Brilliant Breakthroughs’ 50th podcast featuring our very own AppMama, Nancy sharing her wisdom, Why Small Businesses Grow Using Mobile Apps.
BB50: Why Small Businesses Grow Using Mobile Apps With Nancy Lucchesi Schwab
Take a listen… or read the dialogue below the audio
(intro)
Maggie: You are a small business owner and are hopefully rocking it or finding ways to rock it and we’re here to help you with that.
….
We’re really honored today because Nancy, the AppMama is here with us today.
She is a #1 Amazon bestselling author of that blue book we were just talking about. She’s here to talk to us today about your business’ productivity and more importantly about some really new things out there that are available to you that you may not realize yet.
Welcome Nancy we’re glad you’re here!
….
Nancy Lucchesi
Nancy Lucchesi’s [now Schwab] chapter is the 7th one in the blue book entitled “Unleash Your Mind Unleash Your Growth.”
Nancy you covered a lot of ground in that chapter and helped us look at how to look to cover things differently.
You have a whole business around that actually.
Nancy: I do! That’s the whole app world.
Maggie: She just dropped it! Nancy is in the business of mobile apps.
Are you ready for what I want to talk to you about?
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Mobile app versus Website
Mobile apps – it’s like an unknown commodity for a lot of people. Everyone knows what a website is but a mobile app is something different.
First I want you to tell us the difference between the two and then I want to ask you why you do what you do. I think it will fascinate everyone to look at how to position a mobile app for their business.
Are you ready?
Nancy: I’m ready!
Maggie: Bring it on!
Nancy: We’re going to bring a third prong into this. We’re going to compare social media, a website and a mobile app. A lot of people think if they have one of those items they’re rocking it.
When in reality you need the trifecta. First let me tell you what social media does for you.
Social media
It doesn’t matter what platform you’re on.
….. (list of platforms)
Tomorrow there will be a new one. What I look at with social media is that’s where people get to learn that you exist.
They put you on their radar. They see that you are out there. It’s like the billboard you see as you’re driving along. You see it really fast and aren’t paying attention.
Website
Then the website is where people come to learn about you. They come to find what products your business has, what services, who are you the person behind that social media post? They take you from social media to the website. It’s where people do their research about you to know if they want to do business with you.
Mobile app
A mobile app is where people come to do business with you.
Think about your own habits.
The average smartphone user uses 9 apps a day if not more. I often have people tell me they don’t and then they count.
If you want to buy something you go to Amazon. Are you going to sit on your laptop and type in what you want? Most of the time you’re buying it on the go with their app.
You might want to check your financial portfolio. You’re going to an app. You’ll check social media on an app. Weather on an app. These are all things that happen on a mobile app that keep them on the forefront of your mind.
How we do business
Then there is the business side of things. You ask your questions, you have your chats, you find out about products, buy products, schedule appointments. How many times have you gone to an app versus going to a mobile website? It takes a lot of effort to type in a website.
Your daily routine things you don’t use a mobile website. That’s the difference.
An app turns this into power… it goes in the palm of their hand.
Website & mobile app responsiveness
Nancy: The other point of conversation in that is an app versus a responsive mobile website is very different because the app is different, it’s faster, it’s contained.
Nancy: It’s contained, yes.
Everything within that app is definitely secured in a platform. It’s easily accessible with one touch.
You can have a responsive website, that’s fine. But they don’t always respond in the same method. Sometimes they take longer to load, there’s a lot of problems with them. Some of them you have to have wifi to access them whereas an app you can have data that’s not using cellular or wifi data to access.
There are lot of things that are positive about the app.
Benefits to having an app
Through the value of a push notice you can reach clients right away. It doesn’t get lost in text or email. I’m not saying these marketing ideas aren’t good, you aren’t looking at one way to market, you’re looking at a trifecta of how the clients want to be reached.
The notice goes forefront right on their phone or contained in the app and is sorted to say this is my message. The best part about an app versus website is the person has chosen to give you real estate on their phone.
They have said they want to do business with you. I’d rather work with those who say they want to do business with you instead of the masses.
Maggie: They allow you into your space.
How many apps do you use?
Nancy blew my mind away after we had our app developed she said how many apps do you use a day?
I use two or three maybe; she said to think about it. A month later I went and looked and went ‘oh’.
In many cases I don’t do a lot on my phone because I can’t see it. There are things I do and I do a lot with apps.
My husband is app crazy. It’s a different story for him but we utilize them more than we realize.
Nancy has opened me up to understand consumer or probable purchaser behavior a little differently than how I had been doing it. Thank you Nancy.
Nancy: You’re welcome!
88% of smartphone users will only use a mobile app versus a mobile website. They’re worried about hacking through a web browser and they’ll only use you if you have an app.
Maggie: That is very important to know.
Unleashed Mobile Apps’ “Why”
Nancy, you have this really cool, cutting edge offering that you provide to business owners. Why do you do this? What’s your why?
Nancy: My why – you know – my why goes back to a visit I had.
I was sitting in a coffee shop waiting for an appointment and noticed these gentlemen sitting there talking. I knew the company they were with based on their conversation and other things.
I heard them say “don’t worry about the small guy we’ll crush them. We have more money than they do.”
That blew my mind.
This company started several decades ago in a 400 sq foot office to help the farmers of the world. They were an under-served market and they had a product that served them that no one else was doing. It was the intention to help these people survive and thrive.
The owner, the founder has to be rolling in his grave when he hears ‘we have to crush the little guy.’
This country is founded on the small business spirit that build this country. That’s our foundation.
I wasn’t even in the mobile app business at the time. I went out to find something that the small business owner or growth focused owner could use to be able to level the playing field so they can compete with the big box big budget people and be able to have their share of the market.
I came up with this mobile app concept.
Helping the little guys, the small business
Our platform is as such so that the growth focused business owner who wants to take his business to the next level with a better digital presence can do that and compete.
Their business can explode without killing the budget.
That’s why I do what I do. Those two guys, their value was skewed.
Maggie: Offering the same competitive advantage to the little guys that the big guys have. That’s noble and why I opened the doors to my business 15 years ago.
I hear you and think that there are many people out there that don’t now there are options like this available that differentiate them considerably.
Mobile apps, though they’ve been around for a while, is a newer concept. Not everyone is doing it.
Nancy: Only a fraction of businesses are taking advantage, but it’s not too late to start in. Apps are something people want. We ride on that and bring businesses in. There is plenty to go around for everybody
Apps serve loyalty
Give them a better customer experience will keep them coming back. That is one thing we promote. How can we APPsolutely keep them coming back?
Who is the easiest person to sell to other than your mother? It’s someone who purchased from you before. They trust you, they know you, they like you.
The world is so competitive these days, if someone offers them a better customer experience they’ll bolt.
You have to give them a reason to keep coming back. Through the mobile app you stay on the forefront of their mind.
I have a dog grooming place and they use it to allow people to book appointments right there. How many times are you thinking about it and want to take your dog in and you’ll do it later. On the app you’ll do it right away.
We are “in the moment” people.
Another client I have is a financial planner.
He sends out information, in this volatile market, he sends information and people have his app even if they don’t do business with him, but through the app he builds trust. (He says) This is my item. This is everything I can do for you.
They are forefront on the mind and one of these days they’ll move finances to him. You can’t bounce around you need that trust factor.
Maggie: You shared this business with me before.
You told me their story. They don’t have a big following audience, but their following is exceptionally high. In one swoop he serves his current customers and also showing others what he is doing in serving.
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Apps and privacy
Nancy: And I also want to share another one we’ve taken on since we talked last.
It’s a chiropractor. The chiropractor wants to build business however, geography keeps her limited.
She’s not going to work with someone hundreds of miles away but she, due to privacy and laws, she wants to keep her app on a private level. You are invited to download. We have that capability.
Even if you don’t want everyone to have it we can do that for you. It’s controlled. That is one aspect and we have another one that came about that is giving her customers an experience with in the moment coaching.
We use technology (where) you get feedback you need right from her app when you are in it – it’s actually about reducing sugar from your diet.
You can open the app when you’re thinking about that treat and in the moment coaching is right there to help you talk yourself out of it or give you the support you need to say nope no cookie today.
Maggie: Put the cupcake down! Do not look back!
Nancy: Exactly! There are all kinds of aspects of what we can do. We aren’t just a one type of field. We can help a large number depending on what their focus is and what they need. It takes their digital focus and makes it powerful.
She was so excited to find everything in one location.
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It’s all in one spot instead of making audiences go all over to find you.
Maggie: It is fascinating. I love that.
One of the things you do when you are speaking to potential clients is sit down and do a little exploration with them as to how it may be utilized best with their business, right?
Nancy: Correct.
Best/worst industries for apps
I will be honest that it is not the product for every business. You need a loyal repeat following that people need your information or want to engage you on a regular basis.
If you are a one and done type of business, then being on your own individual app isn’t really for you. Or if your purchases are every 5 or 10 years and you need no interaction … an app might not suit your business needs.
However, I would recommend you find a group of people to jump in to it with you. Our local chamber of commerce does that.
It pulls together all these businesses that might not support an individual app but helps pull everyone’s audience.
We do put those together as well where we work with a group. The group needs a theme like the Brookfield Chamber.
That’s something to take a look at but for the majority of people it’s possible.
Don’t think people have too many apps. It’s not how many they have on their phones but how they use the apps. Even if you’re 1 of 100 you give your content power so people go there.
Maggie: That’s a funny thing. How many people are in 100 apps a day?
Nancy: If you have 100 you use about 40 of them a month.
Maggie: that makes sense.
I was going to say it’s under half. You try something, tinker with it and it sits there.
….
This is really cool.
There (is) a lot of goodness for businesses in this century to start utilizing this century’s technology and marketing tools. This is customer experience and marketing all in one.
Nancy: It’s what people are asking for.
Maggie: Something that is always with them.
I would love to talk another three hours, however, we don’t have that much time.
You were talking about cookies and I used cupcakes. What is your favorite sweet treat?
Nancy: Frozen custard. I’m a Milwaukee girl. I’m a Wisconsin kid.
That’s my soft spot. Soft serve soft spot.
Maggie: Of course you’re a Wisconsinite and dairy is the product of the state that’s keeps.
Nancy: For those not from Wisconsin – frozen custard is similar to ice cream but way better.
We have competitions here about who has the best.
Mine? It’s Leon’s Butter Pecan.
Maggie: Now we know!
Nancy any last words?
Nancy: It’s the wave of the future. There is time to ride the wave. Think of it like an ocean. There is a wave today but there’s another tomorrow it’s not too late to get out there and surf.
Maggie: (outro)
Contact Unleashed Mobile Apps with your questions about your business mobile app and know you can DIY your own app, we have templates to help or we can custom design your mobile app too.
