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iphone applications are one of the current must haves among many marketers and advertisers but just having an app is not the answer to ensuring that you get value for money just in the same way that just having an advert in a magazine will guarantee leads or sales.
It is necessary to consider apps in the same way as all other marketing channels as they are not just a gimmick but also a tool that can if used properly help engage your audience and therefore it is important that you consider the following when developing an app so that it will help you either gain or retain customers.
1. Define your Proposition
As with all marketing make sure you understand why you are undertaking the process, define your target audience, define your competitors and then define the unique value of your app (do not just copy your competitors)
2. Make your application useful
Creating a game can be fun and is an easy option but most games are played a few times and then forgotten unless they are exceptional. By far the most effective way of ensuring your application is used multiple times is to make it useful. I use thetrainline.com application all the time as not only does it saves me carrying a timetable but it will find me the best way home from anywhere in the country.
3. Develop a marketing plan
There are so many apps now that you need to ensure you stand out from the crowd and are seen by your target audience. The number of applications and companies offering applications is growing all the time and data published on http://148apps.biz/ as of 29/03/10 was as follows:
- Total Active Apps: 175,695
- Total Inactive Apps: 28,529
- Total Apps Seen: 204,224
- Unique App Publishers: 34,579
You need to ensure that your target audience see your app and understand its relevance to them. You should think about of showcasing your app on the itunes store but you will definitely need to make it prominent on your own site and via all email communications your staff send out. Specific email communications can be used to show links to videos of your app, provide additional screen shots and other content. Always display a “download now” button prominently on your own site that directs to your app on the itunes store. It is also sensible to use social media marketing to help you generate noise about your app. You should also ensure that any offline communications refer to the availability of the app.
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