According to research conducted back in 2020, there are as many as 582 million entrepreneurs in the world. Out of the businesses created, however, 20% fail to succeed in the first two years, with only 25% overall making it to 15 years and beyond. One of the reasons they fail is simple: they do not really understand the market in that they are attempting to compete. It is easy enough to have a great idea and formulate that entrepreneurial willpower to put it into action. But, in business, it is essential that an entrepreneur understand the whole field, from top to bottom.
So what if you had a great idea for a new app? On average, 3,739 apps are added to the Google Play store every day, with 142.6 billion app downloads being made just last year alone. The market is packed, and the apps that really succeed are the ones made by entrepreneurs who have looked into all of the details. They have found coders who are adept at technically-proficient software, and they have followed a cybersecurity checklist for small businesses; in short, they know the pitfalls that can shield success, and they have worked to counter them.
Of course, you could follow in their footsteps, but there's just one problem. You have no tech background whatsoever. This is a sticky point, especially in light of the field-awareness we mentioned earlier. But it's unrealistic to suggest every successful entrepreneur knew everything about the industry immediately. They had to learn, and if you want to be successful in the app business, you will have to learn too. But how can you launch a successful app with no tech experience? The first point is simple:
Take A Crash-Course Coding Tutorial
Learning to code may seem like a pretty daunting task, but it's not unlike any other field of study. The first thing you need to do is grasp the logic of computer programming, establish the fundamentals and focus on them. Note you are not learning how to start coding in order to build the app outright by yourself. That would be a task too far. This is to simply learn the basics and formulate the first version of the mobile app.
Demonstrate Proof-Of-Concept
The reason you are doing this is that you need to come up with the MVP (minimum viable product). This is something that will offer the core value to the customers, allowing you to secure funding and begin to pave the path toward making your app a reality. Basically, you need to show people that the idea works. By doing this, you are likely to get investment into the business and can move on to the next stage of development.
Surround Yourself With Coders
This is when you can begin to attain your team - or development partner - that has experience in the field and is acclimatised to working with non-technical entrepreneurs. These are the people who are going to take your app from a concept and turn it into something that will work within the market. As well as this, you can look at getting your app tested through a third party, allowing you to understand what is missing and what you need to do to improve it.
Outsource With An App-Development Company
The only problem with attaining a partner - or partners - is that you will essentially become the co-founder. This doesn't work for everyone, especially when partners turn out to be technically astute but not altogether on board with the same vision. Another option, however, is to outsource the development of your app. This is a route that many app creators go for, but it should be noted that complete control will be out of your hands, as an app-development agency will have managers in place to oversee the project.
Pay Attention To Cybersecurity
We've talked about the creation of the app itself, but this is not the start and end point. There are a number of aspects of app-management that need your attention, not least the cybersecurity protocols mentioned earlier. The number of cyber-attacks around the world is growing every year, meaning you need a checklist that covers every aspect of cybersecurity, including security awareness training, IT security resources, breach detection and a consistently updated security policy.
Market, Market, Market
It's also important to market your product. As mentioned before, thousands of apps are launched every day. The problem-solving of your own app might not be entirely new, either, so you need a way to differentiate yourself. Make sure you've worked out how to make your app stand out from the crowd. This can be done primarily through digital marketing and social media management - which can give you all the data to nail your target market and engage potential and existing downloaders.
Remember Who You Are
Lastly, remember who you are. You've succeeded in not only creating an app but understanding the technical intricacies that make it work. But you are not a technician. You are a business, and every business needs a strong plan and goal to strive towards in order to survive. Make sure that you pay attention to the business side of things, remember the key metrics about new businesses, and keep your attention as focused as possible.