iPhone and iPad Apps Marketing: Secrets to Selling Your iPhone and iPad Apps (Que Biz-Tech)

313 Pages·2010·14.56 MB·English

by  Jeffrey Hughes

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iPhone & iPad Apps
™
®
Secrets to Selling Your iPhone and iPad Apps
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Marketing
Jeffrey Hughes
800 East 96th Street,
Indianapolis, Indiana 46240 USA
iPhone® and iPad™ Apps Marketing:
Secrets to Selling Your iPhone and Associate Publisher
Greg Wiegand
iPad Apps
Senior Acquisitions Editor
Copyright © 2010 by Jeffrey Hughes Katherine Bull
All rights reserved. No part of this book shall be reproduced, stored in
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a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechani-
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cal, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission
from the publisher. No patent liability is assumed with respect to the Development Editor
use of the information contained herein. Although every precaution
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has been taken in the preparation of this book, the publisher and
author assume no responsibility for errors or omissions. Nor is any lia- Managing Editor
bility assumed for damages resulting from the use of the information Kristy Hart
contained herein.
Project Editor
ISBN-13: 978-0-7897-4427-2
Betsy Harris
ISBN-10: 0-7897-4427-9
Senior Indexer
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file. Cheryl Lenser
Printed in the United States of America
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First Printing: April 2010 Dan Knott
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CONTENTS AT A GLANCE
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
Part I Your Marketing Message
1 YouriPhoneand iPadAppMarketingStrategy: GrandSlamorBaseHits? . . .9
2 What Makes a Winning iPhone/iPad App? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25
3 Identifying Your App’s Unique Value . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37
4 Identifying Your Target Audience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55
5 Building Your App’s Total Message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67
Part II Delivering Your Message
6 Electronic Word of Mouth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .87
7 Using Social Media in Your App Marketing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .109
8 Timing Your Marketing Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .123
9 Getting the Word Out About Your Apps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .131
Part III Pricing Your iPhone/iPad App
10 Pricing Your App . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .147
11 Conducting an App Pricing Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .161
12 Selling Value over Price . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .171
13 Breaking into the App Store Top 100 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .181 ptg
14 Level the Playing Field with a Free App . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .191
15 The App Pricing Roller Coaster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .203
16 App Promotions and Cross-Selling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .211
17 Using iPhone/iPad Analytics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .223
Part IV Implement a Marketing Plan/Launch Your App
18 Why Have a Marketing Plan? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .233
19 Components of an App Marketing Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .241
20 Marketing Essentials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .253
21 25 Essential iPhone/iPad Marketing Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .259
22 Implementing Your Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .269
23 iPhone/iPad Apps for Corporate Marketing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .275
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .287
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Part I: Your Marketing Message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Part II: Delivering Your Message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Part III: Pricing Your iPhone/iPad App . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Part IV: Implement a Marketing Plan/Launch Your App . . . . .6
1 Your iPhone and iPad App Marketing Strategy:
Grand Slam or Base Hits?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
We’ve Seen This Movie Before . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
The Big Win—Grand Slam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
The Steady Win—Base Hits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
The No Win—Strikeout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
Benefits/Drawbacks of the Big Win and Steady Win
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Strategies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
2 What Makes a Winning iPhone/iPad App? . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Build Something Unique . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
Deliver New Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
Tie Your App into Trends and News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30
Tie into Seasons and Holidays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32
Tie Your App to Part of a Wider Solution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32
Apps Created from Other Platforms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33
3 Identifying Your App’s Unique Value . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
The Four Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39
Who Are Your Competitors? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40
What Are the Key Features of Your iPhone/iPad App? . . .48
What Are the Benefits of Your iPhone/iPad App? . . . . . . .49
What’s Unique about Your App? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49
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Contents v
4 Identifying Your Target Audience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Refining Your Audience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57
Segmenting Your Market . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57
Targeting Your Market . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63
5 Building Your App’s Total Message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Choose an Effective App Name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70
Basic App Naming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73
Get Creative . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74
Search for Synonyms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75
Use Google to Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75
Select and Test Your App Names . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76
App Store Text: Lighten It Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76
Make Graphics Your Focal Point . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78
Make Your App’s Icon Jump . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79
Build a Simple, Clean Product Website . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81
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Who Is Your Audience? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81
Developing Great Web Copy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .82
Make Your Content Usable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83
Strive for Immediate Positive Reviews . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83
6 Electronic Word of Mouth. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Positive External Reviews . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .90
Coordinated Marketing Effort . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .92
Generating Demand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .93
Reaching Interested Buyers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .94
Choosing the Right Delivery Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .94
Three Key Areas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95
Direct Marketing for Your App . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95
Direct Mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95
Email . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .96
Promoting Your App . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .98
Your App in Traditional Media
(Newspapers, Radio, TV) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .98
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vi iPhone and iPad Apps Marketing
Advertising Your Apps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .101
Paid Search . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .103
Online Advertising . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .105
Building a Community . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .105
7 Using Social Media in Your App Marketing . . . . . . . . . . 109
Selecting Your Social Media Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .112
Using Facebook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .113
Your Facebook Marketing Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .113
Using Twitter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .115
Using Blogs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117
Using RSS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .119
Using LinkedIn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .119
Using YouTube . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .120
Video Basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .121
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8 Timing Your Marketing Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
App Buying Cycles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .124
Is Your App Seasonal? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .125
Hitting the Grand Slam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .126
Timing the Launch of Your App . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .128
Submitting Your App for Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .129
9 Getting the Word Out About Your Apps. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
When to Write a Press Release . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .132
Do You Have What It Takes? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .133
Writing Your Press Release . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .135
The Anatomy of a Press Release . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .136
Developing the Body Copy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .140
Embedded Links . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .141
Attaching Multimedia to Your Press Release . . . . . . . . . . . . .142
Press Release Signature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .143
Publishing and Distributing Your Press Release . . . . . . . . . .144
When to Launch Your Press Release . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .145
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Contents vii
10 Pricing Your App . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Competing Against Free Apps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .149
Be Found . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .150
Make Your App Better . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .150
Make Your App More Intuitive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .151
Provide Better Graphics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .151
Create Documentation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .151
Offer Some Technical Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .151
Develop a Reputation for Customer Service . . . . . . . . . . .152
Go Viral . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .152
Some Pricing Misconceptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .152
Offer a Free Version of Your App . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .154
Setting Your App’s Price . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .155
11 Conducting an App Pricing Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Cost/Benefit Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .162
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Quantifying App Development Costs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .163
Quantifying the Benefits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .166
Performing a Cost/Benefit Comparison . . . . . . . . . . . . . .167
Breakeven Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .168
Some Caveats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .170
12 Selling Value over Price. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Selling Value . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .173
Selling Quality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .174
Selling Usefulness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .175
Selling Return on Investment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .175
Additional Thoughts on Selling Value . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .177
13 Breaking into the App Store Top 100 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Develop a Great App . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .182
Beat Up Your App Mercilessly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .183
Have Friends in High Places . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .184
Cross-Promote . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .185
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viii iPhone and iPad Apps Marketing
Price It Right . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .186
Integrate Your App with Other Apps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .186
Optimize Your Web and App Store Copy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .187
Develop Your Brand and Promote It Like Crazy . . . . . . . . . .188
Reach Out to Apple . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .189
14 Level the Playing Field with a Free App. . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Build a Paid App—Standalone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .193
Build a Free App, Build a Following . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .194
Build a Paid App and a Free App at the Same Time . . . . . . .195
In-App Purchases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .197
Free Apps with Ads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .198
From Paid to Free . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .200
15 The App Pricing Roller Coaster. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
Raising Your Price . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .205
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Lowering Your Price . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .205
Temporary Price Drops . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .208
Value-Add Sales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .209
16 App Promotions and Cross-Selling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Promotional Marketing for iPhone/iPad Apps . . . . . . . . . . . .212
Cross-Selling and Up-Selling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .216
Up-Selling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .220
17 Using iPhone/iPad Analytics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Analytics Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .224
Track Your App’s Sales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .224
Track Your App’s Location . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .224
Track Your App’s Usage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .225
Track Specific App Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .225
Measure App Interface Patterns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .226
Top Analytics Vendors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .226
Flurry/Pinch Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .226
Mobclix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .228
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Contents ix
Analytics and Privacy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .229
Managing a User’s Privacy Expectations . . . . . . . . . . . . . .230
18 Why Have a Marketing Plan? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Top 10 Reasons Why You Should Have an
App Marketing Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .234
Focuses Your Target Market . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .235
Allocates Marketing Funds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .235
Measures Your Progress . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .236
Provides a Roadmap for Growth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .236
Helps You Obtain Funding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .237
Coordinates Your App Launches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .237
Sets Realistic Sales Targets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .238
Evaluates Your Competitors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .239
Sets Prices and Defines Promotions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .240
Defines a Strong Value Proposition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .240
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19 Components of an App Marketing Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Marketing Goals and Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .243
Product Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .243
Your iPhone/iPad App Sales Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .243
Profit Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .244
Pricing Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .244
Market Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .244
Business Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .245
Demographics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .245
Competition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .245
Consumer Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .246
Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and
Threats Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .246
Strengths . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .246
Weaknesses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .247
Opportunities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .247
Threats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .247
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