Jeannie Di Bon is the founder of two apps designed to help people living with chronic pain. She decided to launch The Zebra Club following over a decade of supporting clients one-to-one. Here she shares the 5 things you should consider before launching your own app.
Do your clients want it?
Having your own app might sound like a good business decision, but before you spend any money you need to know that it’s something that your clients really want. You need to think about how the app fits into your existing service offer. Do you intend for it to replace another service, compliment it, or are you offering a completely new experience? It’s important to test out your assumptions at this stage – think about how you can test out whether your customers are willing to pay for a digital service. This could be starting with an online course, creating downloads that people can purchase, or running Zoom sessions.
What functionality does it need to offer?
App functionality ranges from the very simple to the very complex, and costs typically increase with complexity. So it’s important you have a clear idea of what functions you want your app to have. Think about what is needed on day one, and what could be introduced at a later date. What are the features that your clients can’t live without?
Who will be building your app?
There are a few different options for creating your own app, but there are three main approaches – build your own, outsource the development, or whitelabelling. Most business owners don’t have the technical skills or time to develop something themselves, so you need to hire a developer or agency to help you. Developing a bespoke app might be required if you are offering an unusual service, but for lots of businesses, whitelabelling can be a cost-effective option with quicker turnaround times.
How will it integrate with your existing systems?
This is something that is easy to overlook, but you should think about how the app is going to work alongside any other systems you use. This might include things like CRMs or email marketing software. Make sure you are speaking to your developer so that your app seamlessly integrates with your other tools.
How will you get people to use it?
The old adage ‘build it and they will come’ isn’t necessarily true when it comes to apps! There are hundreds of apps launched every day and even if your app is amazing, you need a plan to get people to download and sign up. If you have existing clients, think about how you can encourage them to sign up to your app, as well as ways to find new customers. Planning your launch and making sure you are talking about it regularly will mean your app will be discovered by more people.
