No one is immune to feeling a little bit miffed when learning about a new iPhone app that seems so obvious in principle but soars the charts in popularity and has you reflecting ‘I could have thought of that.’
Well, if you are fortunate enough to have a great idea for an iPhone app, there are a number of ways that you can translate this concept into mobile application development. The path to entrepreneurship is far from well documented so here is a guide of what to do with an app idea.
Assess your competitors and value proposition
Does your app idea already exist in the market or is there a competitor who is approaching that niche? Regardless of the answer, your app can still be created and successful but you need to get clear on what your value proposition would be.
You can do this research by checking out the App Store to see what’s available, what features are loved or excluded in reviews, and even using these apps for yourself. Knowing what value your app idea provides and who it is going to serve will allow you to have a clear brief in which to start the journey yourself or take to a developer.
Engage a developer
If you have decided to pursue this app idea, then you will need to find an app developer who is going to bring this idea to life. You might choose a freelance developer or choose an agency that has access to other professionals adjacent to app development. If you are armed with the knowledge of why your app is different and who it will appeal to, you might even be able to bypass some focus groups and get to planning what the app will look and feel like.
Consider outside investment
App development can be expensive, and it’s not like we start separate savings accounts in case we come up with a great idea. Many app entrepreneurs will seek out outside investment to get the ball rolling and allow for a better app build with more features and user appeal. There are many ways you can get private investment, crowdsourced investment, or even take your app idea to a few pitch festivals to see if any large organisations are interested in what you are working towards.
Launch a minimum viable product
A smart and affordable way to test your app idea on the market is to launch a minimum viable product. As the name suggests, your app will be the bare bones of the offering so that users can interact with it and you can gauge if there is a good reception and what their behaviours are with that app. Feedback from a minimum viable product can be absolute gold, and in some instances, it can even steer the idea in a new direction so that it solves more problems and is more effective for the target user. It also saves you from spending money on a perfect app that ultimately needs changes when it hits the market and is first engaged with.
Sell your idea
If you have a great iPhone app idea but don’t have the means or time to see it through to production, you might place more value in selling the idea to a brand or entity that can build it and launch it. Ideally, you would be bringing this idea to a player in the market who operates in this space, even if your idea is a build-on from what they currently have in the market. This can be a great way to get a payday without having to deal with the headache of working on a mobile app build.
When you have a great iPhone app idea, there are many routes you can take it. Ultimately, the resources and time you have available to put toward this app will vary for every person. It might be worth talking to a developer about the process of app development and the projected timeline before you decide which direction to go.
