Find Out if Your Business Needs a Mobile App

You may have been watching the growing trend in mobile apps and

wondering whether your business should be getting on board. Before you do, you need to decide whether you really need a mobile app and whether it will provide a reasonable return on investment. This article may help you decide. A mobile app is a piece of software that you can download onto a mobile device such as a smartphone or tablet. It is either an entertainment app such as a game or a utility app that does something for the user, such as guiding them to a location, giving them useful real-time information or providing some other helpful service.

What is a mobile app?

A mobile app is a piece of software that you can download onto a mobile device such as a smartphone or tablet. It is either an entertainment app such as a game or a utility app that does something for the user, such as guiding them to a location, giving them useful real-time information or providing some other helpful service.

Does your business need one?

To determine whether you need a mobile app for your business, you need to ask yourself some important questions.

• Do your customers use mobile apps?
• Is your target audience within the 25-34 age range, as most app users are (followed by 34-44 year olds)?
• Is yours the kind of business that lends itself to customer engagement and interaction?
• Do you sell the kind of products or services that can be accessed online, or are you more a bricks-and-mortar business that really only needs a basic website presence?
• Can you afford a mobile app? Development costs can start at around $8,000 and go up from there, so will you be able to generate enough new business from your app to justify the cost?

Things to bear in mind

If you do decide a mobile app is what your business needs, then go for it, but when you do:

• Make sure your developer knows what they’re doing. Get recommendations from other businesses who have had apps developed and ask to see examples of their work.
• Make sure the app is useful and/or fun. Ideally it needs to be unique, but it must at least be something useful that makes your customers’ lives easier or more fun in some wa.
• Make sure you have the resources to maintain your app once it is up and running. It will need to be updated regularly to remain relevant, so make sure you have factored maintenance costs into your budget.
• Make sure it is accessible on all platforms. With people using different platforms from mobile phones to tablets and iOS to Android, you need to ensure your app is accessible to your entire audience. Due to cost however, you may wish to start on just one to test the water.
• Make sure it is relevant to your business. Having an app that entertains or informs people but does nothing to brand your business or create sales is a waste of time and money.
• Make sure it works. Just as a good app will reflect well on your business, a bad one full of bugs will have the opposite effect and word of mouth is a powerful tool on social media.

Like any good marketing tool, an app has to be useful, relevant, easy to access and capable of generating more traffic for your business. So make sure you have all these things in mind when you sit down with your developer and start planning your foray into the world of mobile apps.

Melbourne, Australia – – June 5, 2009 – A team of bold, young entrepreneurs has found a creative new way to merge mobile phone technology, advertising, free prizes and fun. The group has launched Dreamwalkmobile.com, a “mobile treasure hunt” that offers exciting benefits to both advertisers and consumers.

“It allows anyone to distribute samples, giveaways and prizes to consumers anywhere in the world and, in the process,
advertise their brands and products in a way that is both interactive and entertaining,” said Joseph Russell, chief executive officer of DreamWalk Pty. Ltd., a registered Australian company operating out of Melbourne, Australia. “To the consumer, the DreamWalk application for mobile devices allows the user to collect and redeem free giveaways from the DreamWalk prize map”. Among the thousands of giveaways already on the map are free cheeseburgers, MP3 downloads, IPods and even Michael Jackson tickets.

“It allows anyone to distribute samples, giveaways and prizes to consumers anywhere in the world and, in the process, advertise their brands and products in a way that is both interactive and entertaining,” said Joseph Russell, chief executive officer of DreamWalk Pty. Ltd., a registered Australian company operating out of Melbourne, Australia. “To the consumer, the DreamWalk application for mobile devices allows the user to collect and redeem free giveaways from the DreamWalk prize map”. Among the thousands of giveaways already on the map are free cheeseburgers, MP3 downloads, IPods and even Michael Jackson tickets.

DreamWalk enables advertisers to place real prizes, samples and giveaways at GPS locations on the global DreamWalk prize map for mobile phone users to collect. Prize points positioned on the DreamWalk map also double as interactive advertisements. Mobile phone users can claim their prizes directly from the retail locations being advertised.

With DreamWalk, advertisers and consumers have a unique opportunity to capitalize on the latest technology for cell phones. Currently, it is the only mobile treasure hunt application that features actual prizes. DreamWalk is also the only mobile advertising platform to employ the GPS treasure hunt format to promote different brands and products to consumers. This creates an outstanding advantage for advertisers. “DreamWalk users will actually welcome ads onto their phones and even go out hunting for them,” Russell said. “What other ad platform can say that?”

DreamWalk is also unique because of the way it targets consumers. It specializes in location-based ads that allow companies to advertise to mobile phone users when they are in specific locations. This enables them to deliver interactive messages when consumers are in the best position to make a purchase. As a result, companies can enjoy healthy conversion rates and a greater return on their advertising dollars. DreamWalk represents a very valuable and versatile marketing tool for any business. “Whether its McDonald’s giving away free fries to entice customers into their stores or a garage band giving away free MP3 downloads to gain a following, the possibilities are endless,” Russell said.

The new DreamWalk application is ideal for business owners and advertising executives who want low-cost, measurable ads that target consumers in a fresh way. DreamWalk offers spam-free advertising, free online statistics, and free account registration. In addition, the Website is giving $25 in free DreamWalk credits to everyone who signs up for an account.

Through this initial launch, DreamWalk is striving to build a strong support base that is eager to leverage the convergence of mobile and Web applications and services. The mobile treasure hunt form of advertising represents a win-win for everyone involved. “Our mission is to connect advertisers with consumers in a way that not only benefits both parties, but also changes the way people think about advertising and encourages creativity and fun,” Russell said.

Historically, giving away products has always been a popular and effective marketing strategy. Research shows that“free” offers are a powerful way to stimulate demand and overall sales. And with the recession, more and more companies are trending toward using the appeal of free products to entice buyers. DreamWalk gives businesses the ultimate way to advertise freebies, while promoting their brand and products at the same time.

For more information, visit www.dreamwalkmobile.com,
or contact Joseph Russell at +506 8396 1464.