Todd Gimlin, senior interactive developer at Greteman Group, a marketing communications agency based in Wichita, the Air Capital.
To App or Not to App?
irst a couple of facts. The number of smartphones and tablets in use in the world is well over a billion. And there’s more than 1.5 million apps for those devices.
So with all the hype about mobile you might be saying to yourself “I need an app developed for my company. Not want. NEED. I will literally DIE if I this does not happen . . .right now.” I completely understand the draw. Apps are shiny and magical. On my 32GB iPad, I have well over 300 apps. So I know a thing or two about app addiction. But before you run off and jump on the app bandwagon because all the other kids, I mean CEOs, have one, there’s something else to consider.
Remember your website? You know, that thing that you used to love and pay attention to before you were lured with the siren song of the app? It’s still there, and it’s still just as important. Over the past few years, there’s been tremendous growth in mobile website browsing. It won’t be long before more people are viewing websites on mobile devices than desktop computers. So in order to plan for that, you’ll need to make your website responsive. That’s a technique that allows your site to alter its design based on the size of the device viewing it in order to give viewers the best possible experience. It future-proofs your site because you’re not designing to specific screen sizes. If a new mobile device comes out with a difference size screen than other devices, the site automatically takes care of it.Because it’s necessary to make sure your website looks great on mobile devices anyway, the question changes from “When the **** will my app be ready?” to “Do I really need an app, or can a mobile site handle the job?” The following considerations can help you make that determination.Function
Whether or not you need an app starts with what you would want it to do. There are some things an app can do that isn’t practical or even possible with a mobile site. Complex animation and interactivity, like the kind you would see in a game like Angry Birds, would be difficult to replicate on a mobile site and still maintain its fluidness. Since video can be played locally from the app without having to download anything from the Internet, the experience can be faster and more enjoyable. Another consideration is that apps have access to certain phone features like the camera that, while possible with some mobile devices, isn’t as easy to implement. And while apps will often times require an Internet connection the same way a mobile site does, they can in some cases handle being offline better than a mobile site. One thing to note is that as technologies advance, the functional differences between apps and mobile sites are decreasing.
Dallas Airmotive’s F1RST Support customers use the MyTurbine app to put global AOG engine support at their fingertips. They can check estimates and engine completion dates, connect with an area sales rep and more.
Cost
A mobile site will often cost less than an app. This is because mobile sites are built in standard web technologies that make development quick. There are several factors that play into this though. If the app is relatively simple, and the mobile site involves taking a large existing site and making it responsive, the app could very well be cheaper. The cost of a mobile site can be reduced by building one that is separate from the desktop version rather than a full-blown responsive site, as long as you realize that this is a stopgap measure, and that your ultimate goal should be to make your site responsive.Development and MaintenanceOnce you’ve adapted your website for mobile using responsive design, you’re done. It should work on any type of device. An app however, needs different versions based on what platform it’s being viewed on. So if you’re needing to have your app available to all mobile users, you’ll need to at least maintain versions for iOS, Android and Windows-based devices. You’ll also need to take into consideration that these platforms have both smaller screen devices like the iPhone, and tablet devices like the iPad. You can either develop separate apps for each type of device, or create universal apps that work on both smartphones and tablets. In either case, it is additional work.Once your app is developed for all the necessary platforms, you need to get it out to the world. For iPhone and iPad apps, this means submitting the app to Apple’s App Store. You’ll need to be a certified Apple developer to do so – they don’t let just anyone join the party. Once submitted, it can take days or weeks for Apple to review it before it’s allowed into the App Store. Or not, as Apple will often times kick an app back to the developer for changes before it’s accepted. And every time you makes changes to the app – which tends to happen frequently for the apps I use – you’ll need to resubmit to Apple to review again. With a mobile website, there’s no submission or review process at all. Once you’re done, the site is accessible immediately. And any changes you make to the site later on are likewise instantaneous.User ExperienceAn advantage that apps have over mobile sites is in the ease of access. It’s easier to touch an icon on your home screen than open up your mobile device’s web browser and find the site you’re looking for. Although it is possible to save a mobile site as a shortcut on your home screen that functions in the same way as an app’s icon, it takes an extra step that fewer people know how to do.On the other hand, if you’ve found a great mobile site you want to share, it’s much easier to share a direct link to that site through Facebook or Twitter than to point people to an app that they’ll have to find and download. Not to mention the fact that mobile sites can be found by Google or any other search engine, while it can be more difficult to find an app you’re looking for.The Final DecisionThe similarities and differences between mobile sites and apps can make it difficult to know which to choose. While you’re making a decision, here’s a quick recommendation:If you don’t have a compelling reason to choose an app over a mobile site, don’t.This might not be what you want to hear, I realize. You might want me to say “One app? Screw that, make three or four apps!” and then sing love songs about your iPhone. But the truth is, it’s quite possible that a responsive site is all you need.And don’t forget that there is a third option. It’s not unreasonable to have both a responsively designed site and an app, as long as there’s some distinction between what their purposes are. For example, Dallas Airmotive has a responsive site that is both functional and informational, as well as an app that has exclusive features for its customers. So you can have your cake and eat it too. And then play the My Cake Shop app on your iPad. Yes, that’s a real thing.
Dallas Airmotive’s responsive website makes it easy to request turbine repair whether you’re at your desk or in the field. The site functions much more broadly than the app, showcasing the company’s industry-leading programs and solutions.
Sarah Goertz recently joined Wichita-based marketing agency Greteman Group as digital director. She leads digital strategies, from conception through successful implementation for the agency and its clients.
Goertz brings a strong interactive background, from immersive web design to app development. Prior to joining Greteman Group, Goertz worked first at Cessna then at Beechcraft, now Textron Aviation. At Cessna, she worked alongside avionics engineers developing the company’s online engineering library and interactive avionics configuration tool. At Beechcraft, she served as digital liaison between marketing and IT. This experience makes her fluent in what she laughingly refers to as geek speak.
“Sarah can effectively communicate with the guys programming code and the folks sitting in the corporate office,” says Sonia Greteman, agency creative director and president. “She translates highly technical information so it’s easily understood. Equally important, she sees possibilities and understands how digital plays into and advances the marketing strategy.”
As a young professional working for an aircraft manufacturer, Goertz completed private pilot ground school, “in order to have a seat at the table.” The genesis of her lifelong interest in flight started with a childhood spent exploring her father’s high intensity radiated fields (HIRF) laboratory learning about the effects of lightening. Her passion for the industry has found a home at Greteman Group, which serves some of the world’s leading names in aviation.
Goertz earned a bachelor’s degree of science in journalism from Oklahoma State University. She discovered the power of the share after working as a feature writer for a mid-size East Texas newspaper, which prompted her to school for a degree in digital media. When she is not reading up on the latest digital trends, Goertz is busy keeping the Arkansas River clean and promoting development in downtown Wichita.
First a couple of facts. The number of smartphones and tablets in use in the world is well over a billion. And there’s more than 1.5 million apps for those devices. So with all the hype about mobile you might be saying to yourself “I need an app developed for my company. Not want. NEED. I will literally DIE if I this does not happen… right now.” I completely understand the draw. Apps are shiny and magical. On my 32GB iPad, I have well over 300 apps. So I know a thing or two about app addiction. But before you run off and jump on the app bandwagon because all the other kids, I mean CEOs, have one, there’s something else to consider.
Remember your website? You know, that thing that you used to love and pay attention to before you were lured with the siren song of the app? It’s still there, and it’s still just as important. Over the past few years, there’s been tremendous growth in mobile website browsing. It won’t be long before more people are viewing websites on mobile devices than desktop computers. So in order to plan for that, you’ll need to make your website responsive. That’s a technique that allows your site to alter its design based on the size of the device viewing it in order to give viewers the best possible experience. It future-proofs your site because you’re not designing to specific screen sizes. If a new mobile device comes out with a difference size screen than other devices, the site automatically takes care of it.
Because it’s necessary to make sure your website looks great on mobile devices anyway, the question changes from “When the *&^% will my app be ready?” to “Do I really need an app, or can a mobile site handle the job?” The following considerations can help you make that determination.
Function
Whether or not you need an app starts with what you would want it to do. There are some things an app can do that isn’t practical or even possible with a mobile site. Complex animation and interactivity, like the kind you would see in a game like Angry Birds, would be difficult to replicate on a mobile site and still maintain its fluidness. Since video can be played locally from the app without having to download anything from the Internet, the experience can be faster and more enjoyable. Another consideration is that apps have access to certain phone features like the camera that, while possible with some mobile devices, isn’t as easy to implement. And while apps will often times require an Internet connection the same way a mobile site does, they can in some cases handle being offline better than a mobile site. One thing to note is that as technologies advance, the functional differences between apps and mobile sites are decreasing.
Dallas Airmotive’s F1RST Support customers use the MyTurbine app to put global AOG engine support at their fingertips. They can check estimates and engine completion dates, connect with an area sales rep and more.
Cost
A mobile site will often cost less than an app. This is because mobile sites are built in standard web technologies that make development quick. There are several factors that play into this though. If the app is relatively simple, and the mobile site involves taking a large existing site and making it responsive, the app could very well be cheaper. The cost of a mobile site can be reduced by building one that is separate from the desktop version rather than a full-blown responsive site, as long as you realize that this is a stopgap measure, and that your ultimate goal should be to make your site responsive.
Development and Maintenance
Once you’ve adapted your website for mobile using responsive design, you’re done. It should work on any type of device. An app however, needs different versions based on what platform it’s being viewed on. So if you’re needing to have your app available to all mobile users, you’ll need to at least maintain versions for iOS, Android and Windows-based devices. You’ll also need to take into consideration that these platforms have both smaller screen devices like the iPhone, and tablet devices like the iPad. You can either develop separate apps for each type of device, or create universal apps that work on both smartphones and tablets. In either case, it is additional work.
Once your app is developed for all the necessary platforms, you need to get it out to the world. For iPhone and iPad apps, this means submitting the app to Apple’s App Store. You’ll need to be a certified Apple developer to do so – they don’t let just anyone join the party. Once submitted, it can take days or weeks for Apple to review it before it’s allowed into the App Store. Or not, as Apple will often times kick an app back to the developer for changes before it’s accepted. And every time you makes changes to the app – which tends to happen frequently for the apps I use – you’ll need to resubmit to Apple to review again. With a mobile website, there’s no submission or review process at all. Once you’re done, the site is accessible immediately. And any changes you make to the site later on are likewise instantaneous.
User Experience
An advantage that apps have over mobile sites is in the ease of access. It’s easier to touch an icon on your home screen than open up your mobile device’s web browser and find the site you’re looking for. Although it is possible to save a mobile site as a shortcut on your home screen that functions in the same way as an app’s icon, it takes an extra step that fewer people know how to do.
On the other hand, if you’ve found a great mobile site you want to share, it’s much easier to share a direct link to that site through Facebook or Twitter than to point people to an app that they’ll have to find and download. Not to mention the fact that mobile sites can be found by Google or any other search engine, while it can be more difficult to find an app you’re looking for.
The Final Decision
The similarities and differences between mobile sites and apps can make it difficult to know which to choose. While you’re making a decision, here’s a quick recommendation:
If you don’t have a compelling reason to choose an app over a mobile site, don’t.
This might not be what you want to hear, I realize. You might want me to say “One app? Screw that, make three or four apps!” and then sing love songs about your iPhone. But the truth is, it’s quite possible that a responsive site is all you need.
And don’t forget that there is a third option. It’s not unreasonable to have both a responsively designed site and an app, as long as there’s some distinction between what their purposes are. For example, Dallas Airmotive has a responsive site that is both functional and informational, as well as an app that has exclusive features for its customers. So you can have your cake and eat it too. And then play the My Cake Shop app on your iPad. Yes, that’s a real thing.
Dallas Airmotive’s responsive website makes it easy to request turbine repair whether you’re at your desk or in the field. The site functions much more broadly than the app, showcasing the company’s industry-leading programs and solutions.
– A teasing comment during an all-female, after-hours gathering of Beechcraft colleagues, who were wishing Sarah Goertz well in her new job as digital director at Greteman Group.
Clay Lacy likes to say that the crash in 1964 of the first Lear Jet ever built – with the FAA at the controls – was a blessing for Bill Lear. “They took off with the spoilers up and an engine shut down,” says Lacy. The running-low-on-funds entrepreneur used the insurance payout to keep pressing forward. He also leveraged the FAA’s guilt to speed along the certification program. The industry had told Lear it would take 10 years and $100 million to build and certify his plane. He did it in less than one year and $12 million.
Ask Lacy about it sometime. Or about any one of another zillion stories he keeps at the ready. Some will make you laugh out loud. Others will drop your jaw. None will bore you.
Learn From a Master
You don’t have to have a big personality to be a good storyteller. But it helps. Natural raconteurs like Lacy understand how to paint pictures. How to make a point through example. Lacy writes an aviation blog peppered with personal anecdotes and observations. You come away enlightened and entertained – barely aware that he’s not just extending his personal brand, but that of his hugely successful Clay Lacy Aviation.
Cut Through the Chaos
Marketing today gets complicated with rapidly changing tactics and technology. It’s hard to keep up with current best practices and difficult to find credible advice targeted to the unique aviation industry. But there’s one truth that predates history yet remains valid today: People love a story.
Keep it simple. Let me know who you are. How you came to be. What makes you different. Be real. Because a story will reveal a truth about you that I can relate to. And will remember the next time I need the kind of services you provide.
Clay Lacy, Bill Lear and Danny Kaye check out a Learjet factory mockup in 1964. While Lear created the world’s first business jet, Lacy and Kaye did their part to create the jetset. The two were partners in a Learjet dealership north of Hollywood. Photo courtesy of Clay Lacy Aviation.
Storytelling Basics
As you think about what you might share, here are some ways to cut through the information overload.
Always be honest. Truth is more compelling, and people have sensitive radar. The moment they detect a false note, they’ll be gone. And won’t come back.
Feature real people whenever possible. Heartfelt testimonials are great. If that’s not possible, it isn’t dishonest to create personas – just be sure they reflect actual customers and real situations.
Get over yourself. Let the real you show through. Your personality draws people in. Corporate-speak pushes them away.
Keep it tight. You’ll hold a person’s attention if you make every moment count.
Provide structure. Like a good piece of fiction, or a strong piece of journalism, your story should offer a set-up, a main narrative and conflict resolution
Remember, you have a built-in advantage. Aviation fascinates and captivates even the general population. Think about your customers and people in your sphere of influence; many build their lives around flight. They want to hear your stories.
I know the next time I see Lacy, I want to hear more about how he managed to shoot those full-of-action aerial sequences for the movie Top Gun. Or what it was like for him back in 1988 – setting a new round-the-world-in-less-than-37-hours speed record – flying with Neil Armstrong on board. Heck, I’ll listen to any story he wants to tell me.
Pictured at top: Pictured here in 1964 (left to right): National Aviation Hall of Fame inductee and jet charter CEO Clay Lacy, entertainer and pilot Danny Kaye and the genius Bill Lear. All storytellers of the first order. Photo courtesy of Clay Lacy Aviation.
Sonia Greteman, president and creative director at Greteman Group, a marketing communications agency based in Wichita, the Air Capital.
Tell Your Story
lay Lacy likes to say that the crash in 1964 of the first Lear Jet ever built – with the FAA at the controls – was a blessing for Bill Lear.
“They took off with the spoilers up and an engine shut down,” says Lacy. The running-low-on-funds entrepreneur used the insurance payout to keep pressing forward. He also leveraged the FAA’s guilt to speed along the certification program. The industry had told Lear it would take 10 years and $100m to build and certify his plane. He did it in less than one year and $12m.Ask Lacy about it sometime. Or about any one of another zillion stories he keeps at the ready. Some will make you laugh out loud. Others will drop your jaw. None will bore you.Learn From a MasterYou don’t have to have a big personality to be a good storyteller. But it helps.Natural raconteurs like Lacy understand how to paint pictures. How to make a point through example. Lacy writes an aviation blog peppered with personal anecdotes and observations. You come away enlightened and entertained – barely aware that he’s not just extending his personal brand, but that of his hugely successful Clay Lacy Aviation.Cut Through the ChaosMarketing today gets complicated with rapidly changing tactics and technology. It’s hard to keep up with current best practices and difficult to find credible advice targeted to the unique aviation industry. But there’s one truth that predates history yet remains valid today: People love a story.Keep it simple. Let me know who you are. How you came to be. What makes you different. Be real. Because a story will reveal a truth about you that I can relate to. And will remember the next time I need the kind of services you provide.Storytelling BasicsAs you think about what you might share, here are some ways to cut through the information overload.
Always be honest. Truth is more compelling, and people have sensitive radar. The moment they detect a false note, they’ll be gone. And won’t come back.
Feature real people whenever possible. Heartfelt testimonials are great. If that’s not possible, it isn’t dishonest to create personas – just be sure they reflect actual customers and real situations.
Get over yourself. Let the real you show through. Your personality draws people in. Corporate-speak pushes them away.
Keep it tight. You’ll hold a person’s attention if you make every moment count.
Provide structure. Like a good piece of fiction, or a strong piece of journalism, your story should offer a set-up, a main narrative and conflict resolution.
Remember, you have a built-in advantage. Aviation fascinates and captivates even the general population. Think about your customers and people in your sphere of influence; many build their lives around flight. They want to hear your stories.
Clay Lacy, Bill Lear and Danny Kaye check out a Learjet factory mockup in 1964. While Lear created the world’s first business jet, Lacy and Kaye did their part to create the jetset. The two were partners in a Learjet dealership north of Hollywood. Photo courtesy of Clay Lacy Aviation.
I know the next time I see Lacy, I want to hear more about how he managed to shoot those full-of-action aerial sequences for the movie Top Gun. Or what it was like for him back in 1988 – setting a new round-the-world-in-less-than 37-hours speed record – flying with Neil Armstrong on board.Heck, I’ll listen to any story he wants to tell me.Pictured at top in 1964 (left to right): National Aviation Hall of Fame inductee and jet charter CEO Clay Lacy, entertainer and pilot Danny Kaye and the genius Bill Lear. All storytellers of the first order. Photo courtesy of Clay Lacy Aviation.
I never met the genius rascal Bill Lear, but I know him. Chances are you do, too. If not from direct experience, then from interactions with his legacy aircraft and the people of Bombardier Learjet.
Prescient words from Bill Lear, “If it looks good, it will fly good.”
Lear set the world in a faster spin by creating the world’s first business jet 50 years ago. His impatience drove himself, his wife and his team to do the impossible.
Our agency has had the great privilege to work with the iconic Learjet brand for two decades. We spent one unforgettable day interviewing Bill’s wife, Moya Olsen Lear, just months before her death in late 2001. The daughter of famed vaudevillian Ole Olsen, Moya punctuated her endless stream of anecdotes with snippets of songs and even a little jitterbug. The energy that animated this barely 5-foot-tall raconteur surely rivaled Jet A for octane. Yes, Bill liked the ladies, but Moya steadfastly held his lifelong devotion. The media dubbed her “Queen Lear.”
The Business Jet That Changed the World was created specifically and exclusively for the people of Bombardier Learjet.
Audacity Backed by Brilliance
When Bombardier entrusted us to chronicle the world-changing Learjet story – in a book for the people of Bombardier Learjet and an environmental display – we felt gratitude and tremendous responsibility to get it right. The birth of the Learjet is part of our heritage as citizens of the Air Capital.
Bombardier VP and Learjet General Manager Ralph Acs thanks the legendary Clay Lacy for flying the original Learjet 23.
Bill Lear originally planned to build and certify his plane in Geneva, but yanked everything to Wichita when things weren’t moving fast enough. Here on the Kansas prairie the pace quickened. He moved his fledgling team into a new facility in January 1963 and sat an audacious goal: to build the plane and get it in the air. In less than a year. The company motto: “Charge!”
The industry guffawed saying it would take 10 years and multiples of the capital Lear had to spend. But not only did the team achieve the impossible – following the first flight on Oct. 7, 1963, the Learjet 23 earned FAA type certification in a record-breaking 10 months. Even better, within a year the aircraft had generated more than 100 orders. It seemed everyone wanted a Learjet. Lear perhaps said it best: “The Learjet is more than a masterpiece. It is living proof of what free men can still do in a free world.”
Within the book’s spreads, the story unfolds from the Learjet 20 series up to the Learjet 85. The people of Bombardier Learjet possessed the imagination, talent and vision to start a revolution. And half a century later, the people of Bombardier keep dreaming and pushing boundaries. The legend flies on. The revolution never ends.
“Don’t tell me it can’t be done.” –Bill Lear
Frank Sinatra was one of the first buyers. He decked out his aircraft with an orange stripe on the fuselage and orange interior.
The legendary Learjet 23 delivered speeds up to 552 miles per hour and sold for $595,000.
Tell Your Story
In a world awash in data, we need context. Meaning. Relevance. In short: we need stories. If it’s been a while since you revisited and recounted the uniquely individual path that’s brought your company to today, perhaps it’s time. Leverage every channel – from annual reports and brochures to social media and tradeshow booths.
* Pictured at the top of the story, Bombardier Learjet VP/Sales Mike Fahey and Sonia Greteman celebrate in front of Clay Lacy’s Learjet 23, freshly painted with the original livery. To find out more about Clay Lacy Aviation, the most experienced operator of private jets in the world, visit claylacy.com.
**This article originally appeared in the Oct 10 issue of BlueSky Business Aviation News.
See the full spread in the May 2014 edition of BlueSky Reviewhere.
