Both when using mobile devices and in everyday life, the idea of ​​making things better often arises. This idea can lead you to the start of a promising and successful business project to develop and sell a mobile application. Applications can be used both to simplify the interaction between a buyer and a seller in a real business (food delivery, business catalogues, private advertisements, mobile stores, taxis), and for the sale of exclusively virtual goods (games, social networks, dating services).

No need to hurry

If you have an idea, be prepared for the fact that the same idea was recently born in the head of another person. Not every idea leads to success, and even more so, you shouldn’t rush to develop a mobile application right away (this advice can especially be given to programmers). In every project, development must be preceded by a planning stage, consisting of at least two stages:

1. Business analysis – analysis of the needs of the target audience, collection of application requirements, formulation of project goals. This stage should give you an answer to the question, DO users NEED the product?
2. Business plan – assessment of the cost of development and commissioning, formulation of a monetization strategy, assessment of the return on investment in the project. This stage answers the question IF IT IS PROFITABLE to produce the product.

Need help with your business plan?

Write to us!

We are happy to answer!

What is included in business analysis?

Competitor analysis

Collect information about your competitors and analogues. The mobile application market is now very saturated. For example, according to data at the beginning of 2018, the number of iOS applications exceeded 2.1 million, and the number of Android applications - even 3.6 million. There is no need to analyze all applications of your topic; it is enough to select three or four market leaders for analysis.

After information about market leaders has been collected, answer the question:

How will my product be better?

Write how your product will be superior to market leaders and what target audience it is intended for. Prepare unique selling proposition(USP) for your users. Keep in mind that while you're inspired by your idea, you'll likely be biased in your assessment, so be sure to let other people read your business plan and take their comments seriously.

What features will the app include?

When selecting functions, follow a simple rule:

It is better for an application to perform one task perfectly than for it to perform mediocrely at all the tasks the user needs.

Write down all the functions that your application can perform, then sort them by frequency of use, and be sure to evaluate whether these functions are present in the market leaders, and whether they are “must-haves”.

What is the goal of your project?

The goal of the project is not just to perform certain functions by a mobile application. Try to formulate the goal of the project in terms of what emotions it will bring to the user. At the end of the day, all mobile games and most mobile apps are purely designed to entertain users.

A project goal statement is important to ensure that all of your employees and contractors have a clear direction for their work. Remember that any builder can answer the question “what do you do?” – “I’m laying bricks” or “I’m building a palace”!

What does a business plan for a mobile application look like?

The business plan includes business analysis as part of it. In addition, the business plan must contain the following sections:

• Estimation of the time and cost of developing the first version of the application (taking into account the development of technical requirements for the mobile application and the server part), the so-called “beta version”.
• Estimation of the timing and cost of implementing a stable version. Please note that when contractors talk about development timeframes, they usually mean the beta version, since neither they nor you know what the stable version will look like. Therefore, feel free to multiply their estimate by two.
• Marketing plan - how you will promote the application in stores. Are you focusing only on the “organic” increase in downloads, or are you planning to use advertising for your application?
• Financial plan and assessment of return on investment periods. This block is the most important - the fate of the entire project depends on it, so do not let your optimism include unrealistic estimates in this section. Remember that by abandoning an unprofitable project at an early stage, you can save significant financial resources.

Who can help you write a business plan?

The author of the project business plan will most likely be you yourself. However, in order to avoid mistakes, it is recommended to involve experts in the field of development and promotion of mobile applications in preparing a business plan for a mobile application. Our company’s employees have significant experience in developing applications for Android and iOS, as well as promoting them, so they can act as reviewers of your document.

We can also help you formulate the goals of your project, which means that when you order the development of a mobile application from Headwind Solutions, our employees will already clearly understand the guidelines that we are laying as the basis for the project. As a result, you will receive a high-quality and successful mobile application that fully satisfies the needs of your users and brings you profit.

Zhdanova Ksenia Denisovna

Faculty of Mathematical Economics, Statistics and Informatics, REU im. G.V. Plekhanov Moscow, Russia

Abstract: “Have you ever encountered this problem: Your parents use Viber, your friends use WhatsApp and Telegram, and your work colleagues use only Facebook? If your answer is “yes,” then our “&WVTF” application is especially for you!” The value of this idea is that a person who uses several software products at once, such as Viber, WhatsApp, Telegramm and Facebook, will be able to communicate with all contacts from one application, without having to switch between several programs.

Key words: Business plan, Business model of A. Osterwalder, mobile application, Investing, innovation model

Developing a business plan of mobile applications &WVTF

Zhdanova Ksenia Denisovna

Faculty of Mathematical Economics, Statistics and Informatics Plekhanov Russian University of Economics Moscow, Russia

Abstract: The purpose of the project is to create a unique mobile application to aggregate messages from different messengers. "Have you ever faced such a problem: your parents use Viber, WhatsApp and friends Telegramm, and colleagues are extremely Facebook? If your answer is “yes”, then our application “& WVTF” especially for you!" The value of this idea is that a person using multiple software products, such as Viber, WhatsApp, Telegram and Facebook, will be able to chat with all your contacts from a single application, without the need to switch between multiple programs.

Keywords: The business plan, business model of A.Ostervalder, mobile application, investment, innovation model

1. PROJECT SUMMARY

The business idea is to create an application that aggregates the most popular instant messengers.

Our company will be engaged in the production, implementation and maintenance of the &WVTF mobile application, which will aggregate several popular instant messengers, such as:

1) WHATSAPP,

2) VIBER,

3) Facebook,

4) TELEGRAM

The goal of this project is to create a unique mobile application for aggregating messages from different instant messengers.

Our customers will be people who use several instant messengers at once, because the interlocutors use different programs (due to the characteristics of the phone’s operating system and preferences). This way, people can communicate without having to switch between different programs and windows. Buyers will be both IOS and Android users. The age segment of buyers is from 7 to 99 years.

We will convey information to clients via the Internet, namely through the AppStore and GooglePlay applications. Advertising using VKontakte group and Yandex.Direct

Our competitors are the Nimbuzz and Snowball apps. The main difference is the messengers included in our application. These are the most popular messengers.

Long term prospects are:

• Increase in the number of clients
• Adding the most popular and in-demand messengers to our application, i.e. mobile application development.

Start-up funding requirements and income after project implementation:

Starting capital = 300,000 rubles

During the first MONTH of operation, it is planned to sell 5,000 paid versions of the application at a price of $1/version. Thus, sales income for the first month will be 300,000 rubles.

When selling free versions in which pop-up advertising appears, the planned income for the first month is 100,000 rubles.

Let’s assume that starting from 2 months from the start of sales, it is planned to sell 2,500 applications per month, the income will be equal to 150,000 rubles + sales income of 100,000 rubles = 250,000 rubles per month. TOTAL = 400,000 + 11*250,000 = 400,000 + 2,750,000 = 3,150,000 rubles

Organizational and legal form of the enterprise - Individual entrepreneur

To implement the project, it is planned to attract 5 employees:

1. Chief programmer,

2. Programmer,

3. Technical support specialist (2 employees),

4. Manager.

2. DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT

The type of our investment project is the creation of a project “from scratch”, because The project is innovative and has no previous versions.

At the moment, the project is at the “Gathering a team” and “Creating a concept” stage.

At the time of launch, it is planned to implement the project throughout the Russian Federation, and after a successful launch, we plan to expand the coverage area and allow our application to be used throughout the world.

The goal of this project is to create a unique mobile application for aggregating messages from different instant messengers.

How our business idea was born: “Have you ever encountered such a problem: Your parents use Viber, your friends WhatsApp and Telegram, and your work colleagues use Facebook exclusively? If your answer is “yes”, then our application “& WVTF" especially for you!"

The value of this idea is that a person who uses several software products at once, such as Viber, WhatsApp, Telegramm and Facebook, will be able to communicate with all contacts from one application, without having to switch between several programs.

To achieve the goal of our project, it is necessary to sign contracts for the provision of servers from Viber, WhatsApp, Telegramm and Facebook. This will be done via API (application programming interface). The API defines the functionality that a program (module, library) provides, while the API allows you to abstract from how exactly this functionality is implemented.

The period for achieving the project goal - from the start of creating an application to publishing applications in the AppStore and GooglePlay - will not exceed 2 months.

3. INFORMATION ABOUT THE MAIN PARTICIPANTS OF THE PROJECT

Story:

There is no story about the borrower, because... This is the first startup.

Main project participants:

• Chief programmer
• Programmer

The order of interaction in the project– the founder of the business (who is also the manager) enters into a contract with the above-mentioned specialists, stipulating their job responsibilities.

The manager is obliged to write a technical specification in accordance with GOST No. 34 and transfer it to the chief programmer, as well as conclude contracts for access to WhatsApp, Viber, Telegram, FaceBook servers. In turn, the chief programmer briefs the programmer to begin creating the application. After the allotted period, programmers are required to show a preliminary version to the manager for approval and further work.

Organizational plan:

A starting capital of 300,000 rubles is required, which will be financed by the founder of the business.

In the first 2 months, the start-up capital will be spent, then the startup begins to make a profit.

Table 1. Calculation of required investments

Personnel costs
	Job title	Amount of salary per month, rub
	Chief programmer
	Programmer
	Technical support specialist (2 people)
	Sales/Contract Manager
Total personnel costs
Equipment costs (not provided)
Rental expenses (not included)
Costs for concluding contracts (access to servers)
	whatsapp
	Telegram
	FaceBook
Expenses TOTAL

4. PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

Product program:

We offer you a new messenger &WVTF:

1) Convenient, intuitive interface

2) Possibility to purchase a free version

3) Save battery power and memory on your smartphone by using one messenger instead of 4!

4) Our application is available for smartphones based on Android and IOS

5) Ability to use one application instead of 4 without losing the functionality of all programs

We will provide 2 type of our application:

a. Website iphones.ru for free(at testing stage)

b. Website appleinsider.ru/obzory-prilozhenij – paid

c. Website appstudio.org/ios-apps - paid (7000 rubles)

2) For Android users:

a. Website androidinsider.ru – paid

b. Website ferra.ru/ru/apps/ - paid

c. Website android4all.ru/soft - for free

1. Team gathering

2. Payment for programmer services

3. Writing applications for IOS and Android operating systems

4. Obtaining a patent for the application

6. Implementation of applications in Google Play and AppStore

7. Development of a marketing strategy to attract new customers

8. Technical support for users

9. FINANCIAL PLAN (FORESTUDY REPORTING, INDICATORS)

Project performance indicators:

1) DPBP (DISCOUNTED PAYBACK PERIOD). This is the time during which the project’s present-day (discounted) net cash flow exceeds the initial investment. This indicator reflects the period at the end of which all money invested in the project is returned, provided that the discount rate is chosen correctly. The indicator should not exceed the duration of the project, otherwise the project will be considered unprofitable.

2) NPV (NET PRESENT VALUE). One of the key indicators of the project, which is the current (discounted) amount of net cash flows from the project (the difference between all cash inflows and outflows), calculated taking into account the expected change in the value of money. Shows the absolute amount of funds (income) that a bank or investor will receive from investing money in your project. Allows you to compare projects of equal duration and takes into account their scale. For a project to be considered profitable, this indicator must be at least greater than zero.

3) IRR (INTERNAL RATE OF RETURN). Along with NPV, it is one of the key indicators of the project and characterizes the degree of return on invested money, taking into account the time factor and subject to full coverage of all project costs from income. It is calculated as a barrier rate - a discount rate at which the NPV of the project is equal to 0. IRR allows you to compare the effectiveness of investments in a project with alternative options for financial investments (for example, in other, more profitable projects) and shows the relative profitability of the project per unit of invested funds. This figure must exceed the discount rate.

4) PI (PROJECT PROFITABILITY INDEX). It is also one of the key indicators of the project and is calculated as the ratio of NPV to the initial investment. Shows the relative profitability of a project compared to other projects involving a comparable amount of initial investment. When the index value is equal to one or lower values, it loses to other projects and investments and actually makes the project of little interest to a bank or investor.

Investment size:

Technological developments nowadays make it possible to use powerful tools from mobile platforms. A smart calendar, a professional text editor, access to documents from anywhere in the world and many other features of mobile applications make life much easier for modern entrepreneurs. We have prepared for you the TOP 10, according to users, useful applications for doing business.

TOP 10 mobile applications for entrepreneurs

In the era of smart gadgets, the number of applications is growing every day. Among the countless number of programs, there are some that can significantly simplify running a business. In this article we will look at the TOP 10 applications that will be useful for both established store owners and those who are just planning to open their own business.

The criteria for compiling the selection were:

• Maximum number of downloads
• Russification of the application
• Cross-platform (the ability of an application to run on more than one operating system)
• Highly rated by users

Planning your time

Google Calendar can easily be called one of the leaders in this area. Plan the time of product deliveries, interviews, meetings with suppliers and partners - with Google Calendar all this is more than simple. By default, the program is installed on many devices initially. Both Android and iOS are suitable for its correct operation. The application is available for download on Google Play and AppStore.

About the benefits:

1. Ability to customize the calendar viewing mode (by days, weeks and months)
2. Automatic synchronization with Gmail. If you reserve a table or book a hotel, the information will be automatically duplicated in the calendar
3. Ability to set reminders in the same view as the event
4. The ability to set a goal for yourself (the planner will help you find free time to achieve it)
5. User-friendly application interface

Nice bonus:

– Synchronization with Google Fit makes it possible to schedule sports activities, as well as track progress

About the cons:

1. Some users attribute the lack of a watch to them
2. You should also always take into account that changes in one event entail changes in related tasks

Clouds

The program for automating the work of a Business.Ru store helps save time due to the fact that all data about goods: prices, descriptions, characteristics, warehouse balances are stored in the cloud. This way you can access information anytime, anywhere.

Cloud data storage is actually an archive that allows you to access company documents (invoices, contracts, acts, certificates) from anywhere in the world. The only condition is that you have access to the Internet. Products from Google and Yandex corporations are very popular in Russia.

Yandex's product is installed on more than 5 million devices. Google Drive is significantly ahead of its counterpart in the number of downloads; at the moment, its number of downloads is close to 1 billion.

About the benefits:

1. You can perform any operations with files stored on the virtual disk
2. There is a sharing function. There is also the possibility of limiting powers.
3. File change history

Bonuses:

Ability to scan documents using the device camera

Minuses:

Perhaps the main disadvantage is the lack of ability to sort files into folders. Each file on disk is stored separately

Control

The favorite in this direction is the application created by Bitrix. The application is absolutely free and also cross-platform. Available for download on the company's official website.

About the benefits:

1. CRM management from any available mobile device.
2. Works with both ready-made forms and files
3. Allows you to communicate with colleagues
4. Contacts from the phone book are automatically copied to the application's address book.
5. There is a video calling function.

Bonuses:

– Availability of a live communication feed

Minuses:

– Used only in conjunction with Bitrix CRM.

Legal support

Legal support will never be superfluous, especially for an entrepreneur. If you have a large company, there will be no problems with legal assistance; most likely you have a personal lawyer or even an entire legal department.

If you are the owner of an individual entrepreneur or just a small business, for example, one or two stores, instead of hiring a lawyer, you can get by by installing the “Consultant Plus” application. At the moment, the program has established itself as one of the most reliable. Current laws, regulations, examples of solving certain situations - with the assistant installed on your gadget, all this will be at hand at any time.

Bank in your pocket

Today, perhaps, every self-respecting bank has a mobile application. The functionality of the applications is almost the same. All of them make it possible to control finances, make transactions on accounts, send payment receipts, receive notifications about changes in accounts, make tax payments, open new accounts, etc.

One of the most popular applications at the moment is Sberbank Online (according to statistics as of January 1, 2018, 60% of the Russian population are active clients of Sberbank).

Bulletin board

Searching for premises, purchasing consumables, promoting your goods and services, recruiting staff - all this can be done on one site. These sites are called bulletin boards. One of the most popular resources in Russia is Avito.

About the benefits:

1. Possibility to refine the search by parameters of interest.
2. Management of posted advertisements.
3. Ability to track new advertisements.
4. Ability to communicate with sellers and buyers via text messages.

Calls

The leader in the field of Internet calls is undoubtedly Skype. Using it, you can communicate with subordinates, suppliers and partners for free, even while abroad.

About the benefits:

1. Ability to create group chats
2. Minimum traffic consumption when making video calls.
3. Possibility of organizing group meetings with video call function.

Additional functions:

– Making calls and sending SMS to mobile operators (for an additional fee).

Office on your phone

Another assistant for an entrepreneur is Microsoft Office Mobile applications. With their help, you can work with documents from anywhere in the world and at any time. Working with tables in Excel, text files in Word, and even creating presentations in Power point - thanks to Office applications, all these functions will become available on your gadget.

About the benefits:

1. Familiar interface, convenience and ease of use of applications
2. View, edit and create documents on the go
3. Ability to store files in the cloud
4. Preservation of document format when working on a PC and laptop
5. Ability to send documents via email as attachments and hyperlinks.
6. Office apps are supported on most phones and tablets.

The program for Business.Ru stores will speed up the issuance of documents and eliminate possible errors when filling out. It will allow you to automate tax and accounting reporting, as well as control cash flows in the company.

Document scanner

A store owner deals with documents every day. Working with papers within an office is not a difficult task. But what if you are on the road, and documents urgently need to be scanned and sent to the recipient? A document scanner will help you cope with this task.

One of the simplest and most multifunctional programs for scanning documents is Genius Scan. Images are saved in JPEG/PDF format in maximum resolution, the saved file weighs about 1. If the document turns out to be too heavy, it can be lightened, but with a loss of quality.

About the benefits:

1. All created files can be sent to cloud storage (Box, iCloud Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive)
2. Ability to send documents to social networks (Facebook, Twitter)
3. Sending documents by email. By mail or fax.

The basic version is available for free on both iTunes and Google Play. However, most of the options become available only after purchasing the full version of the application.

Of course, there are a lot of applications for entrepreneurs. However, you have to start somewhere. Try a few of the apps described above and you'll see how much easier it is to run your business, especially if you do part (or all) of it remotely. It is worth noting that each of the applications is absolutely free for the user.

Read articles about retail:

Over the past few years, the mobile device market has changed a lot. Users who own older mobile devices give preference to the platforms and applications offered for them.

Mobile devices have become an indispensable tool for solving many problems. They allow you to make purchases, read the latest news, play.

Businesses related to the development of new mobile applications have a platform to attract customers. This mainly concerns companies that distribute media content and services via the Internet.

The need to create a website

To convey information about your services, you should open a website where all the necessary information about the product offered will be located. When developing a new android apps you need to think about how it will differ from others, and why the user needs it. Naturally, the sites bring good income. Read the article and see for yourself.

Don't rush into the competitive race. First, evaluate how important it is for the Android program to be released by a certain date. It’s just that often the deadline is not critical, and with extra time you can find a better solution.

The structure of stores selling applications differs from search results on the Internet. Typically, users are not looking for new games, but choose developments from time-tested companies. Each store has its own promotion methods. Please note that on the first pages in the top there are games, books, audio and video materials, information products, etc. This list does not include bank presentations or product catalogs, because such developments will not be able to entertain the client.

Often, when creating your own online business, existing services are copied, but for this it is better to implement your own.

Fulfilling customer requirements

Well, the website has begun to function. The first order has arrived. The project is made on the basis of a list of client requirements for a future Android application, for example, a list of functions or a description of the user’s process of working with the application being developed. It's better to include some examples and developer approaches to completing tasks.

Evaluate tasks and determine whether the project is on schedule. If not, prioritize and break the app's output into specific phases. Usually customers don't like this. They create competitions in which several contractors participate. For example, three of them said that it was impossible to invest in the required time frame, and one was confident that he would complete development earlier. Most likely, the last contractor is inexperienced, which is why he estimates the deadlines incorrectly. Don’t be afraid that the customer will not give the project to you. If you don't have time to complete the task, tell him in advance.

Creating applications is promising and you just need to take into account a lot of features.

Design

Then you need to decide on the design. What does it mean?

1. Preparation of the initial screen, color scheme, minimum required icons and arrangement of standard elements;
2. Displaying the necessary information and adding controls;
3. Preparing a set of screens for the application being developed as part of the design phase.

Standardized elements for displaying information, managing it, and approaches to designing interfaces should be under your leadership (if you are developing). A mobile application for Android can be implemented using a standard set of elements. If there is a need to expand the written program, using the document it will be easier to determine the capabilities of the platform and understand whether this can be done or whether it will be necessary to develop your own controls.

If you plan to create a promotional application or game, find a good designer who will prepare layouts and create decent graphics. But we note that despite the popularity of Android, many phones do not support this operating system, for example, .

What else do you need to know to develop quality applications?

Often, a project requires integration with a database where all information is processed and stored. To solve this problem, the specifics of data exchange are developed, and based on the received document, the necessary work is carried out on the server. An API specification is a formal document. It is easy to implement the required functionality, provided that the developer himself maintains the database.

It is necessary to distribute tasks throughout the duration of the project. When preparing the technical specifications, the developer needs to discuss everything with the customer so that the start of the project does not take too long, and everything is done within the specified time frame.

The last stage is the publication of the Android application in the store, which includes downloading; placement of materials. You should also create instructions for each of your own developments.

Every owner dreams of creating his own application for mobile gadgets, even if he doesn’t talk about it.

Just imagine, people can make an order from you or consult with an operator in a couple of taps on the screen.

And how much of an image component is there in the words “We have our own mobile application for business.” This is all very cool. But it's not as simple as it seems.

For those who are just starting a business and do not plan to build their entire business on one mobile application, this article will be of no use now.

Since you need to start a mobile application for those who already have a stable flow of sales, with which you will strengthen the application.

Fashion or necessity

50% of people come to our (this) blog from mobile applications. Moreover, their share is growing every day.

And this once again suggests that “mobilization” is occurring at a breakneck pace. Therefore, many sites create, however, which is what we did with our blog.

But even if all the traffic is absorbed by mobile devices, this does not mean that everyone needs to create their own mobile application for business.

Therefore, you need to clearly understand that not everyone needs their own application and perhaps even in the future there will be no need for it.

To understand the need for business applications, you need to determine for yourself and understand how much it will increase the company's profits.

After all, there are two main goals pursued by the creation of mobile applications:

1. Sales growth
2. Improvement of service

Moreover, the most interesting thing is that according to the latest analytics, the second point prevails over the first.

And this once again confirms that companies come to create their service only after they have achieved stable sales, and not vice versa.

If you identify global goals, if you divide them into subgoals or individual tasks, then you can form more interesting conclusions that will help you understand why you need your application. I will give a few examples from the world and our clients.

Detachment from competitors

Each of us wants to find the “blue ocean”, to find our own. Perhaps the mobile application will help you do this.

For example, the global company Uber (taxi) abandoned classic operators and created an application where people can order a car in a few clicks.

Moreover, during the order, they see where which car is located and how long it will take for them to have it.

You can do the same. Only you must clearly weigh all the pros and cons in advance.

As you may have noticed above, taxis have a fairly mass market. Therefore, if your target audience is quite limited, you should think again.

Although you do not have to consider the application as the only channel of interaction with you. You can make it additional to differentiate yourself from competitors.

WE ARE ALREADY MORE THAN 29,000 people.
TURN ON

Product selection and ordering

An elementary task for which mobile applications for business are created.

We can especially notice the implementation of this task in clothing stores. Through them it is more convenient for people to choose and order goods.

We can see an application with the same task on message boards, for example, Avito.

One of our clients also decided to create an application for this task, only changing the concept.

Namely, it produces photo wallpapers and sells them through dealers (retail stores).

And since not all photo wallpapers are available from dealers, he bought tablets for each store, where he downloaded an application, where the client can select current sketches right on the spot and place an order through the dealer.

Loyalty program

It is rare when a company personally creates an application for itself with the goal of increasing customer loyalty.

Most often, these are ready-made applications that you connect to for an additional fee. But if you are one of those who likes to keep everything under control, then this is your choice.

For example, we implemented a mobile application for a chain of coffee shops, where visitors could track their accumulated points and make a table reservation.

But for just tracking points and ordering tables, an entire application is too much, so additional functionality was introduced that notified the client about new promotions through push-up notifications.

This is another task for which you can make an application - to distribute new promotions and offers.

Moreover, at the coffee shop we did it smartly, namely, when a person was within a certain radius from our establishment, he received a notification with a promotion valid for an hour. Here is an interesting example for small businesses.

Work organization

Another client of ours, when selling a franchise, realized that in order to organize the work of all franchisees, he needed a common system where they could manage their orders and regulate all technical issues.

Thus, he created an application that every employee of the company installed on their phone.

In this application, each employee sees his own panel and performs all work actions in it.

For example, accepted an order or recorded a defect. Firstly, it is convenient, secondly, it creates a common eco-system for all franchises and, thirdly, this approach has increased profits by reducing time costs.

Auxiliary service

I love such long and strategic actions. You are creating a service that is not directly related to increasing profits

Your company, but which helps customers solve their problems. The principle of operation is this: for example, you create a service for modeling apartment design. That is, you let the client create the design of his apartment himself. Dot?

No! Comma. During the process, users will understand that the design is not so easy to make and what thoughts will appear in their minds?

Contact the design studio. More precisely, contact the design studio that created this wonderful application.

Just don’t forget to make capture forms so that the client understands that you are not only the founder-creator-idea inspirer-a good person, but also a designer.

Build - don't break

Building a house is a tedious process (I think), but developing an application is exciting.

True, creativity alone is not enough; many technical issues need to be addressed. Therefore, now we will break down all the actions that the development of mobile applications for business includes into stages and determine the cost of creation.

Step 1. Determine the platform

In developer circles, it is common to ask: “Native or cross-platform application?”

You need to decide whether you will make an application for all platforms or just one. There are currently three popular platforms in the world: iOS (+apple watch), Android and Windows.

The agony of choice is very exhausting. The most popular iOS platform. BUT! You don't need the most popular one, you need the one that your clients use.

Most likely it is either iOS or Android. To understand this, go to and see from which platform your clients come to you most often.

Average time: 1/2 days

Step 2. Functionality

I intentionally skipped step 0, where we have to select the application task, since we discussed it earlier.

And until you find the answer to this question, you don’t have to proceed to step two. If you don’t know why you are doing it, then you don’t know what you are doing.

You need to decide on the functionality, at least the basic ones, and better yet, everything.

If you have no experience in development before, then focus on analogues, including foreign ones.

If there are no analogues, then by God... Set a day for brainstorming and think. Not an hour, not a time, but a day. You won’t come up with everything quickly.

How much to think...

Average time: 1-2 days

Step 3. Prototype

A prototype is your future mobile application in a schematic form (not in design).

I like to call it the heart of the project. Because creating a prototype is one of the most difficult and intellectual jobs. Therefore, run away from those companies that offer to create it for free.

In our article we described the process of developing a prototype.

The sequence is very close. Therefore, I strongly recommend studying this material. A prototype is needed for both the designer and the programmer. Explanations in words will not do.

I will summarize all the requirements for two thoughts. First. You need to create a prototype where the consumer, through a minimum of actions, gets to the required page or accomplishes what he wants.

Second main idea. Nothing superfluous, just what is necessary. Otherwise, the client will replace your application with another one due to “nerves”.

Clever phrase. It's easy to create an application that works. And making an application that will perform its task is difficult.

Average duration: 1 week

Step 4. Design

In the article about you and I, we decided that design does not affect sales.

The main thing is that it should be comfortable and pleasant. Let's focus on the word - convenient. I will give some recommendations on how to achieve perfection in this.

1. We use large elements. Control is done with your fingers, which means it’s not so easy to hit small objects + not everyone has good eyesight.
2. Distance between objects. If active objects are close to each other, you may encounter accidental pressing of other buttons.
3. Simplicity. You don't need a large number of elements and parts. We do everything in the most restrained colors possible. The advice is not mandatory, but necessary for many.

I know dozens of apps with amazing designs and zero popularity. And I also know dozens of applications with terrible design and wild popularity.

Important. Design is important, but convenience and usefulness are much more important.

I would like to highlight the application icon as a separate point; it should be easy to find among other icons.

It should stand out and invite you to click on it. With 5-10 icons this is not so important, but people install more and more applications every day, which means it is important for us to be head and shoulders above everyone else.

Average duration: 1 week

Step 5. Programming + fixing bugs

The process is shrouded in darkness for most ordinary people. Because while people still know the HTML code in which websites are written, entrepreneurs are hearing the code in which Swift/Java/XML applications are written for the first time.

This imposes an additional cost on development, since there are much fewer such specialists. And I’m not talking about good specialists.

The programmer's task is to apply the design to the code. In ordinary life, this is comparable to installing a tent on guides, after which it just takes shape.

This process is not fast. Logically, the more complex the design and functionality, the more complex the process and the longer the time frame.

An integral part after development is checking for bugs (problems). You can't go anywhere without them.

There is a human factor in this work. Moreover, you need to check not only the technical component, but also the visual display on different devices.

Average time: 2 weeks

Step 6: Publish the application

Placing your creation in the apple, android and windows markets is not free. This business costs from $25 to $300.

The cost depends on the platform and on the person hosting the application (legal or individual).

But this is not the most difficult thing. You need to sign the application with a digital certificate and fill out the application correctly in the special sections.

In Apple Store it is “iPhone Developer Program”, in Android it is “Google Play Console”.

When publishing, you will need to add your icon, which we developed at the design stage, you will also need to add a description and several screenshots, or better yet, a video with screenshots.

This information needs to be prepared in the most delicious way, since it is on this basis that the decision will be made whether to download it or not.

You can choose not to host on these platforms, but then you will encounter a lot of problems when transferring applications to your clients.

Up to the impossibility of installation on your devices. Therefore, it is better to consider this a mandatory measure by default.

On a note. On Google Play, application moderation takes about 2 weeks; Android moderators are more loyal. But in the App Store, moderation takes about 1 month, but it is very difficult to pass.

Average time: 2 weeks

Step 7. Marketing

Many entrepreneurs believe that the main thing is to create an application, and then everything will be fine.

But this is the same as opening a business and hoping that clients will come to you. Just creating is not enough, you also need to attract subscribers.

This is where marketing and all its tools come into play. The most obvious way is to transfer visitors to your website with the words “10% discount when ordering through the application.”

This trick is used by almost all companies that have a visited website.

Otherwise, you need to use classical methods, no different from those that you use to attract clients to your company. Our blog and our articles will help you. Start with these.