Sturgis Falls Apps Developed by Far Reach

Whether you’re developing a mobile app as part of your existing business’s strategy, or you’re bringing your great idea for a stand-alone app to reality, the goal is to make your investment a profitable one.  Besides putting sufficient and skilled resources into developing a great product, the next most critical task is, of course, to get your app onto the devices of as many relevant customers as possible.

There’s a lot more to maximizing downloads of your app beyond getting it into the app markets.  What are some key marketing issues you need to consider for your mobile app?

1.)    Focus on how your app benefits your customer.  Your focus needs to be on your customers and how the app provides them with convenience, value, and/or entertainment.  Spend some time formulating exactly how your app improves the lives of your customers so you can concisely and clearly communicate this.  Also, consider the target user for your app.  Is there a defined demographic group that you’re trying to reach?  What’s the best way to do this? (This will also be important if you want to sell in-app advertising, which we’ll cover in an upcoming post.)

2.)    Price your app right.  If your app is a marketing/commerce tool for an established business, you’ll likely offer it for free, considering it an investment in the potential revenue and customer goodwill it will generate.  However, if you’re developing a stand-alone app, you’ll need to consider whether to charge for your app or offer it for free.  Do some research—what similar apps already exist?  Where are they priced?  How many downloads have they generated?  There’s a balancing act between the potential revenue you leave on the table with a free app and pricing at a level that generates enough downloads to maximize your earnings on in-app advertising.

3.)    Create a clear brand for your app.  If your app is an extension of your business, you need to ensure it consistently reflects your established brand.  If your app is its own entity, you’ll need to develop a unique brand. The targeted audience you pinpointed earlier, along with the benefits the app offers, should drive your branding. You’ll want a professional to help you create a logo and tagline that reflect what your app is about.  Consider the apps you use regularly—I bet you can recall the look of their logos with very little effort, and that’s because of strong branding. Well, that, and maybe because you spent four hours playing Angry Birds last night.

4.)    Develop an online presence for your app, well before you launch your app.  If your app is tied to a company with an established online presence, then you simply need to create a landing page on your current site that’s focused on your app.  A fast and inexpensive tool for this is LaunchRock.  LaunchRock allows you to gather contact information so you can provide updates and invitations to interested customers, or, invite them to be part of a beta group.

If you don’t already have a website, then you should consider creating one for your app.  An online “hub” lets you generate excitement before and after your release by offering a way for social media users, bloggers, and others to link to information on your app.  It also offers you a place to post demos and other more detailed information on the app.

5.)    Work it!  Again, think back to your target audience and the benefits your app offers them.  (There’s a reason we listed this first.)  If your app is a marketing tool for your business, integrate information on the release of your new app into all of your various marketing channels.  Use your established social media networks and blogger contacts to spread the word.

If you’re building a new network for your app, set up social media profiles and start working them.  Drive traffic to your site, where potential customers can check out a demo or detailed descriptions of your app, and where you can capture their email addresses.  Seek out bloggers and sites that review mobile apps or cover categories related to your app.  If you’re going to charge for your app, offer promo codes to entice bloggers and others with a strong following to try it out and hopefully spread the word.

Next time, we’ll discuss getting your app into the mobile app markets and go into more detail on options for monetizing your mobile apps, including in-app advertising.  Have you had success launching and marketing a new mobile app?  What other tips would you share?  We’d love to hear about your successes and challenges.

Inspired by Chapman, I had some follow-up discussions with Dan Beenken of the UNI Innovation Incubator, and Rob Williams from MyEntre.Net.  Long story short, we decided the Cedar Valley could benefit from a BarCamp event.  A lot of individuals and organizations came on board to support the effort. (Check out the event site here to see all of the sponsors.)

The first BarCamp CV last Saturday was a big success—around 80 people showed up for a morning of creative idea sharing and fun energy.  Many are already asking when the next one is happening.  If you want to take a look at some of the recap, check out the BarCamp CV Facebook page.

Far Reach felt from the beginning that BarCamp was a worthwhile investment of our staff time and sponsorship dollars for a lot of reasons, and I’d like to highlight a few:

Vitality of our Business Community:  Events like BarCamp not only energize our business community and make this a great place to live and work, they encourage collaboration.  Several “competing” businesses worked together, along with individuals and organizations in the community to make this happen.  Instead of claiming our turf, we worked together for something that benefits us all.   Without this pooling of resources and the support of organizations like the UNI Innovation Incubator (donated the meeting space) and the Cedar Valley Alliance (donated food), BarCamp wouldn’t have happened.

Sessions Sign-up Board at BarCamp CV

Offering a New Way to Network: The traditional means of networking have worked well for years.  However, many at BarCamp expressed their relief at being able to attend an event that was entirely about making connections and sharing ideas rather than making the sale.

Giving Voice to the Future:  The next generation of business and community leaders needs a forum like BarCamp that’s less formal, offering everyone an equal opportunity to influence the agenda.  The more that young leaders are empowered to share their ideas, the more likely it is those ideas grow into something successful.

Our support of BarCampCV is strongly in line with one of our Core Values at Far Reach– “Make a Difference.”  (We’ll be unveiling our Core Values in detail on our blog and website in upcoming months.)

Did you attend BarCamp CV?   Wish you had?  We’d love to hear your feedback, suggestions, observations, etc. on BarCamp and these types of events.  Just leave a comment here and we’ll make sure it’s considered for the next BarCamp CV.

Though we don’t have a crystal ball, we’re keeping our eye on Windows Phone and think there’s a decent chance 2012 could be a big year for this platform.  Windows Phone first appeared on devices in late 2010.   It certainly has fans among techies, primarily due to its unique interface, but sales have yet to take off.

Despite slow sales, some analysts predicted last year that Windows Phone will surpass Apple’s iPhone market share by 2015.  Then, early last month, Nokia unveiled its Lumia 900 at CES in Las Vegas and the buzz really started.  One tech writer for Slate tweeted, “The Lumia 900 is the first phone since the iPhone that I want without even touching it.”  Other tech bloggers agreed with him, and a recent Sunday edition of the New York Times included an in-depth account of Windows Phone’s evolution.

Lackluster handsets have been a major issue for Windows Phone, and that now appears to have been addressed.  But, how will Windows Phone tackle other major challenges?

First and foremost, Microsoft and its partners must convince wireless carriers to promote Windows Phone as a viable option for smart phone buyers.  There are plans to launch a $200 million marketing push to get Windows Phones devices into the hands of consumers.  Much of this money will be spent on sales incentives for wireless carriers.  Rumors also surfaced last week that AT&T will offer Nokia’s Lumia 900 for $100 on contract.  A competitive price for a well-reviewed phone, along with a ramp-up in marketing, certainly can’t hurt.

Consumers want access to the same variety of Windows Phone apps that iPhone and Android offer.  It’s true that iPhone and Android blow Windows Phone out of the water in sheer number of apps available for their platforms, and this shortfall is well-known.  One New York Times blogger loves the Lumina 900 but claims Windows Phone’s lack of apps is keeping him away.  However, the number of Windows Phone apps in the Marketplace is growing and surpassed 50,000 before the end of 2011.  Most of the mainstream and most popular apps are already available for Windows Phone.  The recent rumor that high-profile  Instagram takes the platform seriously enough to bring a Windows Phone app to market (possibly before an Android app) is also an interesting development.

Between the headway made with past roadblocks and a major update coming later this year (Windows Phone 8), 2012 equals do or die time for Windows Phone.

Far Reach has developed Windows Phone apps for several clients who saw the value in offering this option.  We look forward to watching what happens for Windows Phone in 2012.  Where do you predict things will head in the coming year?

This rise in popularity has generated plenty of online coverage of the tablet market.  Here are a few interesting finds:

Tablet users spend more per online purchase

In 2011, Forrester reported that tablets accounted for 20 percent of e-commerce sales, even though only 9 percent of shoppers owned tablets at that time.   Adobe Digital Marketing Insights recently studied visits to 150 different retail sites and learned that tablet users spend 54% more per purchase than smartphone users, and 21% more than desktop and laptop users.

It certainly seems like now would be a good time to ensure your e-commerce site is optimized for tablet users.

Tablet users are heavy consumers of news and content

Late last October, a study was released showing more than half of tablet users access news content every day, with 77 percent indicating they read more news content than they did prior to purchasing a tablet. The average user spends around 90 minutes per day on their tablet.

Making the time to create informative, non-promotional content for your customers should be more of a marketing priority now than ever before.

The tablet market may be splitting in two

Some analysts doubt Kindle Fire’s success out of the gate spells trouble for Apple’s iPad.  The iPad will likely continue its reign at the high-end of the market, with the Fire and Nook helping to expand the lower end.  Yesterday, a blogger on Mashable Tech predicted this market split will generate more demand at the lower end and open the door for other players to break into the tablet market.

Do you see the rise in tablet popularity impacting your life or business? We’d love to hear your thoughts.

When we started Far Reach almost five years ago, we believed there was huge potential for a company that worked smart, really listened to its clients, and made its employees top priority.  Even so, we had no idea how quickly, even in a difficult economy, Far Reach would take off.

In 2011, we doubled in size from seven employees to fourteen.  We received some very meaningful honors—our own employees nominated us as an Employer of Choice, and we were finalists for two prestigious awards from our peers at Technology Association of Iowa.    We also gave back to the Cedar Valley in as many ways as we could—most recently by adopting a family for the holidays through Lowell Elementary in Waterloo.  It only seems right to send some of the support and generosity we’ve been fortunate enough to receive, right back into the community that gave it to us.

We head into 2012 with more excitement than we’ve had about any new year since we started.  We have a few changes in the works, and can’t wait to share them with you.   Thanks for working with us, recommending us, reading our posts, and all the other ways you’ve shown support for Far Reach in 2011.  Here’s to an even more memorable 2012!

Rumors this is the final version of Silverlight have been circulating, which Microsoft has neither confirmed nor denied.   These rumors have caused some to speculate Silverlight is on the way out.  Microsoft, however, released the news they will support Silverlight 5 through 2021 and, as they do with all Major Tool versions, will provide a minimum of 12 months’ notification prior to the end of support.  This seems to indicate Silverlight 5 is indeed the last version, but we don’t think it means Silverlight is doomed.

Has our view on the viability of Silverlight changed?  We continue to see Silverlight as our tool of choice when it comes to Line of Business applications.  We feel pretty secure about Silverlight moving forward, used in the right situations,  given the fact it will be supported through 2021 and also knowing third party vendors (like Telerik) will continue to provide products for Silverlight.

What are your thoughts on the viability of Silverlight moving forward?   Do you plan to continue developing with Silverlight?  Let us know your plans.

On December 3, I had the chance to attend the second annual BarCamp Des Moines at the Des Moines Public Library.  I spent the day with 60-80 enthusiastic other attendees, sharing energy and ideas.  I got a lot out of the experience, and now, a couple of weeks later, three ideas have really stuck with me:

Push the limits of your networking comfort zone:   (From the presentation by Matthew Smith.)  Matthew’s presentation was “Process for Coming Up with Ideas.”  He said his source of creativity comes from the interesting people he surrounds himself with.  He discussed how many people’s circles of friends have few intersections on a Venn Diagram.  He pointed out how easy it is to stay within the 2-3 circles where we’re most comfortable; with people who grew up like/where we did, who do the kind of work we do, and who think most like we do.  However, when we move beyond these comfort zones, networking with new groups, we open ourselves up to so many more sources of insight, inspiration, and expertise.

Investing in entrepreneurship makes more sense than most investments.  (From a presentation by Sayer P. Martin.)  As an entrepreneur myself, I see the value in this idea. What did surprise me were some statistics Sayer shared suggesting the return on stock market investments has only kept up with inflation over the past 100 years.  Even before hearing Sayer, investing in Far Reach was no-brainer for me.  Do I want to invest in myself with people and a company I know and trust, or the alternative?

Horizontal organizations work better than vertical ones.  (From a presentation by Dan Shipton.) Dan’s presentation was on the handling of ideas.   Two concepts he mentioned were “committees of one” and “horizontal organization”.   Basically, when it comes to product management, you need to have a single person responsible for the product—a “committee of one”–but your organization needs to be structured in such a way that everyone is free to share their ideas and feedback with that person (horizontal organization).

These are ideas that hit home for me, and ones I plan to explore in terms of our work at Far Reach.  In November, several Startup Drinks attendees decided we wanted to bring a BarCamp to the Cedar Valley.  After attending BarCamp Des Moines I am even more inspired and motivated to make it happen.  Want to participate?  Leave us a comment or drop us a line and we’ll make sure you get pulled into the conversation.

And, make sure you also get out there and increase the number of circles in your Venn Diagrams.  Here are some links to networking opportunites in the Cedar Valley:

Networking Opportunities for IT Professionals in the Cedar Valley

Other Networking Opportunities in the Cedar Valley

Startup Drinks Cedar Valley

Cedar Valley Creatives

New Gen Rotary

Last time, we covered some great reasons for taking the plunge with mobile payment.   Now, we’ll fill you in on several of the mobile payment options out there.   All of these services accomplish the goal of making and/or accepting payments on the go. However, cost and features vary, so let’s do some comparison.

First, we’ll outline some of the basic elements of these services.  (Click on the chart to get a closer look):

Now, just a bit more detail on each:

Paypal is one of the most recognizable names in web payment given its connection to eBay. As you can see above, its PayPal Mobile service continues to allow individuals and businesses to exchange payment utilizing cash or credit.  There are some useful features including “bumping” phones to exchange payment, snapping a photo of a check to make a deposit, and “split the bill” capabilities.  On the payment acceptance end of the deal, you’re going to pay $.30 per transaction, plus a percentage based on volume.

Intuit GoPayment is primarily focused on providing an easy way to accept credit card payment from any location.   They provide a free card reader that can be plugged into the mobile devices listed above, and take a percentage of every credit card transaction.  You can use the service without the free reader (entering card numbers manually), but you’ll pay more per transaction.

Square is similar to Intuit in that it provides a free card reading device that makes accepting credit cards simple wherever you may be.  In addition, they’ve also implemented a mobile app for individuals to use on the payment-making side.  Users can store credit card data in their Square Card Case account and easily make payments at participating merchants.

Dwolla is a cash-only payment service born of its founder’s frustration with the burden of credit card fees for small business.   Dwolla is building a loyal consumer following with its timely David vs. Goliath image.  Merchants see the marketing advantage of its built-in social sharing features.  But, what’s the ultimate advantage for merchants? Accepting payment via the Dwolla network is cheaper than any other service.  Transactions of $10 and up (and we mean up—there’s no limit) are $.25.  Under $10, they’re free (a recent change).  Shifting the consumer credit card mindset in a new direction presents challenges, but Dwolla has generated national coverage lately—here, here, and here, for example.  And, they’re making a big announcement on December 15.  We’ll be paying attention.

Google Wallet has a giant name behind it but, unfortunately, not the infrastructure (yet) to make it a viable option for everyone.  It utilizes Near Field Communication (NFC) which is only available on a few mobile devices.  Merchants also need a contactless card reader that uses NFC technology.

Hopefully this rundown will help you make an informed decision when it comes to your mobile payment options.   In the spirit of full disclosure, Far Reach worked with Dwolla earlier this year on the development of their Android mobile app, and we just released an update of the Windows Phone 7 app. However, we’ve also recommended other mobile payment services to our clients based on their needs.  Which one makes the most sense for you?

Tuesday’s discussion focused specifically on mobile payment:  the benefits, the current options, and what’s ahead.   There are big advantages for both consumers and businesses who utilize mobile payment.  Here are just a few:

Mobile Payment Benefits for Consumers

Convenience:  Do the smart phone users you know go anywhere without their phones?  Mine waits for me right outside the shower, is my dinner companion, and spends the night on my nightstand. (Some say I have issues, but I doubt I’m that unusual.) People might leave their purse or jacket at home occasionally, but you can bet if they have a smart phone, it’s on them all the time.  Mobile payment lets consumers meld their phone with their wallet into one convenient tool that’s always with them.

Access to deals and offers:   Many mobile payment providers and the merchants who utilize them create special offers targeted directly at their mobile payment customers.  In addition to the convenience of having the ability to pay with their smart phone, mobile payment users have easy access to great deals at the moment they need them.  (How many times have you left that pizza coupon at home?)

Social networking:  Social check-in is built into the mobile apps of several mobile payment providers.  Consumers can keep track of friends, announce their whereabouts, and share special offers with just one click when they use their phone to pay for something.

Ability to exchange funds with other individuals:  Some platforms let you send cash or credit payments not only to businesses, but to other individuals.  Does your brother conveniently forget to pay you for mom’s Christmas present because he doesn’t carry a checkbook or cash?  He won’t be able to dodge that bullet any longer.

Mobile Payment Benefits for Business

Ability to accept payment away from their home base:  Hosting a booth at a conference, festival or other event?  Need an easy way to accept payment?  Mobile payment offers businesses a simple, secure means for accepting payment away from their offices or storefronts.  Our friends at the Sturgis Falls celebration jumped on board with mobile payment last summer.  In some cases, it’s as simple as swiping a credit card on a nifty little peripheral for your smart phone or tablet.

Branding:  In a previous post, we mentioned the importance of mobile technology adoption for companies whose image requires they be seen as cutting edge.  Offering your customers the option of mobile payment is a great way to show you’re ahead of the curve.  In addition, your most tech-savvy customers will feel as though you’re offering them a perk.

Social/location marketing:  As mentioned above, social check-in is built into some mobile payment apps.  Your customer buys something from your business, checks in, and the purchase is tweeted, updated, and posted for all of their social media followers to see.  In other words, you make a sale, and then you get some social media love. How’s that for some free marketing? Pretty slick.

Set-up can be (depending on the platform) quick and simple:  Some mobile payment providers offer you the equipment you need to get started quickly and at no cost.  Others require nothing more than equipment you likely already have, and can get you up and running the same day.  Not all platforms are this simple, but in an upcoming post we’ll fill you in on what you need to get started with a variety of current platforms.

Cost savings:  Several mobile payment providers won’t cost any more than what you’re already paying to accept credit cards.  One provider will even save you significantly by charging a mere $.25 per transaction, regardless of the transaction size.  (Have we mentioned how much we love Dwolla?  More on that next time.)

In an upcoming post, we’ll cover a variety of the mobile payment platforms available today.   In the meantime, we hope you’ll share your thoughts on mobile payment.  Are you willing to give it a try with your own purchases?  Think it might benefit your business?  Tell us about it.

Image courtesy of TAI

A couple of weeks ago, Chris and I attended Pitch & Grow V at the Des Moines Social Club. Organized by the Technology Association of Iowa, Pitch & Grow is an event at which entrepreneurs pitch their ideas, businesses, and/or products to a panel of peer professionals consisting of local venture capitalists, IT executives, lawyers, accountants, and other entrepreneurs in front of an audience and get feedback on how to refine and fine-tune their presentations. These events are held throughout the state at various times during the year.

Why did we participate?

After a couple of years of nudging by Leann Jacobson, President of TAI, we finally had something we thought worthy of pitching in our soon-to-be-launched product for vision therapists, Nu Vision, from our new company, Nu Squared.

Since we’ll be launching the product (the result of a partnership with Chris’ brother Joe and Joe’s wife, Nadira) later this month at the COVD conference in Las Vegas, we thought it would be a perfect time to practice our sales pitch and get some feedback.

What did we get out of it?

We found the whole Pitch & Grow experience extremely valuable. From the preparation that forced us to think exhaustively about what makes our product valuable, to actually presenting it to real people, to the amazing feedback we got from the panel and the audience, and the new connections we made with other entrepreneurs, everything about it was worthwhile.

We’ve since taken the feedback about what to include and what not to include in a pitch as well as what to expect when selling a product at a trade show and devised a plan to not only sell the product, but how to support it, price it, and market it.

I feel like this experience has propelled us forward and put us in a much better position to effectively launch the product. Had we not pitched, I think it’s very likely we would have spent months or years learning these things the hard way.

The bottom line

We would recommend Pitch & Grow to anyone looking to take an idea or a business to the next level. The feedback you’ll get and the connections you’ll make are invaluable. We will definitely do it again.

Our thanks go out to the panel and those in the audience who cared enough to tell us what they thought. We can’t tell you how much your feedback is appreciated.

And, finally, thanks to the great people at the Technology Association of Iowa and all the sponsors for putting together such a great event. Your tireless work on behalf of technology entrepreneurs in Iowa does not go unnoticed!

Related articles

• Far Reach Launches Nu Squared Venture (farreachinc.com)
• Christian Renaud pitches Pitch & Grow (Video) (siliconprairienews.com)