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5 Years App.Cat - 1 Year Lounge
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HERE IS HOW I STARTED SELLING APPS & GREW MY BUSINESS.....
HERE IS HOW I STARTED SELLING APPS AND GREW MY BUSINESS: Other than the normal channels of social media - the best results I have had, has always been the POWER of Word-of-Mouth.
Over time I designed a package to present to businesses on an A4 sheet of paper, listing all the benefits of the App, listing my services, what I will help them with and pricing.
I made an App for my own business with ALL the features, many calls to action and shared my App with potential clients.
After I sold/made some Apps for business, I would promote their Apps instead of mine to potential clients - because their LIVE App was a naturally powerful testimonial without an actual testimonial - The reason for this action was because their businesses App was the Social Proof the new prospect needed and the potential client always had the option to call that business and ask their opinion of the App, which excited them all. Then the momentum carried on and on and continues to grow.
Over time I designed a package to present to businesses on an A4 sheet of paper, listing all the benefits of the App, listing my services, what I will help them with and pricing.
I made an App for my own business with ALL the features, many calls to action and shared my App with potential clients.
After I sold/made some Apps for business, I would promote their Apps instead of mine to potential clients - because their LIVE App was a naturally powerful testimonial without an actual testimonial - The reason for this action was because their businesses App was the Social Proof the new prospect needed and the potential client always had the option to call that business and ask their opinion of the App, which excited them all. Then the momentum carried on and on and continues to grow.
Comments
Keep the great comments coming, Eric!
In short: Put your Android App into Google Play via their Developer Site. Done.
To answer your question @hAPPy. Yes, I have a base cost in mine. My base cost is the discounted amount I am prepared to sell after multiple Apps discount is applied. So I start high and after discounting, I am where I actually want them to be. With that said, my base price is my price with plenty of juicy profit.
Most all App sellers sell their Apps too cheap. Is that you?
IN MY OPINION: Most people/businesses don't have any idea how much an App is worth - nor do the App sellers. Because of that, you are ALL doing yourselves and injustice selling so cheap.
Do your research and explore what it would cost to get an App manufacture to make an App like App.Cat (of course don’t tell them it’s App.Cat) and you’ll find that a person/business would have to spend $20,000 to $50,000 for an Apple version and the same for Android. The average quality custom built App is $85,000 to $140,000US. I’m sure some people will disagree and I don’t mind, because I’ve done the exercise. Then on top of that add perceived value.
BE SHOCKED!!! Let’s say I’m right with what I have indicated above, with this knowledge, selling an App for a few hundred dollars (seeing the upgrade costs total a few hundred dollars) makes your App look like a toy and businesses won’t ever take you seriously. BE BOLD...Take a risk and sell your Apps for a few thousand dollars and see what happens. I can confidently say YOU WILL BE SURPRISED.
Is this post very awesome or insightful to you all?
I imagine if we created a laundry list of features App.cat apps offer, then sought quotes from North American app dev companies, we'd be shocked at the cost of development, 3rd party licensing and turnaround time for Apple Developers IDs, and time to market.
I know my fees for my first app client is way low. Partly because I wanted to close it fast and have a strong case study to present to other local restaurant/bar/pub owners. Plus, I've known the owners for 8 years, which still doesn't justify massively discounting, but its my story and I'm sticking with it :-)
Interestingly, my client had asked if the name of his restaurant on his splash page could be customized to use his logo's font, replacing the need to use the rounded square icons, and I realized that I won't be able to be flexible with certain layout requests. On the other hand, I need to help biz owners understand that's not the deal breaker, as the other features are what's important to conversion/engagement :-)
As I have mentioned in different posts, build you confidence in the App.Cat product and don't be afraid to present it at a price that brings you great joy and saticfaction. You'll never look back.
Let me explain a concept that will hopefully change your App.Cat mindset. If you truly take these ideas below to heart, you will enjoy a long and prosperous future.
For a moment, think about painting an oil based picture. MANY paint pictures on canvas, never having the confidence in their paintings and as a result they sell them for a few dollars each. They didn't value it - why should anyone else? On the other hand, some people paint a picture and see more value in it because they know they have not just produced a picture, they have produced ART; as a result, their art is sold for hundreds of thousands, even millions of dollars.
STILL THE SAME CANVAS, BRUSHES AND OIL for both people groups. Just, their MINDSET was different.
Here is MY secret for ONLY people who read this post. Don't tell anyone... I MEAN IT.
Here is what I do as a suggestion for you: (The amounts are slightly different)
The cost of ALL the features, as you should already know, is about $350. So I give the client everything at the start and is include it in my pricing - plus, it saves time because I don't have to come back later to add features. So charging anything less than $350 is working for the client, just for love, lol - and the funny thing is many App.Catters do just that - work for LOVE. Nothing wrong with love persia.
Now the next step is work out the value of how much your worth per hour and measure how long it really takes to make a sale, make the App and hand it over to the client, from start to finish. For example, let's say your worth $50 per hour and it takes you 5 hours, then the labor componant is $250.
The next step for you is to include tax, incidentals like food, transport i.e. fuel/gas, stationary/printing/ads etc. Hard for some of you to know right now, so here is a guide to what I do that's simple. To come up with this amount is easy, just triple the amount so far: i.e. $350 upgrades + $250 labour = $600 x 3 = is your wholesale cost $1,800. By being serious about pricing your labour, your attitude to work will always be enthusiastic as you enjoy doing Apps.
Now the fun part, add what I call "HAPPY MONEY". This is the desired profit you would like to earn after the deal has been completed (sugestion - double the costs).
That means, $1,800 costs + $1,800 Happy Money = $3,600 Base cost per App.
Lastly, you will need to make up and add a Recommended Retail Price allowing plenty room for discounting back down to your BASE figure that you've previously set, only if you need to. Like selling multiple apps etc. You can make this anything you want. Suggestion: If you make your RRP $4,500 you can then offer a 20% discount down to $3,600.
Hope all this makes sense and inspirers you for greatness, whilst encouraging you to remain very profitable.
Cheers, Eric Edge
FYI. @ToddGoldstein, @BenCrockyKepinski, @SarahSkinnyGold, @TerryTrainer, @RaySmith, @joemadden1941, @MrApp, @PilarMar, @perfectp & Thanks @hAPPy, you mentioned some great points in you post.
Also what hAPPy posted about developers in India and other far away places selling mobile apps for $30k+ is crazy but happens all the time.
Imagine the surprise for a business owner when a local mobile app developer comes calling who can produce awesome apps for a fraction of the price of other developers, loaded with features and produced within days not weeks and months. Priceless.................
Chuck
However, my success is not your success, @joemadden1941. Success stories won't make you sell your Apps for more or make you successful.
It's your confidence in the Apps you can provide and knowing what they can do for business that adds value and profits.
Here are some secrets..... shhhh don't tell anyone!
I'm really tough with my clients. Before going forward and making them an app I mention that it takes about 3 months before you see meaningful results. And I also mention the onus is on them for their level of success.
HERE ARE SOME MORE COMMENTS I MAKE WHEN SELLING APPS:
I actually say, "I know the App product and how good it is because it has been tested for over 2 years. What I don’t know is your ability to follow instruction and whether you use the App the way it was intended.”
I then go onto say, “By following my guidance and incorporating a few simple marketing strategies you will see impressive results. If you don't follow my guidance, you will have only one person to blame, and that’s you!”
I remind them your App is “POWERED by Word-of-Mouth”, that means, your goal is to get your app onto as many phones as possible. The more phones have your App, the more success will follow – simple!
So, I make it clear from the start with the App Purchaser that the APP is the most advanced Word-of-Mouth marketing tool on the planet today and the client is NOT and that’s why Mr. Client you desperately require this tool for your business.
Oh, I nearly forget to mention. I also ask the question, “Would you Mr. Potential Client like to LOCK-OUT your competitors and LOCK-IN your clients to your business?” Obviously, the answer is YES.
Provided your GOOD at what you do in your business, every person that has your App on their Mobile Phone instantly is LOCKED-IN to your business (And as a result, you complete eliminate your competition).
Why? Because when your customer or friend of a customer requires your services, because they have your App on their phone and they know you are GOOD at your business – they will look NO further – they will CALL you! They don’t go to the yellow pages and they don’t search Google – it’s amazing! You eliminate your competition!
There are many other things I say to a client as I condition them for success. But I won't waste any more of your time today!
Hope you find this helpful and most importantly insightful?
FYI. @ToddGoldstein, @BenCrockyKepinski, @SarahSkinnyGold, @TerryTrainer, @RaySmith, @MrApp, @PilarMar, @perfectp & @hAPPy
Please keep them coming.
That's not our job. That's yours.
We give you an awesome tool to instantly make apps and websites.
We do NOT sell you SEO and marketing packages, though our apps and sites ARE optimized to be found and liked by Google; A feature included for free but not much longer if this kind of ignorance persists. But if you don't create enough relevance for Google to interpret your apps as important you'll be invisible.
Do NOT confuse Apples with Pears here, Joe.
Making apps is NOT "instantly becoming visible".
This isn't some kind of magic box that just propels you to stardom.
You are fundamentally misunderstanding our product and how it fits in with other promotional strategies.
To speak in your language:
If you build a restaurant in the middle of the forrest you can't blame the carpenter if no diners show up. OK?
Look up SEO in google I forget what they call it but it gives lots of help in lifting your website in Google standings, mainly lots of mention of key words, and lots of links to other sites F'book etc.
I can dig around to find more details if you like.
Trust me, when your business owner witnesses clients/customers showing the app on their smartphones to claim their "incentive", it proves firsthand to your client that the promotion & app is working in real-time. How your client continues to re-market to their clients will determine how powerful this tool is. And you'll receive thank you notes and affirmation when this happens. Remember, to ask your client/s for their testimonial/endorsement too, as they are so busy, it may slip their minds to do so, unless you remind them (through your access to their app download analytics) how effective their app has been spreading with their customers.
Consider that 99% of restaurants (or other types of businesses) do not have an effective way to (a) engage their present customers in real-time on their most precious & always-with-them device, ie their smartphones, (b) convert them to returning to their place of business more often through push marketing (which maximizes their profits), and (c) since you have a marketing tool that's the most powerful trending technology today to enable them to reach their audience anytime, anywhere at a conservative dollar value from you than if they were to get one built from any other app developer with all the features you can offer with a turnaround time that can't be beat, plus with your marketing strategies to help them maximize the ROI of their app investment, you have "acres of diamonds" in your hands, and something not to take for granted.
Hope this tip has been of value to you!