Due to a lack of capacity and knowledge among startups and established companies. Some companies build their own mobile app. I believe my list can help anyone from any industry turn their mobile app idea into a reality.
Step 1: Write your feature list.
Begin conceptualizing your idea by taking some notes. Before doing anything, you should write down whatever comes to your mind. Writing a feature list on a piece of paper helps you focus and expand on your idea. I recommend writing down your idea several times and in many ways. This list will also be helpful when you are discussing with your co-founders, designers, investors, or developers; They're all going to ask for it. Note that you must have them sign an NDA before sharing your feature list. Also, make sure that it has popular and unique features, which will play a major role in the success of your product.
Step 2: Do market research
After you've written your robust list of features, you'll want to conduct market research to determine the competition, trends, and market needs. You should make sure that there are no similar apps in the market. If so, find out their reviews, ratings, feedback, and what they lack. Add features to your app that make it unique and more attractive to the audience. You should update your feature list after doing market research.
Step 3: Identify Users/Audiences
It is essential to find out who will be using your app and the audience for your product. Your users are from a particular industry, gender, region, age group, existing customer, income group, specific profession, or another group. Once you've identified certain demographics about the audience, you can figure out what people in these demographics like or are like. Knowing your audience helps you to tailor your app and its features to meet their needs. Your entire project revolves around user engagement. You can also conduct focus group studies to find out what your audience might like or dislike. Your audience will determine the success of your product, and this insight from a focused study can go a long way in defining product success.
Step 4: Identify the monetization strategy
Earning money is the biggest reward and provides energy for your idea. You can make money with your app idea in several ways: subscription fees, in-app purchases, in-app ads, user data, sponsorships. You want to know what works for your app, audience, and market. Launching a paid app doesn't work these days, but you can make the app free with an in-app purchase option for more functions. Having user data is becoming a major monetization technique, as you can create indirect wealth. You can find sponsorship for the app; It works for an app with a social mission. You need to select 1 or 2 techniques that will give you a good return on investment.
Step 5: Make a Rough Sketch / Wire Frame
Maybe you haven't done it before or don't know how to do it. You can make a rough sketch using paper and pencil, while online tools can make a wireframe. When you start sketching / wireframing, you'll be able to refine your app ideas and features list further. Also, it helps you to decide the proper navigation of the application. You don't need technical skills for this step but should understand how navigation works. Your wireframe, along with your feature list, will create the very best specifications for you to build a mobile app.
Step 6: Contact Local Mobile App Developers and Get Estimate
You should look for and reach out to local vendors and some global vendors. Once you have shortlisted 5 to 6 good vendors, ask them to sign NDA and send them the project details. A good salesperson should check your details and ask you lots of questions. You should make sure to answer them in detail so that your ideas are fully communicated. A good salesperson should also be able to give you some suggestions to improve your idea. You should obtain and compare offers from multiple vendors along with the time and cost for development. You should check vendors on past performance, process, price, timing, testimonials, and their eagerness to work for you. In the end, you should be able to select a vendor and start working with them.
Step 7: Complete the UI/UX
Once you have chosen the company, you should work with them to build the UI/UX of the app. You should first make them a detailed wireframe of the application to visualize each screen, function, and flow of the application. Check the feature and review it. If the first estimate of time/cost has gone up, get more money or cut some features. You want to pay the right price to your mobile app developer.
Step 8: Develop and Test the App
They should be able to send you the app (in progress) every week, and you should be able to test them and give feedback. It is essential for you to QA the app as they develop it, as it helps you control the quality, cost, and timeline, and know if the mobile app needs some changes. You can also involve your friends in the test. If you come up with a new set of features during development, discuss them with your app developer and get time and cost estimates.
Step 9: Bring the app to Market.
Lunch it on iTunes and Google Play store. You should also start marketing the app. Get some advice from the experts in in-app marketing. You can also do self-marketing. Share it on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, as this is an easy way to spread the word about the app. You should also reach out to journalists and bloggers who might be interested in your app and write about it. A press release on free sites or paid sites can be instrumental. Hire the PR and Marketing
Step 10: Collect Market Feedback and Prepare for the Next Step
After the first launch and marketing, you can collect user data, market feedback, and demand. If you get a good response, you can plan the next step for the app. Repeat steps 1 through 9 for the next step. This time, you should be able to do them much faster and more efficiently. If the app is not well received in the market, find out what hinders development and have an action plan.
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