App Marketing: Go At It Alone or Hire a Firm?
A decision that almost every developer has faced is how to get the word out about their app. When it comes to app marketing initiatives, you basically have two options if you want to hit a grand slam: one, handle it on your own or two, hire a marketing firm to work with you.
The first thing you need to know is that regardless of whether you go at it alone or hire a firm, going in unprepared should never be an option. Strategy, guidance and research are the essential steps towards a tactile and successful launch.
Like with all technology, the mobile landscape is rapidly changing. What may have worked just a few months earlier may not work today. Similarly, tactics that worked to build exposure for one app may not work for yours.
If you’re managing the development of your app, chances are you don’t always have time to keep up with the latest developments and app trends. The same can be said for accountancy, offline marketing, and other elements of your business.
Make no mistake about it, even when working with the top firms or even if you have a marketing degree yourself, marketing should never be a one man show. The real magic happens when both parties feed ideas off each other and work together in collaboration to achieve set goals and milestones.
Avoid Business Blunders
The number one reason most campaigns fail, is because people find themselves in situations of panic. Marketing panic sets in the moment people realize that they need more funds, more users, more sales or more exposure and they need to do something about it pronto.
A typical response to panic is shelling out more cash carelessly and loosing focus of the destination. Working with an experienced firm helps keep the ship on course, as this is their primary goal.
The Learning Curve
Knowing where to begin isn’t always as easy. This is the case not just for first time developers, but also for most marketing firms. If a consultant agrees to jump straight into the marketing phase of any project without carefully conducting competitive research and supplying you with their findings, I give you the permission to get up and walk away from that meeting.
No two projects are alike, which makes understanding the target audience and similar solutions a must. Do you know what bloggers are saying about your competing apps? Have you taken the time to read user reviews and track their rankings? I promise you’ll be surprised at what you find. That being said, understanding where to find the right information and how to best leverage it is part of the app marketing learning curve. Which leads us to…
Time Is of the Essence
If you’ve been in the mobile app industry for a while, you know apps rise and fall at meteoric pace. Being the first on the app store with a unique app sets the bar for all other apps that follow. This makes developing and getting you app out there first extremely important. As with all good apps, going live is just the beginning. Balancing both marketing and development may set you back from focusing on what you do best, develop apps.
The Real Cost of Marketing
One of the most obvious reasons you might choose to manage your own marketing initiatives is limited funds. In order to understand the true cost of marketing, you need to create various scenarios based on the funds and time that are available to you.
If your time is worth more than what it would cost you to hire someone else to do it, then it just makes sense to outsource the task. However, this in no way means going about it blindly. Find out as much as you can about the firms you’re talking to. Forums, LinkedIn groups and Twitter are perfect places to start.
To sum it up – Experience is extremely valuable, but personal skills go a long way. It may seem a little unusual at first, but if you do choose to hire a marketing firm or consultant, make sure that there’s a cultural fit. Their commitment level should be as high as yours along with the experience to back it up. Spend at least two 1 hour meetings over lunch to make sure the all fits like a glove.
Add your 2 cents in the comments below or reach out to me over on Twitter @OrenTodoros or Google+. I’d love to hear your thoughts.
