With Google discontinuing support for Nearby Notifications, the way ahead for proximity marketing is to have an app. In our attempt to step up the beacon game, we introduced NearBee for Android and iOS. This hardware agnostic app scans and detects all beacon notifications at physical locations. The obvious question most proximity marketing enthusiasts are asking is – Will local buyers download an app? Will it be helpful? How can businesses promote the app?

In this blog post, we will discuss why is an app essential for small businesses, do local buyers want to download it and how to promote NearBee.

Why is a location-based app required for small business marketing?

By early 2017, 42% of small businesses already had a mobile app. And this number could double by the end of 2018. Location-driven apps are an asset to small businesses. App downloads are not an overnight success – it requires promotion and marketing. However, driving app downloads yields prolonged benefits.

1. It makes it easier to promote multiple products – all relevant to what the buyer is looking for
2. It establishes a long-term contact and engagement with your business
3. It enhances the customer experience which implies return business. In fact, according to Google’s customer research back in 2014 shows that about 80% of consumers want to see ads relevant to their city, zip code or immediate surroundings. Given the increasing emphasis on experience, these are definitely on the increasing trajectory.

Will local buyers be interested in downloading a small business app (/local app)?

90% of the smartphone users have at least one subscription to a local deal/reward app. This statistics is self-explanatory of whether consumers will be willing to download a local app or not. Not just that, a survey conducted by Pew Research suggests that an overwhelming 74% of adult smartphone users use an app to get information, directions, and deals based on their current location.

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How to encourage consumers to download the NearBee local app?

Before getting to promoting the app, it’s important to understand who will download the app. Who is a local customer anyway who will require the app? This will help you carve a better strategy for driving app download.

#1. Understanding the local customer and co-promotion opportunity

Practically every person walking into the store is a local customer in some way. Therefore, it is important for marketers like us to understand what defines the segment of consumers who need the app. Think of a local customer who needs an app as a person who will purchase from a business close to where they work or live, out of convenience or comfort. Generally, 10 km is used as a guideline. Retail stores, restaurants, trade services, and grocery stores are all examples of businesses a local customer will frequent.

This essentially means that a co-app promotion strategy within 10kms range works well for local businesses. Let’s say there are 20 such stores, restaurants and salons in the radius of 10kms. Even if each store manages to drive 5 app downloads per month, every store in the range wins 100 new buyer prospects. And, that’s terrific growth!

#2. Make NearBee (almost) necessary!

One of the best ways to accelerate app download is to make the app a part of the customer journey. However, it’s extremely important to keep in mind that the app should prove to be valuable and enhance the experience. Let’s say you have posters at the billing counter that reads, “Download NearBee to skip the queue and pay online!”. Once the user downloads the app, the smartphone receives signals from a beacon nearby, that broadcasts a link to the payment gateway. This not only enhances the customer experience but also wins you a loyal customer.    

#3. Promote it as a local pride – a local content source.

Local matters and people love to read and celebrate local pride. Use posters, stickers and signages at a lounge or waiting area near your business to promote NearBee as a source to receive a daily dose of local reading content when in the proximity of your business. Broadcast beacon campaigns to align with famous events, history, landmarks, sayings and nuances that are a part of your city’s identity. These are few examples of good local content topics that you could broadcast as beacon campaigns on NearBee:

• 13 things keeping Austin weird
• How Boston’s “R”-less accent became so famous
• The best festivals to attend this summer in San Diego

#4. Host or partner with a local event

Find out where your local community meets the most and host a fun event there. Go on to introduce NearBee and explain how it will be helpful for local buyers. The venue could be a local park, a local bar, a famous local restaurant, or just a busy corner down the street. If, for example, you decide to host or partner with an event at a local bar, announce NearBee and add a little extra incentive (if required) – like a free drink for everyone who downloads the app at the event. This could be a cool trigger for your new users to talk about NearBee and share it with their friends!

#5. Promote aggressively to your loyal customers

Honestly, NearBee is extremely helpful for repeat customers – you know it. Inform your loyal customers about the app benefits – loyalty programs, tailored purchase suggestions, free shipping facilities and more. Use email marketing or personal network to reach out to them. On a local scale, personal networking works best!

#6. Use social media to promote the app

Social media is pretty much the easiest way to for app promotion. Your social media followers obviously find value in your business. It’s only natural to reach out to them with NearBee that enhances their experience with your brand. Don’t spam their feed, rather educate them about what you offer via NearBee – location-based offers, online payment links, surveys, pre-order alerts and more.  

#7. In-store advertising with QR codes

Treat NearBee like a new product in your store! Use QR codes to drive buyers to the App Store/ Play Store. You can print QR codes on posters, flyers, business cards, takeaway bags, bills and other print material. You could also go creative with distributing postcards with local specific information and a NearBee QR code behind. You can also negotiate with other local businesses in your area so that you can leave some postcards in their establishment. This will be fun and helpful for your local buyers.

Bonus tip: Use a universal NearBee to create your QR code. This means when an Android user scans the QR code, it redirects to the Play Store, whereas if an iOS user scans the code, it redirects to the App store. Here the universal NearBee link – https://nearbee.app.link/WeYO7bc3qR

and the QR code for the same –

#8. Email marketing

With thousands of emails going out every month as newsletters or personal communication, it totally makes sense to include information about NearBee in your signature. You could also reach out to your customers to introduce NearBee and offer incentives for downloading within a certain timeframe.

#9. Be creative with NearBee promotion – we dare you!

With an increasing need for an alternative to Google Nearby, we need to work together to expand the NearBee ecosystem. Try out the above-mentioned strategies and do let us know what worked best for you. The time has never been better for the SMB ecosystem to step up and co-promote NeaBee – the best alternative to Google Nearby.