App vs. Catalog
The following paragraphs will weigh the benefits of choosing App vs. Catalog for your business in a B2B market. I will also discuss some of the future market trends in the marketing field for technology.
For the B2B market what is the benefit of having “an app for that”? Since there are a lot of different directions your company can go when the topic of digital strategy comes up, having an app can show customers what your company is all about, and bring your best selling products to the palm of their hand seamlessly. Another not-so-obvious benefit of the mobile application is for your sales team. Sales consultants can use the application when they are in the field during presentations even if cellular service is unavailable. The app that a sales reps uses should ideally consist of the entire searchable database locally so there is no need for a cellular signal for the app to function. This allows the sales reps to have all relevant product information right at their fingertips. In selling situations like hospitals, mining, shipping, or offshore drilling. In these scenarios a local database right on the app is much preferred since there is no internet connectivity. There are myriad of cases where a product is requested by a customer but it is not easily found. In this scenario using geo-location technology would also benefit customers and sales people using an app.
One more area for an app is if you have repeat business. The more repeat business you expect from a customer, the better an app may be. Let’s say you have pets and constantly order pet supplies; in a case like this, an app is ideal for rewards and loyalty programs. For any customer placing repeat orders it is that much simpler when done from an app. The same is true for services like delivery and ride share programs. If said company doesn’t have an app, they are missing out on valuable business because of the competitive nature of their particular market.
One example of a mutually beneficial partnership to help compete in a cut throat environment: the ride share company Lift has partnered with Waze to shorten the pick-up time of their customers to compete with Uber.
An issue that discourages many companies from diving head first into developing the technology despite the growing trend in the past 5 years, is the choices that come with choosing a software company to develop the app, and finding the right way to integrate an entirely new system of technology into their businesses.
What if it’s not necessary, though? Creating and programming an app isn’t the answer if it clutters or overwhelms the end customer.
On the other end of the spectrum, catalogs and print media are actually making a comeback. More companies are choosing multi-channel marketing strategies to build value in their end customer. The market has experienced a pendulum swing, based on the softness of the economy. Trends in the way that products are marketed change and fluctuate just as much as the products themselves. Over time we return to common standards that have always worked, while fads fade away.
Bonobos’ Craig Elbert, Vice President of Marketing says: “20% of the website’s first-time customers are placing their orders after having received a catalog and are spending one and a half times as much as new shoppers who didn’t receive a catalog first.” – “Why the Print Catalog is Back in Style”, Harvard Business Review
Additionally, studies show that trends are actually going back to traditional old-school print and marketing strategies because users feel overwhelmed with too many apps to download and people worry about relying too heavily on smart phones, in comparison with person-to-person interaction.
Catalogs make great “leave behinds”. After meeting a customer your sales people can leave a catalog behind. Plus, the user experience of a catalog is unique in the fact that it is easy to use and information is right in front of them, with no learning curve. Because of the ease of use found with catalogs, business to business companies also benefit from a lower margin of error in catalogs, wider success in sales events and trade shows because of how catalogs can aid in presentation with prospective companies or future clients.
Conclusion:
Those are some valuable pros and cons of both options, but when it comes to your company and customers it really depends on who you are serving. Have we missed any crucial talking points? We love hearing from our readers! Leave a comment or email us about it! If you decide to go with a printed catalog and we haven’t worked together before, the next step would be to simply email [email protected] with your needs!
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