If You Have A Business, You Should Have An App!
So you’ve decided to join the 21st century and build a mobile application for your business. How to create an app for free? Where do you start? With all of the different platforms and tools out there, it is hard to form a coherent mobile development strategy that minimizes costs and maximizes return. If your business does not currently have a mobile presence, it is essential that you get one soon. It does not matter if you are the least tech savvy business owner or you are tight on money because mobile development can be cost effective — if you do it the right way. Here are four tips to make sure you don’t break the bank:
Make Your Own App
Keep Your Costs Low in the Beginning
There are two ways you can keep your costs low when developing a smartphone application.
- First, enlist skilled developers that have experience developing applications in your sector. While you may have a graphic designer friend who has experience building web sites, he probably doesn’t have experience designing robust mobile applications.
Skilled developers can be costly, yet you will often find that novice development firms are understaffed and quickly go over budget, leaving you to sink more money into the project than you would have with a talented programmer. Be careful outsourcing to foreign countries. While the price is right, you will soon realize that the language barrier can be a huge obstacle in the development process. Additionally, for more costly projects, it will be difficult to enforce your development contract in American courts. Let’s be honest, suing someone is a huge commitment of time and money. Wouldn’t you rather spend that time focusing on building your brand?
- Secondly, keep your app features extremely basic to start out. Many “nice to have” features seem essential when you are first brainstorming an application; however, you’ll quickly notice that users are more concerned with the brand’s core offerings. Don’t waste your money on something that is “nice to have,” at least at the outset. Narrow your brand’s offering down to one core feature and build an application that supports it.
Keep the Development Cycle Short and Efficient
After you have figured out your core offering for the application and procured talented developers, I have found it helpful to sit down with the developers and create a detailed timeline for the application. Establish benchmarks and release dates that are not flexible. Humans are pressure-driven, so a loose guideline will only lead to procrastination. Make the developer understand that time is of the essence.
Another way to streamline development is to determine the right platform for your product. Keep in mind that the Apple approval process can be lengthy, and your application could be delayed for months. Perhaps your brand would be better suited with a mobile web app, leading you to cheaper and faster development.
Use Existing Data
If you’re a business owner, you’ve probably compiled a multitude of different marketing and sales material over the years. Use existing graphics and sales material for the initial content of your application. Another good tactic is to exploit the API’s (application programming interface) already available on the platform. Consider using the geo-location API to show users how close they are to your business, or perhaps embed the quickest transit route for users to get to your business.
Get Feedback
Regardless of how you go about creating your initial mobile application for your business, be prepared for subsequent rounds of development. Very rarely will an application’s beta version be perfect. Customer feedback is the single most valuable piece of information for your business. Talk to your customers and ask them how they would use a mobile application for your business. You’ll be amazed at the insight an average customer can provide.
Mobiroller Create An App For Free
Mobiroller offers a simple and user-friendly option to make your own app for free. There is no need of programming skill, and you can develop a single application for iPhone and Android phones. Mobiroller software enables companies to develop mobile applications in minutes, with no need for coding! Free Android, easy drag and drop features, 1000s templates, 24/7 technical support and much more.