There’s one question that most iPhone app developers get wrong and, unfortunately, it leads them to spin their wheels rather than making money.
“Who would want to buy your app?” I ask.
“Everybody!” you say.
“So, a small-town mom with two kids and a college student in the city are both going to want to buy your app?” I reply.
“Well, maybe not…” you say.
You’ve worked so hard and spent so much time creating your iPhone app that it’s tempting to think that everyone will want to buy it. No software will appeal to everyone, even the hippest, newest app. And that’s OK.
In fact, it’s better that way. Imagine trying to create your app to please everyone! There just aren’t enough hours in the day.
Instead, you need to focus on the exact type of person who would love to buy your app. Marketers call it your target market and it’s the secret to happy customers and more sales.
Who will buy my app (and who won’t)?
Now that we know not everyone will want to buy our app, the first step is to define the people who will. It’s so hard to think in terms of big groups, so use this easy shortcut: just picture one person in your mind. The exact type of person that is the perfect customer for your app.
What are his interests? What type of websites does she visit? Where does he live? What kind of job does she have?
Sometimes, it’s almost easier to imagine who is not in your target market – who would absolutely never download or use your app even if you paid them. Picture them in your mind and then take the opposite.
Your customer is king
Now that you know the type of person who will love to buy your app, keep them in mind with each decision you make while developing and marketing your app.
For example, say you are going to ask a blog to write about your new app. If you thought the audience for your app is everyone, you might just submit it to the same sites as everyone else. But, if you knew that your app is the favorite of rich urban preppies, you would try to get write-ups from very different types of blogs than if your audience was cost-conscious senior citizens.
Knowing who your audience is – and isn’t – for your product is the first step to successfully marketing your app. Taking just a minute to picture exactly the type of person who your app will attract already puts you far ahead of your competition. Now, you can focus on creating an app that people will happily pay you good money for.
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