Presented at TechTonic Tuesday, Rich Foreman, CEO of Apptology discusses:
Ground work
Monetization models
Mobile app development process
Selecting a developer
App development alternatives
2. • Founded in 2010
• 400+ apps published
• Clients range from startups to Fortune 500
• Mobile: iOS, Android, Blackberry, Windows Phone
• Backend: PHP, JAVA, .NET, J2ME, HTML5
• Listed in AppIndex World’s Best App Development Companies
• A + Better Business Bureau Rating
• Client raised $20 M (iOrderFresh)
5. agenda
• ground work
• monetization
• mobile ad models
• mobile app development process
• selecting a developer
• app development alternatives
• app store optimization (ASO) basics
• advice
6. agenda
• ground work
• monetization
• mobile ad models
• mobile app development process
• selecting a developer
• app development alternatives
• app store optimization (ASO) basics
• advice
13. agenda
• ground work
• monetization
• mobile ad models
• mobile app development process
• selecting a developer
• app development alternatives
• app store optimization (ASO) basics
• advice
23. agenda
• ground work
• monetization
• mobile ad models
• mobile app development process
• selecting a developer
• app development alternatives
• app store optimization (ASO) basics
• advice
31. agenda
• ground work
• monetization
• mobile ad models
• mobile app development process
• selecting a developer
• app development alternatives
• app store optimization (ASO) basics
• advice
39. agenda
• ground work
• monetization
• mobile ad models
• mobile app development process
• selecting a developer
• app development alternatives
• app store optimization (ASO) basics
• advice
55. agenda
• ground work
• monetization
• mobile ad models
• mobile app development process
• selecting a developer
• app development alternatives
• app store optimization (ASO) basics
• advice
60. agenda
• ground work
• monetization
• mobile ad models
• mobile app development process
• selecting a developer
• app development alternatives
• app store optimization (ASO) basics
• advice
65. agenda
• ground work
• monetization
• mobile ad models
• mobile app development process
• selecting a developer
• app development alternatives
• app store optimization (ASO) basics
• advice
69. summary
• ground work
• monetization
• mobile ad models
• mobile app development process
• selecting a developer
• app development alternatives
• app store optimization (ASO) basics
• advice
Good Evening. Thank you for inviting me here tonight to speak. My name is Rich Foreman and I’m the CEO and Co-Founder of Apptology. I just like to point out that I worked with Doug when he was a sales rep at WebEx and I was an SE that supported him.
Apptology was founded over 4 years ago.
We have over 350 apps published in the various app stores with our clients ranging from Fortune 500 to startups.
Our team can develop on all platform mobile platform including iOS, Android, Blackberry and Windows Phone; we can also develop the necessary backend need to support the app.
We also have an A plus rating with the Better Busiess Bureau.
That’s the extent of my self promotion.
Developing Apps for Profit
Before you start on developing an app, the first thing that I recommend to you is to do research. This one particular client had me go through hoops and several NDA revisions before he talked about his app idea. As he started talking to me, I went to the app store and quickly found over 20 apps that did the same thing. Needless to say, he didn’t pursue his project.
Before you start on developing an app, the first thing that I recommend to you is to do research. This one particular client had me go through hoops and several NDA revisions before he talked about his app idea. As he started talking to me, I went to the app store and quickly found over 20 apps that did the same thing. Needless to say, he didn’t pursue his project.
Once you’ve done your research and decide to move forward, I recommend that you put a business plan together. In your business plan, also include a marketing plan. Many of early clients rushed to develop their idea into an app but never developed a marketing plan. So after they published their app, it just sat in the app store. The app store is an amazing distribution system. If you can get on the Today Show and talk about your app, you can have a million downloads the next day. But the trick is getting your app noticed.
Once you’ve done your research and decide to move forward, I recommend that you put a business plan together. In your business plan, also include a marketing plan. Many of early clients rushed to develop their idea into an app but never developed a marketing plan. So after they published their app, it just sat in the app store. The app store is an amazing distribution system. If you can get on the Today Show and talk about your app, you can have a million downloads the next day. But the trick is getting your app noticed.
Once you’ve done your research and decide to move forward, I recommend that you put a business plan together. In your business plan, also include a marketing plan. Many of early clients rushed to develop their idea into an app but never developed a marketing plan. So after they published their app, it just sat in the app store. The app store is an amazing distribution system. If you can get on the Today Show and talk about your app, you can have a million downloads the next day. But the trick is getting your app noticed.
Once you’ve done your research and decide to move forward, I recommend that you put a business plan together. In your business plan, also include a marketing plan. Many of early clients rushed to develop their idea into an app but never developed a marketing plan. So after they published their app, it just sat in the app store. The app store is an amazing distribution system. If you can get on the Today Show and talk about your app, you can have a million downloads the next day. But the trick is getting your app noticed.
Once you’ve done your research and decide to move forward, I recommend that you put a business plan together. In your business plan, also include a marketing plan. Many of early clients rushed to develop their idea into an app but never developed a marketing plan. So after they published their app, it just sat in the app store. The app store is an amazing distribution system. If you can get on the Today Show and talk about your app, you can have a million downloads the next day. But the trick is getting your app noticed.
Once you’ve done your research and decide to move forward, I recommend that you put a business plan together. In your business plan, also include a marketing plan. Many of early clients rushed to develop their idea into an app but never developed a marketing plan. So after they published their app, it just sat in the app store. The app store is an amazing distribution system. If you can get on the Today Show and talk about your app, you can have a million downloads the next day. But the trick is getting your app noticed.
Once you’ve done your research and decide to move forward, I recommend that you put a business plan together. In your business plan, also include a marketing plan. Many of early clients rushed to develop their idea into an app but never developed a marketing plan. So after they published their app, it just sat in the app store. The app store is an amazing distribution system. If you can get on the Today Show and talk about your app, you can have a million downloads the next day. But the trick is getting your app noticed.
Once you’ve done your research and decide to move forward, I recommend that you put a business plan together. In your business plan, also include a marketing plan. Many of early clients rushed to develop their idea into an app but never developed a marketing plan. So after they published their app, it just sat in the app store. The app store is an amazing distribution system. If you can get on the Today Show and talk about your app, you can have a million downloads the next day. But the trick is getting your app noticed.
Once you’ve done your research and decide to move forward, I recommend that you put a business plan together. In your business plan, also include a marketing plan. Many of early clients rushed to develop their idea into an app but never developed a marketing plan. So after they published their app, it just sat in the app store. The app store is an amazing distribution system. If you can get on the Today Show and talk about your app, you can have a million downloads the next day. But the trick is getting your app noticed.
Once you’ve done your research and decide to move forward, I recommend that you put a business plan together. In your business plan, also include a marketing plan. Many of early clients rushed to develop their idea into an app but never developed a marketing plan. So after they published their app, it just sat in the app store. The app store is an amazing distribution system. If you can get on the Today Show and talk about your app, you can have a million downloads the next day. But the trick is getting your app noticed.
Once you’ve done your research and decide to move forward, I recommend that you put a business plan together. In your business plan, also include a marketing plan. Many of early clients rushed to develop their idea into an app but never developed a marketing plan. So after they published their app, it just sat in the app store. The app store is an amazing distribution system. If you can get on the Today Show and talk about your app, you can have a million downloads the next day. But the trick is getting your app noticed.
Once you’ve done your research and decide to move forward, I recommend that you put a business plan together. In your business plan, also include a marketing plan. Many of early clients rushed to develop their idea into an app but never developed a marketing plan. So after they published their app, it just sat in the app store. The app store is an amazing distribution system. If you can get on the Today Show and talk about your app, you can have a million downloads the next day. But the trick is getting your app noticed.
Once you’ve done your research and decide to move forward, I recommend that you put a business plan together. In your business plan, also include a marketing plan. Many of early clients rushed to develop their idea into an app but never developed a marketing plan. So after they published their app, it just sat in the app store. The app store is an amazing distribution system. If you can get on the Today Show and talk about your app, you can have a million downloads the next day. But the trick is getting your app noticed.
Once you’ve done your research and decide to move forward, I recommend that you put a business plan together. In your business plan, also include a marketing plan. Many of early clients rushed to develop their idea into an app but never developed a marketing plan. So after they published their app, it just sat in the app store. The app store is an amazing distribution system. If you can get on the Today Show and talk about your app, you can have a million downloads the next day. But the trick is getting your app noticed.
Once you’ve done your research and decide to move forward, I recommend that you put a business plan together. In your business plan, also include a marketing plan. Many of early clients rushed to develop their idea into an app but never developed a marketing plan. So after they published their app, it just sat in the app store. The app store is an amazing distribution system. If you can get on the Today Show and talk about your app, you can have a million downloads the next day. But the trick is getting your app noticed.
Once you’ve done your research and decide to move forward, I recommend that you put a business plan together. In your business plan, also include a marketing plan. Many of early clients rushed to develop their idea into an app but never developed a marketing plan. So after they published their app, it just sat in the app store. The app store is an amazing distribution system. If you can get on the Today Show and talk about your app, you can have a million downloads the next day. But the trick is getting your app noticed.
Once you’ve done your research and decide to move forward, I recommend that you put a business plan together. In your business plan, also include a marketing plan. Many of early clients rushed to develop their idea into an app but never developed a marketing plan. So after they published their app, it just sat in the app store. The app store is an amazing distribution system. If you can get on the Today Show and talk about your app, you can have a million downloads the next day. But the trick is getting your app noticed.
Once you’ve done your research and decide to move forward, I recommend that you put a business plan together. In your business plan, also include a marketing plan. Many of early clients rushed to develop their idea into an app but never developed a marketing plan. So after they published their app, it just sat in the app store. The app store is an amazing distribution system. If you can get on the Today Show and talk about your app, you can have a million downloads the next day. But the trick is getting your app noticed.
Once you’ve done your research and decide to move forward, I recommend that you put a business plan together. In your business plan, also include a marketing plan. Many of early clients rushed to develop their idea into an app but never developed a marketing plan. So after they published their app, it just sat in the app store. The app store is an amazing distribution system. If you can get on the Today Show and talk about your app, you can have a million downloads the next day. But the trick is getting your app noticed.
Once you’ve done your research and decide to move forward, I recommend that you put a business plan together. In your business plan, also include a marketing plan. Many of early clients rushed to develop their idea into an app but never developed a marketing plan. So after they published their app, it just sat in the app store. The app store is an amazing distribution system. If you can get on the Today Show and talk about your app, you can have a million downloads the next day. But the trick is getting your app noticed.
Once you’ve done your research and decide to move forward, I recommend that you put a business plan together. In your business plan, also include a marketing plan. Many of early clients rushed to develop their idea into an app but never developed a marketing plan. So after they published their app, it just sat in the app store. The app store is an amazing distribution system. If you can get on the Today Show and talk about your app, you can have a million downloads the next day. But the trick is getting your app noticed.
Once you’ve done your research and decide to move forward, I recommend that you put a business plan together. In your business plan, also include a marketing plan. Many of early clients rushed to develop their idea into an app but never developed a marketing plan. So after they published their app, it just sat in the app store. The app store is an amazing distribution system. If you can get on the Today Show and talk about your app, you can have a million downloads the next day. But the trick is getting your app noticed.
Once you’ve done your research and decide to move forward, I recommend that you put a business plan together. In your business plan, also include a marketing plan. Many of early clients rushed to develop their idea into an app but never developed a marketing plan. So after they published their app, it just sat in the app store. The app store is an amazing distribution system. If you can get on the Today Show and talk about your app, you can have a million downloads the next day. But the trick is getting your app noticed.
Once you’ve done your research and decide to move forward, I recommend that you put a business plan together. In your business plan, also include a marketing plan. Many of early clients rushed to develop their idea into an app but never developed a marketing plan. So after they published their app, it just sat in the app store. The app store is an amazing distribution system. If you can get on the Today Show and talk about your app, you can have a million downloads the next day. But the trick is getting your app noticed.
Once you’ve done your research and decide to move forward, I recommend that you put a business plan together. In your business plan, also include a marketing plan. Many of early clients rushed to develop their idea into an app but never developed a marketing plan. So after they published their app, it just sat in the app store. The app store is an amazing distribution system. If you can get on the Today Show and talk about your app, you can have a million downloads the next day. But the trick is getting your app noticed.
Once you’ve done your research and decide to move forward, I recommend that you put a business plan together. In your business plan, also include a marketing plan. Many of early clients rushed to develop their idea into an app but never developed a marketing plan. So after they published their app, it just sat in the app store. The app store is an amazing distribution system. If you can get on the Today Show and talk about your app, you can have a million downloads the next day. But the trick is getting your app noticed.
The most common thing that I get asked is how much an app cost. We’ve done projects for as little as $250 and our biggest project we’re working on right now is $125 K for a startup in Texas. The best way for my team to provide a quote is to develop a wireframe. You can hand sketch it, for our wireframes, we use a software package called Balsamiq. Also, you’ll find the exercise of developing a wireframe really eye opening as you develop your app concept.
The most common thing that I get asked is how much an app cost. We’ve done projects for as little as $250 and our biggest project we’re working on right now is $125 K for a startup in Texas. The best way for my team to provide a quote is to develop a wireframe. You can hand sketch it, for our wireframes, we use a software package called Balsamiq. Also, you’ll find the exercise of developing a wireframe really eye opening as you develop your app concept.
If you feel your idea is original and needs to be protected, go ahead and ask the developer to provide you with an NDA. Or you can feel comfortable providing your potential developer with your own NDA.
If you feel your idea is original and needs to be protected, go ahead and ask the developer to provide you with an NDA. Or you can feel comfortable providing your potential developer with your own NDA.
If you feel your idea is original and needs to be protected, go ahead and ask the developer to provide you with an NDA. Or you can feel comfortable providing your potential developer with your own NDA.
If you feel your idea is original and needs to be protected, go ahead and ask the developer to provide you with an NDA. Or you can feel comfortable providing your potential developer with your own NDA.
When evaluating a developer, ask to see their portfolio. Check out the apps you think are relevant. This is a good way to gauge both their quality and capability.
Ask the developer what their policy on providing the source code. I talked to a few clients that were shopping for a new developer for their current app. What they found out was that their developer contractually did not have to release the source code. I personally find this ethically questionable. If you hire a builder to build you a home, you expect to have the keys to the house. My suggestion is that if a developer’s policy is not to provide the source code, just skip them.
Ask the developer what their development process is. They should be able to easily tell you. If they don’t, it’s a red flag.
Ask your developer how they price projects. Do they do it hourly or as a fixed price. From a developer, I would prefer an hourly rate. However, my advice to you is to push for a fixed price quote. This puts the responsibility of providing a project under a budget to the developer. However, this really only works if the requirements are well defined.
I call this, the what happens if you get hit by a bus. If your developer, what happens if you get hit by a bus. What happens to my project? I have had calls from clients desperate for a developer. Their developer just dropped off the face of the earth and doesn’t return their call. It turned out the developer got arrested for a DUI and spent a few weeks in the county jail. So, ask this question. What are the contingency plans.
Ask your developer their maintenance plan for the app. What happens with an Operating System upgrade brakes the app? What if you want add additional features.
Ask your developer for a list of their references. And take the time to call them. Ask them about the working relationship, the quality of work, etc.
Finally, price. My personal opinion just one of the factors in evaluating a developer. My advice is look at everything and just don’t go with the low bidder.
Once you’ve done your research and decide to move forward, I recommend that you put a business plan together. In your business plan, also include a marketing plan. Many of early clients rushed to develop their idea into an app but never developed a marketing plan. So after they published their app, it just sat in the app store. The app store is an amazing distribution system. If you can get on the Today Show and talk about your app, you can have a million downloads the next day. But the trick is getting your app noticed.
Once you’ve done your research and decide to move forward, I recommend that you put a business plan together. In your business plan, also include a marketing plan. Many of early clients rushed to develop their idea into an app but never developed a marketing plan. So after they published their app, it just sat in the app store. The app store is an amazing distribution system. If you can get on the Today Show and talk about your app, you can have a million downloads the next day. But the trick is getting your app noticed.
Once you’ve done your research and decide to move forward, I recommend that you put a business plan together. In your business plan, also include a marketing plan. Many of early clients rushed to develop their idea into an app but never developed a marketing plan. So after they published their app, it just sat in the app store. The app store is an amazing distribution system. If you can get on the Today Show and talk about your app, you can have a million downloads the next day. But the trick is getting your app noticed.
Once you’ve done your research and decide to move forward, I recommend that you put a business plan together. In your business plan, also include a marketing plan. Many of early clients rushed to develop their idea into an app but never developed a marketing plan. So after they published their app, it just sat in the app store. The app store is an amazing distribution system. If you can get on the Today Show and talk about your app, you can have a million downloads the next day. But the trick is getting your app noticed.
Once you’ve done your research and decide to move forward, I recommend that you put a business plan together. In your business plan, also include a marketing plan. Many of early clients rushed to develop their idea into an app but never developed a marketing plan. So after they published their app, it just sat in the app store. The app store is an amazing distribution system. If you can get on the Today Show and talk about your app, you can have a million downloads the next day. But the trick is getting your app noticed.
Once you’ve done your research and decide to move forward, I recommend that you put a business plan together. In your business plan, also include a marketing plan. Many of early clients rushed to develop their idea into an app but never developed a marketing plan. So after they published their app, it just sat in the app store. The app store is an amazing distribution system. If you can get on the Today Show and talk about your app, you can have a million downloads the next day. But the trick is getting your app noticed.
Once you’ve done your research and decide to move forward, I recommend that you put a business plan together. In your business plan, also include a marketing plan. Many of early clients rushed to develop their idea into an app but never developed a marketing plan. So after they published their app, it just sat in the app store. The app store is an amazing distribution system. If you can get on the Today Show and talk about your app, you can have a million downloads the next day. But the trick is getting your app noticed.
Once you’ve done your research and decide to move forward, I recommend that you put a business plan together. In your business plan, also include a marketing plan. Many of early clients rushed to develop their idea into an app but never developed a marketing plan. So after they published their app, it just sat in the app store. The app store is an amazing distribution system. If you can get on the Today Show and talk about your app, you can have a million downloads the next day. But the trick is getting your app noticed.
Once you’ve done your research and decide to move forward, I recommend that you put a business plan together. In your business plan, also include a marketing plan. Many of early clients rushed to develop their idea into an app but never developed a marketing plan. So after they published their app, it just sat in the app store. The app store is an amazing distribution system. If you can get on the Today Show and talk about your app, you can have a million downloads the next day. But the trick is getting your app noticed.
Once you’ve done your research and decide to move forward, I recommend that you put a business plan together. In your business plan, also include a marketing plan. Many of early clients rushed to develop their idea into an app but never developed a marketing plan. So after they published their app, it just sat in the app store. The app store is an amazing distribution system. If you can get on the Today Show and talk about your app, you can have a million downloads the next day. But the trick is getting your app noticed.
Once you’ve done your research and decide to move forward, I recommend that you put a business plan together. In your business plan, also include a marketing plan. Many of early clients rushed to develop their idea into an app but never developed a marketing plan. So after they published their app, it just sat in the app store. The app store is an amazing distribution system. If you can get on the Today Show and talk about your app, you can have a million downloads the next day. But the trick is getting your app noticed.
Once you’ve done your research and decide to move forward, I recommend that you put a business plan together. In your business plan, also include a marketing plan. Many of early clients rushed to develop their idea into an app but never developed a marketing plan. So after they published their app, it just sat in the app store. The app store is an amazing distribution system. If you can get on the Today Show and talk about your app, you can have a million downloads the next day. But the trick is getting your app noticed.
That’s it for my presentation. Here’s my contact info. Thank you for your attention.