How many apps do you have on your smartphone? According to a report from App Annie, the average smartphone user accesses over 30 apps monthly—and these are approximately one-third to one-half of the total apps installed on their phones. With the Apple App Store expecting to offer five million apps by 2020, it's certain that app usage will continue to rise.

As business owners, we feel the pressure to develop an app. Why? It makes us "current." It provides convenience for the customer. It sets us apart from the competition. And the reasons continue. However, unless your business already has a developer team in house, an app can be a costly investment that doesn't necessarily guarantee a return on investment.

In this issue of Promotional Consultant Today, we share these key questions to ask when deciding whether or not to invest in app development, according to Sarah Perez, writer for TechCrunch.

1. Would it provide value to your customers? The first question many business leaders ask themselves is whether developing an app would be good for the company. There are a million reasons why apps can benefit any business, but what is most important is whether an app would add value to your customers.

Even if you don't use technology to make transactions, many businesses can find creative ways to provide value to customers with an app, from ordering products to tracking delivery. Getting customers to download an app is easy. But whether it adds value to their experience with your business is the biggest question, so ask your customers what they need.

2. Do you want to stand out from the competition? Big or small, almost all businesses today have a website. What's less common for small businesses is having a mobile app that customers want to download and use. If none of your competitors have already made a killer app, that may be the reason to get a jumpstart and provide value that no one else is offering.

3. Does the return on investment outweigh the cost of hiring a developer? If hiring a developer will cost more than business gained or retained from the app, then perhaps focusing on updating your website is a better use of resources. Find out if your customers spend more time on their phones, tablets or computers— then you'll know where to invest for the most visibility.

Mobile apps might not be right for every business. But knowing how customers spend their time and providing value to them is important for any business wanting to stay on top.

Source: Sarah Perez currently works as a writer for TechCrunch, after having previously spent more than three years at ReadWriteWeb. Prior to her work as a reporter, she worked in IT across a number of industries, including banking, retail and software.