Most business owners know that it’s a good idea to have an app for their business, but many still mistakenly believe that it’s something only the bigger, wealthier companies can have. This is not the cash. Mobile apps are relatively cheap to produce and offer a fantastic return on investment. However, an app will only be successful if it’s handled correctly. Below, we’ve outlined a few golden rules that’ll ensure your app launch delivers all the benefits of a company app, without the drawbacks.
Have an Objective, and Stick To It
It is all too easy to get carried away when you’re developing an app. You have plenty of ideas, and your mind can’t stop thinking of cool additions that’ll really make your app stand out from the crowd. If your app is for your business, however, then it doesn’t need to stand out from the crowd; it only needs to be an extension of your company. Don’t try to reinvent the wheel. Have a clear objective for the app, and stick with just that. If you get carried out with your ideas, then your app is likely to become bloated, and too confusing for your customers to use.
For the Customer
And while we’re talking about your customers, let’s think about this: what is it that they want? It’s all good and well producing an app that benefits your company, but if it doesn’t also help your customers, then it’s unlikely that anybody will download it. If anything, the app should benefit your clients more than your business. During your development stage, look at the app through the lens of the customer. With everything you add, ask yourself how it will benefit them; if it doesn’t, then get rid of it!
Make it Flawless
There’s only one thing worse than not having an app, and that is having an app that is buggy and full of errors. No matter how great your ideas for your app are, it’ll quickly be deleted from your customer’s phones if it fails to work properly. You should be using software metrics during the development stage to measure the app’s performance, as well as rigorously testing it to make sure there are no hidden bugs. Even relatively small things like grammatical errors can have a detrimental impact on the perception of your app, so make sure the language is watertight.
Don’t Forget Your Marketing
The app will be useless if nobody knows that it’s available. Start your marketing campaign in the build-up to the launch (‘coming soon’), and then market aggressively once it’s launched. Use paid advertising on Facebook, and also send an email out to your mailing list.
Listen to Feedback
Finally, remember that your work isn’t finished the second your app is in the app stores. You should always be tweaking, always looking to improve. Engage with your customers who are using the app, and listen to their feedback. If you do, you’ll be sure to have a successful app that benefits both your business and your customers!
