Selling apps to small businesses

[macdonjo3]

Anyone here ever sold an app to a business?

I'm trying to think of what types of businesses would find an app beneficial.

Taxi: to book a taxi and compete with Uber
Real Estate: for users to casually browse inventory
Car Dealer: for users to casually browse inventory

What other small businesses have you seen utilizing apps?

 

[Adrian79]

Most small business are only going to care about their bottom line.

I'd suggest thinking of how an app that would result in more customers in their business and work backwards from there.

 

[antichrist]

Apps to order food online from certain restaurants.

 

[LostConnection]

There's the New York start-up that offers dry cleaning to be handled with an app. Read a great piece about it on Business Insider. I'll fetch you the link, only finding short articles not mentioning the whole deal with it for now.

Edit: There we go http://www.businessinsider.com/how-flycleaners-works-2014-10 As soon as I figured out the name it was easy.

And yes it's a Business Insider article that has the purpose of promoting the business, but I found it inspiring when it comes to doing business via apps. I mean, everybody has a smartphone (or everybody who would use a service like this anyways), so why not use it as the basis of their order software. I think it's really clever.

I don't do coding so I couldn't put something like this in motion, so hopefully you'll find some inspiration from this mate.

 

[VinceC]

Keep this thread going, I am recently exploring to this field too. Any biz that can offer loyalty points or promo coupon likely in need of mobile app. Buyers can just scan the pre made QR code from the biz owners and keep track of their points or redeem coupon.

 

[LostConnection]

Keep this thread going, I am recently exploring to this field too. Any biz that can offer loyalty points or promo coupon likely in need of mobile app. Buyers can just scan the pre made QR code from the biz owners and keep track of their points or redeem coupon.

Our University started to actually use the QR code system to report faults in their facilities and such. So if you need maintenance for something, you can report the fault with the QR code that tells the maintenance crew which room/floor etc. you're in. I thought this was quite clever, and it actually works.

 

[Syzpe]

One of my partners used to do well with Car Dealerships apps - it allows them to upload all their car brochures onto the app they then place QR codes on all their vehicles so that visitors can download the brochures when the dealership is closed (plenty of people like to visit after hours to avoid pushy associates).

The app only let you get the brochure after entering an email address so that the car dealership can reach out to the interested buyer.

This was all leased out to them on a monthly contract allowing him to simply manage the back end system.

 

[thejake]

The serious stuff isn't consumer-facing apps. For example a local expediting company replaced their tattlers and a bunch of radios and paperwork with a custom android app, every driver has an in-dash tablet and cat phones keeping track of where truck and driver are and a central system schedules deliveries and pickups based on vehicle type and location. The company that developed the system billed much more than the average paid app will make on any app store, and are doing ongoing development and dispatch enhancements so the system will probably generate decent revenue for the foreseeable future.

Go and do likewise.

 

[nameless7]

Warehouse and logistics companies

 

[plonk]

If only I had the skill and knowledge to build the apps that I want already... App's are a huge market and if you learn how to build them you are more likley to do better then most people.. Atleast thats what I think... All you need is a great idea and build it..

Paid $500 for app development course, hope its worth it and I get out golden in the other end..

Think how you could make life easier for the businesses who earn heaps - lawyers ext.

Goodluck mate!

 

[macdonjo3]

If only I had the skill and knowledge to build the apps that I want already... App's are a huge market and if you learn how to build them you are more likley to do better then most people.. Atleast thats what I think... All you need is a great idea and build it..

Paid $500 for app development course, hope its worth it and I get out golden in the other end..

Think how you could make life easier for the businesses who earn heaps - lawyers ext.

Goodluck mate!

Well I've already learned and I didn't learn by spending $500 on a course...

 

[BassTrackerBoats]

There may be opportunity for an App that is not free to the clientele of a business. If the App is an "add on" of services it could be another revenue stream for a business and perhaps a recurring one to the maker/owner of the App.

I'm actually talking with a client right now about that kind of product.

 

[plonk]

Well I've already learned and I didn't learn by spending $500 on a course...

Good on you mate, I just stated a fact and showed my commitment/believe to the opportunities that are out there for apps.

 

[macdonjo3]

Good on you mate, I just stated a fact and showed my commitment/believe to the opportunities that are out there for apps.

Here's some more facts:

http://www.reddit.com/r/iOSProgramm...much_does_the_average_private_developer_make/
http://www.forbes.com/sites/tristanlouis/2013/08/10/how-much-do-average-apps-make/

 

[9appave]

Anyone here ever sold an app to a business?

I'm trying to think of what types of businesses would find an app beneficial.

Taxi: to book a taxi and compete with Uber
Real Estate: for users to casually browse inventory
Car Dealer: for users to casually browse inventory

What other small businesses have you seen utilizing apps?

This is our business, specifically small business mobile apps. We sell wholesale to White Label Resellers. Lately, restaurants, bars, churches and private schools have been hot.

 

[macdonjo3]

This is our business, specifically small business mobile apps. We sell wholesale to White Label Resellers. Lately, restaurants, bars, churches and private schools have been hot.

Churches?! What! That can't be lucrative?

 

[Peter Ngo]

Actually you can try and look at what superep are doing.

They are great with straight integration from MYOB to their sales software.

So the chain goes like this:
1. Superep can be installed in Ipad (mostly used for sales representative)
2. Orders are taken from Superep and all info are sent directly to MYOB (famous account software).
3. It automatically generate invoice in MYOB, so it requires very little effort comparing to traditional invoice typing.
4. It can also be used as an catalogue for clients to surf and see what they are looking for, check how many stocks available, see the stats and price.

So if u have time, you should dig more into this software, i have known 1 company using this and it helps them save a lot of time and make their sales representatives' jobs a lot easier.

I am not sure if there is any better alternative but it could get you a head start.

 

[9appave]

Churches?! What! That can't be lucrative?

As far as being lucrative, that is based opinion / definition of what lucrative is... One of our resellers has been selling products and services for 15 years in the church niche, he is selling mobile apps to them at 1.5k to 2k dev fee and 79.95 a month for the ability of point and click updates, stats / analytics, unlimited push notifications etc.... His profit ranges 1.3k to 1.8k upfront and 70mo.

These fees could also be discounted to fit there budget.

If the church is of decent size they can raise the funds with a few special offerings from the congregation rather quickly. Sure small struggling churches cannot afford this, but all types of small struggling businesses wont..

A mobile App is also a perfect fit for a church, They can post events, add podcast of services, send push notifications to the entire congregation, collect offerings if the member isn't present, plus much more.

 

[Ancillarium]

Hmm I guess a large part of this depends on how sophisticated the app is, and how much you're willing to spend to have it developed. If you're selling an app to a business I don't think you have to worry so much about spreading the word/advertising - as the business should do that on its own.

If you need something simple (essentially an app that is a mobile website) with basic contact info, loyalty functions, etc - there are quite a few drag n drop interfaces that will let you build the app for free (though you may have to pay to publish). All you have to do is convince your business client of the value of such an app and sell it for a few hundred bucks.

 

[9appave]

If you need something simple (essentially an app that is a mobile website) with basic contact info, loyalty functions, etc - there are quite a few drag n drop interfaces that will let you build the app for free (though you may have to pay to publish). All you have to do is convince your business client of the value of such an app and sell it for a few hundred bucks.

The problem with "essentially an app that is a mobile website" is it would never make it through Apple Approval.