How to encourage your customers to download and use your App

Unfortunately, just having an App is not enough to get people to download and use it. You will need to work on increasing downloads and ensuring your members are consistently using it.

We’ve put together some top tips on how to increase customer App usage…

1. Promote your App on your website

Members that are visiting your website, should be visiting the App instead. It’s important to educate customers that your App is a more convenient and easy way to access all information and services that are relevant for members and prospects. Here are a few ideas on how you can utilise your website to successfully promote your App:

• Create a page with a call-to-action to download the App – this can then be shared across multiple channels.
• Don’t make the page too long or complicated, your goal is to send the user to the App Store.
• Make the App a prominent feature on your website homepage. You could do this by creating a banner on your home page that links through to the App page. 
• Remind your customers that anything they do on your website e.g. class booking, finding the latest news and information or looking for opening times, can be done on your App. The more they’re pointed to your App, the more likely they are to use it as their first point of call in future.

You can use our Promote App feature to make it easy for members to get your App from an online channel. Simply click the ‘Promote App’ button in the cockpit and select the link option.

2. Create email marketing campaigns

If you already have a base of customers that subscribe to receive emails from you, email marketing can help influence App downloads.

Consider sending an email to your existing customer base notifying them about your App and all its benefits!

Don’t just stop at one email though – why not include a banner with a link to your App download in all further email communications with your customers. Make it easy to spot, with a clear call-to-action.

You can also encourage App usage by linking to sections of your App in your emails. For example, when sharing news and information – give them the option to check it out in-App.

3. Use social media

In 2020, over 3.6 billion people were using social media worldwide! This means that the chances your customers are on social media, are very high! Most of them access social media using a mobile device, which means it will be easier for them to download an App that catches their attention in their newsfeed. You can find a social link within the Promote App feature in our cockpit, making it quick and easy to share across your channels.

Using social media channels is always effective for brand promotion, including mobile App promotion.

The social media platform(s) you choose to be present on will depend on your target audience and marketing strategy, but the main concept for App promotion, however, is the same for all platforms. You need to create engaging content to spread the word about your App. Try varying the content – blogs, App screenshots and short screen-recording videos – you’ll soon learn what works and what doesn’t!

In order for social promotion to be effective, it needs to be ongoing. Promoting your App sporadically on your social channels may lead to a spike in downloads for a short amount of time, but the impact will taper off. Having an ongoing social promotion strategy for your App is the best way to steadily increase awareness and downloads. Plan regular posts and updates so that your customers understand that the mobile App is an essential part of your business. 

4. Create offline campaigns

With QR codes, it’s easy to create a smooth journey for a user from printed material to a website or directly to the App Store.

Again, you can use our Promote App feature to generate a QR code, quickly and easily from the cockpit.

There are lots of different printed materials you can use to promote your App:

• Leaflets
• Posters
• Banners
• Stickers
• Magazines or newspapers

Place these materials around your gym, leisure centre or health centre where you know members are likely to see them – for example, at reception, in the changing rooms or even a sticker in each locker.

Make sure the printed collateral informs your members not only about the App, by more importantly, why they need it. Remind them of the benefits of using your App:

• News and information at their fingertips, just a few clicks away
• Smooth user experience
• Quick and easy to book classes
• Watch livestreams or re-streams 
• Ask questions
• Access membership information

5. Convert current App users into brand ambassadors

One of the most effective App promotions is word-of-mouth from current users. Getting your members talking to other members about how good your App is and why they need it is invaluable.

You could even give them the extra motivation they need to spread the word through incentives. Encourage current App users to promote your App to their peers by offering a reward for their efforts. This could be a months free membership, or a free item from the in-club cafe. This is the perfect way to gain new users while at the same time rewarding loyal ones.

In addition to word-of-mouth promotion, one feature unique to myFitApp is the ability to use your members as brand ambassadors online. When your members share articles, from your App, via messenger or social channels, a link to download your App is automatically added to each share – brand awareness and lead generation all in once place!

6. Internal competition

Why not incentivise your staff members to get as many members downloading the App as they can – those with the most downloads can win a prize!

QR codes are really handy for staff, like trainers and class instructors, to keep on them at all times – when they speak to customers they can tell them to scan the code and download the App.

7. Ask new members to download the App when they join

It is inevitable that your App is a part of your sales chat with new prospects, so what better time to get someone to download the App, than when a new joiner is signing their contract! An induction is also  a great time for the team member talking the new member through the benefits and explain how to use the App.

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