Services tailor iPhone apps for small businesses
December 10, 2009 |
A number of services including MobileAppLoader, SwebApps, Mobile Roadie and Kanchoo have cropped up recently to help even the smallest and most local of businesses make apps, and they are pitching the programs as the next must-have marketing tool.
With easy-to-use online templates, much like those used to make low-cost Web sites, a basic iPhone app can take 15 or 20 minutes to make and cost as little as $15 a month in hosting charges.
Yet while there's not much to lose, creating an app that actually brings in business isn't quite so simple. Entrepreneurs, already overwhelmed by a slew of trendy marketing initiatives, need to consider whether they have the hours or the staff needed to maintain apps and keep content fresh. Those who lack technical skills, or want to pay a consultant to develop a custom app, need to consider whether it's worth investing hundreds or thousands of dollars into having one built.
In general, businesses that rely on repeat customers, like restaurants and retailers, or have intense interaction clients for some period of time, like real-estate brokers and car dealers, are the most likely to benefit from an app, said Greg Sterling, a senior analyst at Opus Research Inc.
Get the full story at The Wall Street Journal (free content)
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