If you’ve made New Year’s resolutions in the past, there’s a good chance you’ve discovered that following through is not always easy. But if you’ve managed to heroically overcome forgetfulness, laziness, or the sheer deliciousness of that chocolate pie—you may have found that the key to success is keeping your eye on the prize. And if you’re looking to make your business’ app a moneymaker in 2015, it’s not hard to picture what your prize looks like: customers taking note of your business while on the go, checking out your catalog of goods and services, and ultimately buying more of them (either in person or through your app).

With that prize in mind, we’ve taken a closer look at how Swiftic-powered apps have performed in 2014. Having reviewed the numbers, we’re excited to offer you three profitable resolutions for getting more from your app in the coming year—each of them more fun than giving up sweets:

1. Use enticing updates to get customers thinking about your products.

Every sale starts with communication, so you’ll want to start off 2015 by connecting with your customers. The more you can catch an app user’s eye, the more opportunities you create for generating interest in your products, fostering customer loyalty, and increasing sales. To make that happen, you’ll want to offer your users new and ever-changing content—keeping them in the loop on upcoming events, special discounts, and any other big news.

Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram updates with worthwhile content are a surefire way to get your clients’ attention, and you can step up your social media game by integrating those feeds into your app. In 2014, users shared content through the Facebook feature in Swiftic-powered apps 398,000 times—and that’s not even counting those who checked in-app social feeds but didn’t hit the Share button. If you have an active social presence, that’s a seriously valuable asset that you can use to engage your app users and drive sales.

Just as importantly, you’ll want to make sure your app users actually see your updates. How can you reach those users who don’t have your app open on their phone or tablet right now? Your best bet is to notify them instantly by sending a push notification. And to really entice them to buy what you’re selling, try adding a tempting photo and geo-targeting your message.

2. Make it simple for customers to find you and shop.

Once you have your app users’ attention, be sure to make yourself accessible. Use your app to make it easy for customers to find you, reach you, and buy stuff from you.

Here are four of Swiftic’s app features that can help:

• Maps. Enter your street address to let customers know exactly how to find you. The convenience of mobile maps makes them a hit with app users: In 2014, users accessed maps in Swiftic-powered apps over 970,000 times.
• Store. Let your customers make purchases directly through your app. There’s no place more convenient to shop than a store that fits in your pocket.
• Contact Us. Give your users one page that lets them call you, email you, access your website, or find directions to your business. The easier it is to get in touch, the more people will: Swiftic-powered apps have generated more than 169,000 emails and phone calls this year.
• Forms. Create an in-app form for your users to fill out, encouraging them to send you inquiries and requests about your products. You can also use a form to collect email addresses and compile a mailing list—a powerful tool for future promotions.

3. Give your app a personalized feel that sells.

Your app is the digital ambassador for your business, so it’s a no-brainer that it should match your business’ tone and style. As our numbers show, the most successful apps tend to be distinctive. For instance, of the 30 Swiftic-powered apps with the most successful loyalty cards, 80% (24 apps) have changed their feature’s name from “Loyalty Cards” to something more interesting. This year, those 24 mobile loyalty cards recorded 7,829 purchases.

Of course, giving your loyalty cards a creative name is just one way to make your app reflect the way you want your business to be seen. To really make your app speak in the voice you want, you’ll want to customize its entire design. This can mean adding interesting texts, choosing eye-catching graphics, and adding custom feature pages. To turn your whole app into a visual representation of your business, the place to start is the Swiftic Console’s Style & Navigation tab.

If you’ve been following the major shopping trends this past month or so, you already know that mobile commerce is a force that can bring in serious revenue. But making your app work for you is about more than letting customers make purchases from the convenience of their smartphones and tablets. It also means grabbing those customers’ attention, bringing them into your business, and building a reputation that keeps them coming back. Not a simple goal, but the Swiftic platform offers you the tools you need to make it a reality. Now if only we could help you out with that resolution to watch less TV…