Market Smart: Smart phones efficient, extend brand loyalty

Can businesses really increase customer loyalty by thinking smaller? With Blackberries, Smart Phones, iPhones and other personal devices on the rise, marketers are finding great value in developing customer tools to fit the tiny, hand-held screen.

Mobile-friendly Web sites and downloadable screen applications offer conveniences for on-the-run customers, making it more likely for those customers to stay true to a particular brand — especially if competitors don't offer similar tools.

Monitor flight status, bank, trade stocks and quickly scan news articles are all activities you can now do via your mobile phone. Companies from Southwest Airlines to Bank of America all tout applications or Web site development tailored for hand-held devices as a way to extend a brand's reach.

Small businesses are also getting involved in application development, offering customers a quick way to monitor coupons or specials, or the ability to pre-order a meal at a favorite restaurant. Starbucks even developed an e-commerce application allowing customers to pre-pay for their beverage with a simple touch of a phone.

Now, business-to-business companies are taking a serious look at the benefits of building mobile tools in order to provide time-crunched executives more convenient ways to conduct business. Where initial mobile applications were created for entertainment value, studies show that 70 percent of new applications are tailored for ease-of-business.

Today, business-to-business applications provide information relative to vendor stocking, product availability or launch and warranty recalls; as well as accounting, finance, office administration, transportation and shipping.

In fact, some technology experts predict the diminishing use of the laptop in favor of the smaller, more portable hand-held device.

If you're looking to differentiate your business by building a mobile application or Web site, consider what information your customers may need quickly, easily and would be beneficial for on-the-go. Tailoring an application to their needs will guide you to the proper mix of features, functionality and platform. By creating a desirable tool, you'll encourage brand loyalty and entice continued business interaction.

Dana Kohlbeck is a public relations specialist for Coalesce Marketing & Design Inc. in Appleton. She can be reached at 920-380-4444 or dana@coalescemarketing.com.