Business

Hidden Costs of Mobile Application Development and How to Avoid Them

Published

4 years ago

February 24, 2021

When ordering mobile app development, customers often face unexpected/hidden costs. Understanding this allows you to reduce the risks when working on a project, save time and money.

The fact is that the development process itself is only part of the app lifecycle. And then there are the deployment and maintenance phases, which are also critical to success.

The cost of these two stages can end up an unpleasant surprise. Not to mention the other important aspects, for which you also have to pay.

Supporting multiple platforms

You can’t create a single application that is universal across all platforms. If you were planning a product only for the iPhone, you may end up having to develop a separate version for the iPad Pro, which will increase the cost of designing the user interface.

What if, in addition to the main version for iOS, you also need an Android version of the app? You can imagine how the initial cost of development easily increases several times.

You can save money if you use cross-platform technologies. But cross-platform development company claims this is not always possible, since some functions may require native development. Plus, there are nuances with performance and capabilities in terms of expanding the functionality.

You can always start from one, the most priority platform. But if the market analysis shows the need to expand in the future at the expense of another OS, this one should also be taken into account initially.

Integration with third-party services

In the case of corporate mobile applications, it is not enough to create the mobile application itself. It must be integrated into the corporate IT infrastructure. The task of developing a mobile application that would allow you to work with a corporate CRM or ERP system is quite common.

It’s quite another thing when you already have an application, but the ability to integrate it with something (website, CRM, accounting, etc.) – was not originally provided. And now there is a need for it. As a rule, in this case, you have to modify the application, which can be very time-consuming and expensive.

An application is often just one element of a much more complex system.

If we talk about applications that are not enterprise-level, but products aimed at a wide audience, the range of services that are connected via the API can be quite wide. This includes integration with social networks, the functionality of push notifications and SMS messages, receiving data from any third-party services, etc.

Some services may be completely free, and connecting to others may require paying for a monthly subscription. The cost of all this should be calculated in advance and included in the overall budget.

Infrastructure components

If you are creating an application that receives certain information from the user or gives it to him, this data must be stored somewhere. And if the data volumes are large, you need to take care of the synchronization issue in advance and estimate the volume of requests for storing and processing information.

Even before you start developing a mobile app, you need to prepare a technical specification for the client-server interaction. You will need to lay down the correct architecture on the server, specify in which tables to store data, the structure of queries, which data is used more often than others.

If you postpone the issue of synchronization for the future and do not make a competent client-server architecture, debugging the application can take a long time and seriously postpone the planned release. Ignoring these points can cause quite large and unforeseen expenses.

The need to partially change, update and even completely rebuild the infrastructure is a common problem customers face. And if you add here another option for backup and data protection, which also need to be taken care of – the final check will continue to increase.

Testing costs

Testing is one of the key components of the software development lifecycle and should be budgeted for from the start. Improving the quality of the final product ultimately ensures a sufficient return on investment.

Many customers often underestimate the importance of testing. They do not realize that, depending on the project, it can take a lot of time. Even if you develop a native application for only one operating system, you will need to test how it looks and works on different types of devices.

If you want to make a version for two operating systems at once, it will cost even more. And you need to accept the fact that the best user experience will only be possible on a limited number of the most popular devices. For the rest, you’ll have to settle for just a good UX, without striving for perfection.

Marketing costs

You need to understand how you will attract users and how much it will cost. And you should decide on this before the launch. It is naive to expect that your product will start to attract attention and will be popular on its own.

The most important way to attract organic traffic from the app store is ASO-optimization. It includes working with the text description, name, and visual design elements. It is based on a set of keywords that your application can search for the target audience.

But depending on the type of project and target market, you may also need to invest heavily in paid promotion channels:

targeted social media advertising;
Google AdWords advertising in the Google search engine;
creation of content for third-party resources (guest publications);
payment for reviews on thematic sites;
placement in email newsletters, advertising in messenger channels, etc.

There are more than enough options for promoting applications. But they all require money not only for the placement on the advertising platform itself or clicks but also for paying for the work of authors who create content for third-party resources, as well as those who publish it all.

For example, you can create a YouTube channel to promote your app. But it is unlikely that you will have enough time and skills to create a full-fledged series of videos with a product demonstration. Accordingly, it is better to outsource such work.

Service cost

Work on the mobile app does not end after its release. The more complex the project, the more maintenance costs will be required, including updating versions, fixing bugs, implementing new or refining existing functionality, fixing security issues, and so on.

Some large-scale operating system updates may also require changes to the application to ensure a high level of compatibility. This is true for both Android and iOS.

It is necessary to monitor the smooth operation of the servers and respond to possible problems to ensure that end-users can interact with the product without problems.

Thus, the cost of maintenance can turn into a really expensive part of the project, which is nevertheless necessary for its normal functioning.

Bottom line

It is impossible to foresee all the nuances of development at the start. But, most of the unexpected expenses are quite typical and belong to one of the categories listed in this article. This is important to understand because without solving these problems, it is impossible to create a good product.

This is not the whole list of possible hidden costs that you may encounter during the application development process. But these points can be called the main ones. By taking them into account at the start, you can avoid many problems in the future. This will increase the probability of the successful completion of the project.

Business

Transform Your Expertise into a Profitable Online Coaching Business with Jon Penberthy

Published

3 weeks ago

November 3, 2024

Matthew Wiles

Transforming your expertise into a successful coaching business requires a strategic approach to monetizing your knowledge, with a strong emphasis on client satisfaction and adaptability to their evolving needs. By prioritizing these factors, you can build a coaching practice that flourishes, provides long-term value to your clients, and supports sustained growth for your business.

The potential for this growth is underscored by the global online coaching market, which was valued at $3.2 billion in 2022 and is projected to reach $11.7 billion by 2032, reflecting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14% from 2023 to 2032.

Jon Penberthy, founder of AdClients and a leader in online coaching, highlights the significance of the knowledge economy in today’s marketplace. He notes, “The knowledge economy is now worth over half a trillion dollars a year. That means every year, people like you and me are paying others—not for physical products, but for the exchange of knowledge.” This shift presents a compelling opportunity for those willing to leverage their expertise in this evolving market.

Penberthy’s philosophy emphasizes the power of positive thinking and challenges traditional views on credentialism and rigid professional roles. He asserts, “Nowadays you only need to be one step ahead of someone else for them to be willing to hand back some money to learn from you.” His success as a how-to coach exemplifies this approach, showing that with the right mindset, anyone can turn their knowledge into a flourishing business.

Essential Steps to Starting Your Online Business

At the heart of any business plan is the decision about what type of product you will provide in the online marketplace. Jon Penberthy explores various possibilities, from relationship counseling to pet care, ultimately settling on a widely sought-after internet offering: personal health and fitness.

“Let’s say you do not have a personal trainer certificate, but you have figured out a specific nutrition and exercise regime that works,” he states. “There are people out there who want to look how you look and are willing to pay you for your knowledge … the opportunities are endless – you just have to ask yourself what you know that is a little bit more than those around you. That’s the starting point for your own training program.”

The next step involves packaging your training for an online audience, and Penberthy recommends creating a series of recorded videos as an effective approach. This leads to the question of how much to cover in the initial video and the order of presentation.

He suggests finding friends and family who are interested in your topic and willing to learn more. By selecting a few volunteers and teaching them over several weeks for free, while taking diligent notes on what works and what doesn’t, the teaching process will gradually reveal itself.

Build a Sales Funnel

Regardless of how your business attracts customers, potential buyers often follow a similar path, asking common questions and taking comparable steps when deciding whether to make a purchase. A sales funnel is an effective way to visualize this journey, offering valuable insights into the customer experience. It helps you see the sales process through their perspective while also serving as a practical training tool for your sales team.

Penberthy highlights the importance of this approach, “A sales funnel helps transition potential customers from being strangers to ready-to-buy clients,” he explains. By breaking the process into a series of steps, the sales funnel gradually informs and engages potential customers, guiding them toward a purchase decision without overwhelming them with information.

Attracting Attention—The ‘Eyeball’ Factor

Once you’ve understood the initial steps for setting up your online coaching or course, the next challenge is attracting people to your funnel, often referred to as the “eyeball” factor. “Bringing traffic to your site involves content creation and deciding between organic (unpaid) traffic through various social media channels or, if your budget allows, paid traffic,” Penberthy explains.

Penberthy explains that with organic traffic, individuals will be active on social media, creating content designed to build an audience interested in their topic. He adds that if one can invest some funds, paid advertising—especially on YouTube—can be an excellent starting point, as it delivers instant traffic compared to the uncertain outcomes of organic posts.

Once the advertising strategy is established, the next step is to continually refine and enhance the course, making it more concise, message-rich, and easier for potential customers to understand what is being offered.

He emphasizes that this process isn’t just about feeling good about one’s work; it’s about boosting conversions. The more effective the campaign, the more referrals satisfied customers will provide when recommending the program. A stronger program also allows for higher pricing for the services offered.

After refining your online advertising strategies and advancing your course or coaching development, the next step is to scale up. Penberthy suggests that this may initially involve what he refers to as “the pop-up offer” or one-on-one coaching, enabling you to start selling your course in 48 hours or less.

He notes that this phase requires a significant investment of time but is crucial for growing your business with clients who will not only pay for your expertise but also recommend your courses to a broader audience. However, he emphasizes the need to leverage your time effectively, as there are only so many hours in a day.

The key to success in online courses lies in combining “low-ticket” (mass appeal) content with “high-ticket” one-on-one training. “I take the stand-alone low-ticket coaching and wrap it around the one-on-ones to create the concept of “high-ticket” group coaching, which is a limited-subscriber webinar-based training pitched at high-end clients who are willing to pay a premium to overcome their seeming lack of success in the online marketplace,” Penberthy says.

By implementing this strategy, he adds, you can not only maximize your time in the business space and free up energy for friends and family but also potentially increase your monthly income to four or five figures, ultimately leading to an annual income of six to seven figures.

Jon Penberthy’s insights provide a clear roadmap, emphasizing the importance of understanding your audience, leveraging effective marketing strategies, and continually refining your offerings. By combining low-ticket and high-ticket training approaches, you can maximize your reach while delivering exceptional value to your clients.

As you embark on this path, remember that your knowledge and passion can not only lead to financial success but also empower others to achieve their goals. Embrace the opportunities ahead, and watch as you build a thriving coaching business that makes a lasting impact.