With 17+ million users and counting, the pocket-size iPhone is no small venue. As marketing and advertising budgets shrink, mainstream advertising may seem a bit less attractive to some. An iPhone app can be a powerful and more cost effective alternative - and a great complement to well run traditional media campaigns.
1. Building Brands with iPhone Apps
Consider the lighter company Zippo. Their iPhone app is an interactive, virtual lighter displayed on the phone’s large screen. A simple concept that has been downloaded over 3 million times. This app put their brand in the pocket of over 3 million people - a constant reminder, a whisper from their pocket, “hey, buy a Zippo…”
And online companies like Facebook, Flickr and Amazon have used the iPhone marketplace to make their services more ubiquitous. If your service can be distributed electronically a mobile phone app gives potential customers one more convenient way to get what you got.�
2. Is an iPhone App Right for Everyone?
Maybe not. But with some creativity you may be surprised. The app store is filled with simple and useful (as well as simple and silly), but wildly popular apps. If your product or service can be promoted as fun or useful you have an immediate advantage.
- Service Businesses often have the most obvious opportunities, as much of the value in a service business is delivering information. Delivering info that is complementary to the existing service and provides convenience to your customers could go a long way to win new customers.
- Retail Businesses can tie products into fun apps that connect with the right demographic, or be cross-promoted with helpful apps used by the right audience. Plus, using the phones’ built in GPS means you can target your products by a user’s location. There are all sorts of location based apps popping up - maybe you should get your products in the mix!?
3. Can it Generate Revenue?
Yes.
Not all apps need to be free. Companies as varied as Kraft and Major League Baseball have generated real revenue by using this massive user audience. MLB’s AtBat app offers real-time game coverage and video highlights. The app is tremendously popular and costs $9.99.
Some companies are learning that people will pay money for an app that makes info and software available on their iPhone - even when they could otherwise get it for free online from a PC. Convenience, it seems, does have a price… a price many are willing to pay.
And many free apps can generate real (and significant) revenue. Amazon, for instance, offers an iPhone version of it’s Kindle book reader. This creates a significant market of iPhone users that can purchase books through an iPhone version of the Amazon bookstore. Similarly, Target has a free app that let’s users “window shop” right from their phone. If you find something you want the app helps you find it in a store near you, or links you to buy it online.
