No Mobile Website is Business Suicide
Chances are you are reading this article on your mobile device, 72% to be exact! We now live in a mobile world and have become accustomed to the fact that we can get our information 24/7 and we like it fast.
You don’t have to look too far to find someone on his or her mobile
phone, whether you are out to dinner at a restaurant with your spouse or on the
way to and from work in the car next to you. (I don’t recommend by the way)
The desktop website has become the new house phone, “Everyone
has one, but nobody uses it anymore” if at all. Cell phones and mobile devices
have definitely changed the way we live our daily lives, but has it affected the
way we do business?
You bet you it has! One would say that if you are a business
owner and you haven’t decided to “Go Mobile”, you are committing business
suicide.
By 2015, there will be more mobile phones on the planet than
there will be human beings. Scary, isn’t it?
Over 60% of all businesses don’t have a mobile website and they
wonder why their business has dropped considerably. Most business owners are
stuck in the Stone Age and feel that their reputation is what will keep them in
afloat. I agree that a good reputation is great to have for a business owner,
but that is only good for current customers, but what about the new customers
that don’t know anything about you?
These are the customers that are going to keep your business
alive and striving. Think about the last time you went to a business within 24
hours of looking at it on your desktop, probably didn’t happen! Your favorite
program came on the tube and you forgot all about it.
The Mobile User
Mobile users are local users and here’s some stats that will
mean something to you: 95% of mobile users have searched for local information,
61% of users call a business and 59% visit the location, and 90% of these
people act within 24 hours.
One can’t argue that it is essential to have a mobile website
for any type of business.
What are the consequences of not having a mobile website? Well,
you can say “Goodbye” to those customers that you didn’t even know existed.
40% of those customers have turned to a competitor’s site after
having a bad mobile experience. And 57% of mobile users will not recommend a
business with a bad mobile website.
If you’re not Visible, You will
become Invisible
I couldn’t agree more with a quote I read in an article, “If you
are not visible, you will become invisible”. And the worst part of this is that
most business owners that only have a desktop website believe they are fine and
it’s not for them. Little do they know, its Everything! And don’t get me
started on mobile marketing, which is a whole other topic that we will talk
about another time. The times are changing and businesses will have to adapt or
pay the consequences.
Where to start?
Fortunately, there are alternatives that are affordable and
effecient, but if you really think about it cost is irrelevant when you compare
the amount of customers you have lost or are going to lose over the course of
the life of your business. As the old saying goes “it takes money to make
money” which is so true especially in this matter.
Desktop vs. Mobile
Lets talk about some of the things that a mobile website can
give you that a desktop cannot: A desktop website gives you a lot of
information in a limited amount of space and that’s not what mobile users want
or need. They need to Find You, Call You or Text You and anything else is just
bonus for them. Mobile habits are different than the desktop user. We have to
keep in mind they are on the move and they are looking to follow through with
some kind of action. Some of the features that are important to have on a
mobile website are: Click to Call, Click to Find, Click to Text and Click to
Email. Additional features that will only enhance your mobile presence include:
Restaurant Menus, Open Table Integration, Image, Galleries, YouTube Videos, Google
Checkout and PayPal Buttons to name a few.
Mobile Marketing
I know it’s a lot to put your head around and it sounds
confusing, but in order to stay ahead of the competition you have to get
involved. You aren’t going to learn it overnight but it will grow on you and
before you know it you will become a pro and build a new customer base at the
same time. What is more exciting than that?
It’s all-FREE
I have always been baffled when I run across business owners
that don’t have any interest in social media, mobile marketing or mobile
websites. It’s like please get on the boat or you are going to be left behind.
Especially, when all the social marketing is FREE!
If you still don’t believe the hype, think about the last time
you saw a Pepsi commercial on TV? It’s probably been awhile, right? Well its
because they moved all their advertising dollars into social media! Yep, Social
media! Why?
Because that is where all the customers are… Facebook alone has
1,310,000,000 members and Twitter has 645,750,00 members. And these are only
two of the many FREE social sites out there. There’s also, Google Plus,
Instagram, Linkedin plus others.
You don’t have to take my word for it, just spend a few minutes
on Google and you won’t believe what you will find.
The Bottom Line
We can all agree that we are part of the mobile revolution in
one way or another, as a Business Owner, Consumer or just a Socialite, but nonetheless The Mobile World is here. We cannot escape it.
The facts have been stated and now it is up to you to do your
own research and find out if this is right for you and your business. I would
recommend to get signed up with every social network available to you,
considering it’s FREE! That’s a start! And there are many resources available that
can make it simple for you! Next, get yourself a mobile website and let
potential customers know you are part of their world. Once you get the hang of
it, get that mobile marketing plan together and become part of an ever so
growing mobile community. Your business deserves it!! Good Luck!
For additional resources and to receive a FREE Mobile Website Preview!