The world is more and more connected every day, thanks to a myriad of technological devices including mobile phones and tablets. The last decade has brought about changes in the ideal method of approaching customers. One thing has not changed though, and that is the fact that as business owners, we must fully understand our customers. With this knowledge, we are able to sustain and grow our businesses year after year. The most recent changes involve developing a compelling mobile strategy.
Mobile Strategies and Retail
According to marketing studies, mobile phones and tablets are taking over retail markets. Internet usage via mobile phone is now higher than desktop usage, and mobile search rates are double that of desktop searches. Though people use their phones while in transit, they are using them more and more inside the home. Having a mobile website for your business is absolutely imperative for many reasons, as is a mobile-friendly shopping cart and checkout solution.
The Mobile Path to Purchase
With the right technological foundations in place, it’s time to evaluate what you need to know about your customers’ mobile path to purchase. When it comes to making a purchase, immediacy and proximity is vital to making sales. 65 percent of consumers shopping on their phones want to make a purchase in the same day. 56 to 64 percent of mobile consumers look up what they want to buy on their phones, compare prices and look for coupons, read product reviews, find out where they have to go to get it and call the store, and then go to the store to buy it.
Help shoppers find your store by enabling map extensions on your mobile site. It is vital to have your store’s location and contact information accessible to the public. Your business website or listing should be search engine optimized, because shoppers want to be able to find you quickly and easily. They want to be able to contact you and get an immediate response. It is very helpful to consumers to enable click to call features on your mobile site, live chat, a listing with the availability of products, product reviews and easy and secure checkout processes.
Know that the buying process begins with mobile search. The average consumer will visit your website six times before making a purchase. Be visible in search results. If they cannot find you, they definitely will not buy anything from you. Include calls to action that are mobile friendly on your website, such as a click to call enabled “call now” button at the top of the page.
Mobile technology heavily influences buying decisions across all channels. To find out if your customers are technology oriented, measure your customer’s hottest touch points on your pages and conversion rates using analytics data. You can do this by purchasing tracking software. Be as open-minded to new technologies as possible, as this is where the market is leading. The data analysis is clear: mobile is the future of retail and mobile-friendly technologies are essential for brands to stay relevant.
