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As part of the development of your app, you need to have a plan for promoting it to your customers. After all, the real success of your app lies in how fully your customers embrace it and use it.
Because it will provide a better line of communication between your organization and your customers, you might think that it would take little encouragement to get these parents to download your app. However, that is just not the case. You need to actively promote the app’s benefits, when it is available and how they can get it. It won’t just happen on its own.
The purpose of this document is to provide promotional ideas that have been proven by our customers so that you will not only be thrilled with how your mobile app works and looks but that you will also be ecstatic with how quickly your parents embrace it.1. Set your app’s release date and stick with it.
1. Set your app’s release date and stick with it.
- Make sure that we have sent you the QR code and the “buttons” that link to the Apple Store and Google Play to download your app. Use them in all your online materials.
- Your plans need to build up to your release date.
- Other programs should kick in on your release date.
2. Create your promotional campaigns so that they are professional, branded and show lots of great images of your mobile app. These campaigns can include:
- Emails, webpages, home page highlights
- Blog posts or newsletter features
- Posters, indoor billboards and video loops on in-house tvs
- Flyers sent home with kids
3. Your pre-release campaign should distribute the above items at least 30 days before the date your app will be available for download and continue until your app is ready. Additionally, you may want to consider:
- Press release – alerting local media (and perhaps your industry publications) that you’re about to release a new app. Express in this release all of the benefits that you’d like for parents or prospective parents to hear so that any coverage of your app release will encourage its adoption.
- Use the QR code that was sent to you for your App promotion ahead of time so you have it ready when release day is upon you. Read moreabout QR codes.
4. Your Release campaign should distribute an updated version of these items.
- Emails
- Webpages
- Home page highlight
- Blog posts or newsletter features
- Posters
- Video loops on in-house tvs
- Flyers sent home with kids
5. Your app download should be offered from every place possible:
- Web page specifically for your mobile app
- Emails distributed to parents
- Newsletters distributed to parents
- Blog features that you post
- Use the Apple App Store and Google Play links/icons when you’re offering your app for download
6. Your app must be easy to download requiring as few clicks and information entries as possible.
7. Everyone loves incentives, regardless of how insignificant you might think they are.
- Offer a free item (candy, t-shirt, headband, decal) from your pro shop.
- Offer a simplified service (make-up requests or registration) through the app.
- Use one of your services (such as a birthday party) as the prize app downloaders will be entered to win.
- Change your promotional items according such milestones as early bird deadlines so that there is incentive for parents to download earlier instead of later.
8. Factors that will impact downloads:
- Availability of the download.
- Simplicity of downloading.
- Pictures showing appealing app features
- Incentives for downloading.
9. Factors that will impact your app’s adoption:
- Simplicity of menu and instructions.
- Availability of all items needed by parents.
- Ease of finding most necessary functionality.
- Visual appeal.
- Training of your staff on app.
- Availability of FAQs that will help parents find answers to operational questions.
10. Keep your app download areas visible in all communications with parents.
11. Schedule several times during each year to promote your mobile app (such as prior to each session’s enrollment) to continuously encourage its download and use.
12. Use the fact that you have an app in your marketing to prospective customers.
It’s a great differentiator for your organization – showing that doing business with your organization is easy, that you want to be available to parents in the most convenient way possible, and that you’re a leader in technology innovation.
Willis, TX 77318
(281) 378-2122
