The Boston Marathon is just 19 days away, and the event’s directors are sharing a new mobile app with an excellent chance of beating the “one-and-done” curse. You know, when users download the app and either never activate it or use it once and then never again.
The Boston Marathon World Run (iPhone/iPad/Android) is a handy app that lets runners around the world participate in one of the world’s great marathons, even if they can’t make it to Boston. But, it’s also a great study project for multichannel marketers who want to drive greater engagement with their own mobile apps.
What’s so great about this app?
- It trades on the mystique of the 117-year-old race itself.
- Runners must pledge to run (or walk, bike, skate, etc.) a certain number of miles before the race, simulating the training that is as much a part of the marathon experience as the race itself.
- The app creates a virtual community of runners who post comments, photos and videos. Runners can find running buddies in their own hometowns or halfway around the world.
- Most important: The mobile app is easy to use and builds engagement as Race Day gets closer and closer.
In the training period, runners just log in and post the number of miles they run each day and track the progress to their personal goals. On Race Day, runners who hit the pavement in their own hometowns can follow a virtual course that shows where they would be at various mile points if they were actually on the regulation marathon course.
CONNECT can help your mobile app go that extra mile
Even the greatest mobile apps in the world need something else to push them above the crowd: regular engagement through strategically planned messages intended to bring the users back time and time again to the app.
Users abandon app downloads for many reasons. Chief among them is that mobile apps become forgettable, sending out no messages and giving their users no reason to come back and open them. Out of sight, out of mind!
Your CONNECT dashboard makes it easy to communicate with your app users. You don’t have to fire up a third-party program. Just choose the tab in the dashboard, create and test your message, and hit SEND.
Users who permit push notifications will see regular communications from you. Deliver a steady stream of messages that deliver solid value – offers, tips, freebies, news, etc., — and your app is less likely to become the one that gets ignored or, worse, uninstalled to make way for a shiny new mobile app.
A quick word about push notifications
By law, you can’t push texts or app notifications to any users who don’t agree to receive them. So, how do you get more users to accept messages? Easy: Think email.
- Start fast
Answer the “WIIFM” question quickly by providing details. “Sign up to receive news and email-only offers” is a more effective pitch than “Sign up for our newsletter.” In the same way, your app’s description in the iTunes or Google Play stores should sell the benefits and rewards of accepting push notifications as well as downloading the app itself.
- Don’t let your partner go off the track
Add a section promoting the benefits of downloading your app and accepting push messages to your regular newsletter, or send a one-off message dedicated to your app and its benefits. Either should be written in a clear and concise fashion.
- Support over multiple channels
Don’t forget to cheer on your app over several communication channels, including direct mail, incoming calls to customer service and social media. Promoting your app in Twitter messages or Facebook page updates can make onboarding easy.
What else can cross-channel promotion do for you?
Cross-channel promotion is a natural benefit of multichannel marketing. Your email messages and social media posts can invite fans to request a catalog or download your mobile app, while an SMS message can invite users to opt in to your email list or request a catalog or other printed materials.
Through it all, CONNECT’s dashboard and analytics make it easy for you to get the word out via a strategic and coordinated series of messages.
Need more help to get your multichannel marketing off and running?
Download our whitepaper, “Multichannel Marketing: Why and How It Rules the Marketing World” for tips, advice, detailed how-tos and real-world examples of multichannel marketing at work.
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