STEPS INVOLVED IN SELECTING THE DIGITAL MARKETING AGENCY

digital Marketing consultant

As for selecting a digital marketing agency, it’s not as easy as it sounds like.

So, while selecting the app marketing company, you cannot afford to let your guard down. Go through these steps to make sure you are making the right choice as far as digital marketing agencies are concerned.

SELECTING A DIGITAL MARKETING AGENCY IN 7 EASY STEPS

1. ASCERTAIN YOUR COMPANY’S MARKETING REQUIREMENTS

As you begin looking for the ideal digital marketing firms, you should, ideally, ask yourself some questions, such as what do I aim to accomplish with an agency and how much can I spend to get what I desire? Knowing clearly what you desire will assist you in finding precisely what you want, instead of wasting your time and effort. Upon realizing company’s requirements – whether it is maximizing your business’ presence online or redesigning your brand – you are prepared to search actively for the best digital marketing agency for you.

2. LOOK FOR AN AGENCY THAT SATISFY YOUR REQUIREMENTS

Evaluate the packages a company is providing – is it in sync with what you intend your business to achieve? This is a critical aspect and if their marketing strategy is poles apart from what you are seeking, the agency is not suitable for you. Also cost is something worth considering. There is no point in wasting money on a digital marketing package that is not in line with your needs.

3. PERFORM BACKGROUND RESEARCH

It is a must to perform good background research of the digital marketing agencies you have been probing. In order to find out whether an agency is apt for you, simply look at the results they’ve produced. For example, if you want to hire an agency to perform content marketing, then look into how they run their own blog? The same yardstick applies to SEO; how do they rank in search terms for their industry? Are they on the first page of Google? Through recommendation as well you can find out about the efficacy of digital marketing agencies. Ask your friends and family or if any friends-of-friends are in the know. Be extremely cautious in case you are hiring an overseas digital marketing agency. They charge very low prices, but in reality, you might have to put up with poor service. And the time difference which can create a lot of issues.

4. SEEK ANSWERS BY ASKING APT QUESTIONS

You might wonder, what do I ask from a digital marketing agency? However, it is critical that you are asking the appropriate questions.

FIVE QUESTIONS YOU SHOULD ASK YOUR PROSPECTIVE NEW AGENCY

Can I view some campaign samples of yours?

Seek for a portfolio of successful campaigns. With these you can gauge their effectiveness.

Who will finish the work?

You might need several team members, such as an SEO agency with a content marketing team in-house. Assess the company and ask yourself: “Would I be satisfied with their work on my company’s site?”

What is the duration of keeping clients on average?

The longer would be ideal

What outcome can you assure me?

Remember that if you happen to be in a fairly competitive industry, a digital marketing agency should not raise the expectation with high talks, as there are several factors in the mix – it is clear that outcome will take time if you happen to be in a more competitive market.

How to gauge results and ROI?

Ensure how results will be quantified, and your return on investment (ROI).

5. SEEK A ‘REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL’ (RFP)

Upon finding the digital marketing agencies suitable for your work contact the companies to express your interest. The immediate move is to dispatch a “Request for Proposal” (RFP) to few agencies to assist you choose the best among these. An RFP permits you to gather information from several companies and choose the company that suits your mission perfectly, both in terms of skill and budget. This clarifies which agency is suitable for your business, and the digital marketing you should hire.

6. ASSIGN A TASK AND ASSESS

As they say “proof of the pudding lies in its eating”. So, you would as well like to know what the company can do for you. In this endeavor, you can give them a task to do so as to find out if they have the ability to deliver the goods for you. No amount of testimonials can guarantee this. Ask them to prepare a digital PR campaign or do a content marketing post for your business. This way you would know the real worth of the agency.

7. CONDUCT A RENDEZVOUS WITH THE AGENCY

Now, it is time to have a meeting with the digital agency. This is an ideal manner to get familiarized with the team and an opportunity to do away with any differences with the team before inking a contract. At this point personality clashes, if any, becomes apparent, which can adversely impact your business. So, a meeting is an ideal way to know everything about the chosen agency.

Why do businesses need custom ERP?

Why do businesses need custom ERP?

Irrespective of the size, big or small, every company faces one usual problem: a dependable way to collect and store information. Fortunately, ERP solutions are very helpful on this count.

A report suggests that 95 percent benefitted immensely by using ERP software. However, it has to be noted that there is no system as such perfect for all. Ideally, it should meet your business goals and needs. This is where ERP applications come into play.

An Enterprise Resource Planning (abbreviated “ERP”) system happens to be a group of digital management instruments that can be utilized for all business departments and also assists in managing data flows inside the organization.

Some of the well-known ERP modules:

  1. finance and accounting
  2. warehouse and inventory
  3. supply chain
  4. tasks and workflows
  5. customer relationship management
  6. sales
  7. human resources

Advantages to derive with an ERP app

These happened to be some of the reasons to implement an ERP system:

Save Time: ERP tools contain all segments you require inside, which implies you do not have to take time to harmonize various apps and establish their structure for your organization.

Clarity: The work pertaining to any department and its procedures can be obtained within one solution. This increases the visibility of the whole company and enhances the collaborations of various departments.

Easily Automate: You can easily automate the company’s workflow and, then, better the team’s productivity and efficacy.

Reporting: ERP apps offer the excellent peek into the company’s entire progress as every department is brought under one roof.

Enhanced customer services: Information about every client will be stored in one system and there won’t be any need to make several spreadsheets for customers’ profiles.

Well-known ERP software providers

In case you happen to use an ERP system or plan to in future, you would want to know about the ideal options available in the market. Some of the best ERP products are:

Microsoft Dynamics is perfect for several industries such as retail, finances, or manufacturing. Apart from other benefits, this solution contains in-built predictive analytics segments and varied alternatives for third-party integrations.

Odoo has a novel inventory management system as it allows you to track the product from the manufacturing stage up to the end user. Also, the tool provides advanced customer portals that keeps information safe regarding your clients and automatic stock adjustment for eCommerce companies.

Infor stands on an AI platform meant for businesses of any size. It offers useful insights into business activities. For example, handling assets is as important as anticipating failure and offering preventive measures for the same.

SAP Business One is a pioneer in the market and quite ideal for small organizations. It has various standard segments inside (finances, sales, marketing, customer relations, etc.) and gels with any device.

Oracle NetSuite is another ideal solution meant for companies of any size. It is a famous platform that assists several languages and currencies. It can be customized with ease and has a partner relationship module inside.

Why custom ERP software?

In certain scenarios a custom ERP system would be an ideal choice for a business. Customization is essential if:

Your team should not get stuck in a mix of digital tools

One app for storing the clients’ database, the second one for the payments and bills, and the third one for the marketing department. The multiple arrangements can be chaotic even in a small organization. So, to cut out complications and ease the business processes, business owners must go for custom ERP development. This won’t make employees change the apps and will help them focus on more critical activities.

Swift access to the crucial business data

If databases are stored at diverse places then it can be very annoying for you face at work. These things can alter with ERP customization. You can develop independent structure with the critical information you require at your fingertips and store the same at single application, combining all business data.

Customer service is the biggest causality of organizational woes

The product is a long procedure before it makes it your table. There is production, storage, selling, delivery – these departments you might have in your company. In case they are using different software, it can result in overdue orders and negative feedback for your business.

6 Ways you benefit with ERP customization

Now let us just find out why customized ERP software is an ideal call affecting various business functions.

Decreased expenses

Off-the-shelf products possess everything you require and probably a bit more. Ultimately, you might be required to shell out for more options despite the same being futile for your business. Whereas, there are some features that are non-existent in the solution you can buy and use right away. This happens to be the origin of additional spending. Overpaying is something that can be avoided.

Good degree of control

The complex solutions are made steadily, in tiny working fragments. For you, it implies getting total control over the development procedure and incorporating features on the go. Your team happens to be the sole decision-maker and you get to decide what you will achieve in the end.

Steady workflow

The custom ERP segments and their variations will be made personally to your business requirements, implying that you will not make any modifications in the present workflow.

Spike in productivity

Gradually, new features will be given as per the demands of the company’s management. You will begin to see how the same procedures will be handled swiftly and how it triggers the organization’s evolution.

Smooth integration with third-party services

Ready-made tools provide several choices as far as integration is concerned, but it is not clear whether each business app can be included in the list. While building your own software, it becomes an essential condition. And irrespective of the app you use, it will be linked with the custom solution.

Expandability

ERP building does not cease as and when the tool is ready. Your business will evolve and even the number of business functions. You would also require extra features on your current ERP product. If you join hands with a sincere team of developers, you can deal with a lot of challenges together, including the burgeoning list of segments and features.

Way to develop a custom ERP system

Developing such systems can be challenging and exciting. Developers go through each corner of your business and create segments for them. But let’s begin from scratch.

1. Prepare the list of needs

The existing ERP solutions in the market will give you a varied module, but you should realize the present business requirements, strengths, and weaknesses. There are probably various departments that warrant your attention and some automation at present. This is where you begin forming software needs.

2. Sketch the system’s structure

You can assess ready-made applications and make up your mind about elements you require the most. However, ultimately, only knowledgeable developers can build an ERP system that is apt for your entity. Through experts, you can save time and future costs – ERP developers are fully aware of what needs to be done from the start and spare you from errors in decision making. They assess your needs and draft a program for you.

3. Ponder over project’s tech stack

Seasoned developers have the ability to swiftly develop an idea regarding technology in use. Seek answers from the team regarding these points:

The programming language to use.

Database.

Hosting.

There are two major choices: in the cloud (it is a web solution) or on the local server (for linked computers). Cloud-based software is a regular choice for the majority of entrepreneurs due to the safety aspects.

4. Unify legacy apps and databases with the new app

Prior to building an ERP system, the team is required to have all the gathered data at hand. It expedites the work progress and offers developers a total understanding of your existing business culture.

5. Examine the outcomes of the first iteration

Executing an ERP system proceeds stepwise. Prior to achieving the final outcome, you must ensure that each module has been built properly and this smoothens the company’s workflow. Your employees must assess the solution and carry out various daily operations with it. Once the testing finishes, you will have the system’s part that works on its own.

Single tool for every business

ERP systems can be complicated but also very flexible solutions for contemporary business. It collects every essential software under one roof and assists in enhancing the workflow to a large extent. The sole hitch is to get the apt solution from the market, which might not be available there. The ideal solution in such a scenario is to build an ERP from scratch. This can be a bit too difficult and you might require professional assistance as well. This is really worth all your effort and time as you get the software that syncs with your business perfectly.

Tips to consider before developing an enterprise app

Tips to consider before developing an enterprise app

Enterprise mobile app development is breaking the glass ceiling at the moment. A staggering 71 percent of organizations feel investment in enterprise mobility solutions is ideal to take on market competition head on. However, developing a suitable business app is no child’s play.

We all require an enterprise app facilitating seamless engagement with employees, offer critical updates, swiftly respond to client queries, and monitor critical business procedures in one place. For the same, you have to first imagine developing an app meeting obligations of end-users – your employees, clients, and other stakeholders. It must be flexible to adapt to the business and technology alterations quickly.

Look to join hands with an expert technology solution provider to thrash out that perfect app.

Things to factor in prior to developing an enterprise app

Know your End-User Requirements

Prior to developing your custom enterprise app, ponder over your end-user expectations and requirements. In case your business app is meant for your employees to aid them carry out regular tasks more efficiently, then you have to be aware of their pain points of daily work. For example, time-consuming and repetitive tasks, areas where proper team communication is a problem etc. For this, you should speak to people and collect critical feedback so that you can create an app that is perfect for your employees.

Gauge Market Competition

While carrying out groundwork for your app, it is essential to examine the features your competitors are providing in their business apps. Are these features helping their employees’ and clients’ to solve problems? Get the answer by visiting the app stores and downloading some corporate apps. After getting relevant inputs, present the same to your app strategy planning experts. Now, you discuss the ways to improve upon those features and include something unique and important for your audience.

Select Your App Platform Carefully

This is the fundamental step in app development. Selecting a platform and an outsourced software development company can be very puzzling. Hence, look into aspects such as budget, convenience of execution, project control ability, etc. In case you opt for an outsourced development partner, ask about things such as engagement alternatives, technology stack, budget, portfolio etc. Whereas, with DIY platforms you must go through things such as:

– Is the platform user-friendly?
- Does it provide able customer assistance?
- Will it offer seamless app integration and deployment choices?
- What about the expenses for app assistance and maintenance services

Ponder over these questions prior to choosing as it can have a bearing on your business going forward.

Native vs. Hybrid App Choice

This is another important choice to be made. Selecting a native app option is wrong if audience reach is very small. However, by choosing the hybrid app option your app penetration will increase but it entails a high budget and complicated development procedure. Take a call only after analyzing end-user preferences. Hence, it’s ideal to develop a hybrid app that is compatible on multiple platforms – Android, iOS, and Windows smoothly.

UI/UX Design of the App

This is an important matter and a decision has to be taken only after careful consideration. Customers love apps with intuitive UI/UX experience. This is true for software applications as well. Accord UI/UX design is a high priority in your app development process. Always keep in mind that UI and UX are unique. UI happens to be the design of the app interface, which also helps in devising user experience (UX).To get desired outcome on this count opt for professional help.

Backend abilities

It’s critical to look into the back-end abilities of your enterprise mobile app. With a potent database problems related to data security, storage, and connectivity can be tackled with ease. The contemporary business apps depend on API integrations for the transfer of information with third-party apps to carry out particular functions. Whereas, certain developers avoid a custom backend. Therefore look into aspects like cost and time involved while taking a call on having a customized backend.

Accord high priority for app Security

Security is very critical for enterprise apps. Don’t depend on in-app security features to protect your app against cyber threats and data breach incidents. From the very start of the project itself, your developers should consider including extra safety measures to upgrade your app security levels. You can opt for methods such as password safeguard, high-level authorization, role-based access, API gateways, potent data safety policies etc.

Turn your App Expandable

While building an enterprise app you should factor in future needs apart from the current requirements. For example, if you wish to develop an enterprise web app or platform, you should also think about a mobile version to offer better usage options. Also, ponder over the app architecture – does it have the bandwidth to house new functionality or features if and when the need arises. Is your application compatible with third-party app integrations? How much would it cost to incorporate a new set of functionalities in your app? These things go a long way in deciding the fate of your application going forward.

Figure out app monetization

Configuring app monetization processes at the beginning of your project is important. To enhance the app monetization rate, you have to first spike your app use and popularity among the users. Gather feedback from end-users – employees and clients – via online surveys and questionnaires regarding your application. For example, in case the app is meant for your employees, seek answers for questions like how it’s helping in aiding their productivity etc. Also, look at including new features in the next update on the basis of user feedback.

Think ahead

Your contribution doesn’t end with app release. You should constantly think and plan for the upcoming app releases. Also, take crucial calls pertaining to budget, user experience, and monetization processes. It is to be noted that the app you develop should constantly evolve and be more beneficial for the target audience. As for enterprise apps, it’s never for the company, but employees and customers who use it.

Some Regular Examples of Enterprise Applications

It is very much evident by now that the enterprise apps are essential for any business to optimize their business processes, organize communication, and accelerate employee productivity. Having business apps help companies to carry out business transactions swiftly and precisely.

Some Usual Enterprise Applications

Wrap up

It is very much evident that building an enterprise app is by no means an easy job. You have to be very careful and forward thinking to come out with a business application that can turn daily jobs very much convenient for your employees. All the above-mentioned factors are crucial for your enterprise app development efforts. In case you have enough of time and money, executing the above strategies will definitely help you develop a perfect app solution.