networking Events
One of the most important types of event held by chambers of commerce is a networking event, where representatives of member businesses can meet, exchange information, and hopefully enter into mutually beneficial relationships. For a mobile app reseller, these events are a great way to spread the word about the services you can provide to local businesses. That said, many people aren’t quite sure how to make them worthwhile. Here’s our advice.
First, don’t be a wallflower. When you go to a networking event, if the first thing you do is hug the wall and look for someone you know, you’re missing out on golden opportunities. While your contacts might introduce you to someone new, it’s best to simply walk over to the first people you see. Do it the first minute you’re there, as soon as possible, before anxiety gets a hold of you. Your introduction doesn’t have to be very formal. If you see a lively conversation circle, you can open with something as simple as, “Hey guys, what am I missing over here?” Just join in, get introduced, and meet some new people. Let the conversation flow naturally from there.
Second, don’t focus too much on selling. The goal is not to immediately try to sell people on your services. Think longer term. You’re there to cultivate relationships, and they don’t always have to begin with or be directed toward a sale. Listen to people, think about what they need, and remember it for later. Sometimes, the best thing you can do is to connect two other people that need each other, and who will both be grateful for the introduction. It turns you into a player in the local market, and helps improve your profile. It’s a classic maxim of business and networking that if you help others, sales will follow, and you’ll also be developing contacts that are beneficial in a variety of ways.
Other Benefits Available through a Chamber of Commerce
• You can place ads in the membership directory online, or in its regular publication, to reach local businesses more effectively.
• You can participate in committees that relate to your business (e.g. a technological development committee, or something similar) and meet people in your industry.
• You can enjoy discounts (10-20%) on services from other members.
• You can establish credibility by incorporating your chamber of commerce’s logo into your marketing collateral, business card, etc.
Chambers of commerce present a wealth of opportunities to mobile app resellers to get to know their market, make connections, and boost sales. And if one is good, two is better. Get involved in chambers of commerce today and you’ll soon reap the benefits.
5 Free Apps for Mobile App Resellers
Mar 13th
Life in a mobile app company can be challenging, but helpful apps are like helpful staff – they make your life easier and take burdens off your shoulders. Here are five of our favorite apps that are trusted by many to perform critical business functions:
1. Skype
Unlimited free calls, worldwide.
If we told you, years ago, that a company would one day offer unlimited free calls, worldwide, you would have laughed at us, right? Then you would have asked us what the company’s name was, so you could short the stock when they adopted such a crazy strategy, correct?
That notwithstanding, it’s exactly what Skype offers, from your desktop. They also offer communications solutions at extremely low rates on your mobile devices, as well. If your provider is expensive, and your business has a high call volume, Skype can be an amazingly cost-effective workaround.
2. Bizness CRM
Bizness CRM features a user-friendly sales pipeline that easily tracks sales without the confusingly useless 10,000 additional features. We organize local leads by industry clearly and concisely and then narrow them down based on numerous optional criteria. Bizness CRM is simple to use, free to try, and the only CRM built for companies specifically targeting small businesses.
Also, as a Bizness Apps reseller, we include a free lifetime account to Bizness CRM which makes selling to small businesses easier than ever!
3. Evernote
Evernote’s slogan is “Remember everything.” While that sounds kind of terrifying, the point is that we all have a number of items each day that we want to remember, but that we forget for one reason or another. Evernote is designed to fix that.
With Evernote, you can, of course, take notes, but you can also keep photos and perform other functions as well. It works with nearly every device, and it also auto-synchronizes across your various platforms. If you need a single, simple place where you can jot down ideas, reminders, tasks, and more, so that you can keep yourself on target, this is the app for you.
Oh, did we mention it’s free? It doesn’t get more cost-effective than that.
4. Dropbox
Have you ever tried to email someone a file and gotten a “bounceback” notice saying the file was too big?
Dropbox is the answer.
If you’ve got large files (say, 25MB or more), you can upload them to Dropbox, send someone a link via email, and then they can download the file at their leisure. Dropbox works really well for those that regularly have to share monster-size pdfs, collections of rich images, or video files. Uploading can also be very simple, using a Dropbox folder on your computer. Just move items to the folder, and they’ll appear in your online Dropbox location.
As with the other items on this list, Dropbox is usable for free.
5. Mint
Mint? Isn’t that just for personal finances? Nope.
Mint can easily be used as a business solution. It’s quite a powerful financial planning and tracking app, automatically reading from various account sources and organizing expenses to enable easy tracking and reporting. The interface is simple, clean, and intuitive, making Mint a pleasure to use.
And guess what? Yep, it’s free!
8 Habits Of A Successful Bizness Apps Reseller
Mar 1st
Bizness Apps offers a robust white-label platform to resellers that uses the same technology that has been used to develop over 20,000 apps in over 50 countries. To ensure that you, as a reseller, enjoy the maximum benefit from participating in the Bizness Apps program, here are a few tips to remember:
1. Market to a Niche
As the old saying goes, if you try to talk to everyone, you often talk to no one. Select a niche and focus your marketing efforts on it. There are many small business types nationwide that have proven to be profitable for app developers. For example, restaurants, law offices, real estate agencies, and many others. Chose an industry and zero in, and your efforts will lead to far better returns.
2. Don’t Undervalue Your Product
As a guideline, many resellers charge customers a setup fee of $1,500-2,000, as well as a $100/month recurring charge. You deliver a product that can have huge value for helping small businesses connect with their customers, increase loyalty, and drive revenue growth. Keep it in mind when establishing and negotiating prices.
3. Client Testimonials
Few things are as persuasive to a target as hearing positive reviews from those in the target’s shoes that have adopted apps. For each success story you create, make sure that you obtain a testimonial. Don’t just develop an app and move on. Reach back, connect with current clients, and ask them how things are going. If they’re going well, you have a nice testimonial. If not, you have feedback that you (or we) can use to improve our offering. It’s a win-win.
4. Make Sure Your Website Looks Professional
A professional-looking website is key for establishing credibility and trust with prospects, as well as anchoring your prices at a higher level. Make sure that your website doesn’t turn anyone off, or create the perception that you aren’t a quality, well-established service provider.
5. Utilize Bizness Apps Support
We’re here to help! If you have issues, questions, want to talk strategy, want to submit feedback, or just want to chat about the industry, give us a call. Our white label program is a two-way street and the more communication we receive, the better you do, and the better we all do. We are deeply invested in ensuring that each of our resellers succeeds, because your success is also our success, so don’t hesitate to reach out to us if you need a hand.
6. Take Advantage of Available Tools
There are a wealth of resources available to you that can help you succeed. Review these links, and you’re bound to find something helpful:
• Our Free Marketing Materials
• Our $100 Professional App Design Service
• Our Recorded Webinars
• Our Help Desk
• Reseller Orientation Calls
• Bizness CRM (We offer free accounts for resellers!)
• And much much more…
7. Stay Current on Industry Stats
We are constantly sharing new information through our blog, social media outlets (Facebook, Twitter), and various webinars and other channels. Keep your ear to the speaker, so to speak, and you’ll know everything we know.
8. Understand The Product
Top resellers understand our product, our features, and the benefits of small businesses going mobile. You can improve your product and market knowledge by utilizing all of the help materials available to you. And if you have a question, feel free to shoot us an email! Our success is your success!
As you can see from the last few items, the more time you spend researching the platform and industry, the better off you are. Read up on our features and other relevant info, and you’ll be able to maximize your opportunity – and that’s the essence of a successful Bizness App reseller.
8 Habits of a Successful Reseller from biznessapps
9 Useful Web Apps for Small Businesses
Mar 27th
When you need a killer business app, you could hire a development studio and spend a few hundred thousand dollars to create one. Or, you could just use these awesome apps that we found laying around the Internet!
1. Google (Everything)
The big boss of apps. Google’s apps cover pretty much everything you could ever need. Gmail, of course, is fantastic for email. Google Documents lets you upload docs, spreadsheets, pdfs, and more, and then revise them, share them, and download them in any format. Google Calendar works very well with the other apps to keep your schedule straight (even offering suggested appointments based on email content). Google Compliments will take a picture of you and then tell you how hot you are … you get the picture.
Basically, if you have a need, Google has a free, cloud-based solution for you. Service outages are rare, but they do happen occasionally. And you can’t yell at Google and demand better functionality when you’re using their fab software for free. (Well, you can, this being America, but they should definitely tell you to go [insert a four letter word for an ordinarily pleasant activity] yourself.)
2. Jing (Screencasting)
Jing captures images and video from your screen and lets you share it easily. If you’re a tech company, it’s great for showing tutorials and workarounds for various issues. If you’re not a tech company, it’s great for showing problems to the tech company you hire when you have IT issues.
3. Expensify (Financial Management)
If you’re one of those small business owners that likes to keep track of the little things, like whether your company is running out of money, Expensify is quite useful. You can link it to a credit card, and it will tell you how much you’re spending, keep tabs on your receipts electronically, and can also generate useful reports. Sadly, it can’t tell you how to make any money. For that, you’ll have to wait for Profit-ify.
4. Prosper (Fundraising)
Prosper is an app that lets businesses find lenders for new projects. You’re in control of the terms (time to repay, interest rate), so you can set them however you like. Keep in mind, however, that someone has to find your terms acceptable. Basically, it’s Match.com, except it matches borrowers and lenders. The romance is up to you.
5. Stickies (Quick Notes)
Let’s go really low-tech for a minute. Stickies lets you post an electronic sticky note on your computer’s desktop, and jot down notes as you go. Very simple, and very useful. You can stop writing on your monitor now.
6. WordPress (Website Management)
If your small business doesn’t have a website because you don’t have to have to pay a web designer, WordPress is the answer. Register a site address and order up some hosting from a company like Dreamhost, load up WordPress for free, and create a simple, attractive website in an hour or two. If your small business doesn’t have a website because your business is illegal, however, it’s probably best to stay off the web.
7. Yammer (Social media)
Want to use social media within your company, but don’t want to share sensitive information with the world? Get Yammer! Huge corporations use Yammer to collaborate, so its tried-and-tested.
8. KISSinsights (Surveys and Analytics)
You may know when people come to your website, and you may know how they get there, but KISSinsights will tell you why they do the things they do. After a quick bit of code pasting, KISS will run simple survey pop-ups on your site that are very brief. That way, you get a chance to hear a bit of feedback from your visitors. Be warned - it probably won’t all be good, but at least you’ll know what needs to be fixed.
9. FreshBooks (Time Tracking)
If your business bills by the hour (lawyers, accountants, um, “professional girlfriends”), then FreshBooks gives you an easy way to record time and send out invoices. Also, even if you don’t bill by the hour, but you procrastinate a lot, you should try out FreshBooks. This will reveal how much time you’re spending screwing around. If you look at the monthly invoices, and find out that “espn.com” is your biggest “client,” you’ll know why your revenues seem to be sluggish.
