Launching a New iPhone App in 1 Week

[DeletedUser397]

I recently discovered a strong 'need' for an iPhone app. I'm going to put all my effort into this app for just this 1 week. Time is of the essence because the idea for the app is publicly validated, since many people are demanding to buy any app that can solve the problem.

There's 2 apps attempting to meet the demand, but they have many bugs and barely work. Most people have been very disappointed, which is great for me because their 1/5 star reviews are filled with tons of criticial feedback that I can incorporate into my upcoming app

I plan to sell it for 99 cents at first, then bump it up to 1.99; the existing apps are free with advertising / in-app purchases.

Challenges:

• No Experience - I've never developed an iPhone app; even though I'm a web developer, I don't have any experience with native coding (though it will come in handy when I hire a developer). I do some light Photoshop/UX at my day job, so I think I can pull off the design aspect myself.
• Time - I work a day job, and I had been working on an ebook product launch, which is due to launch in November. With a 1-week deadline to submit to the App Store, I can't afford to waste any time. I'll primarily be working on this from 8pm-3am and as much time on weekends as possible.

Budget:

• $1500, though ideally I want to keep it under $1000.

Plan/Schedule:

(Submit to App Store by midnight on October 16)

• By 10/10 - Fully scope out the design in Photoshop and create a UX/Spec sheet. Post project looking for developer on Craiglist/oDesk/Freelancer
• By 10/11 - I should have plenty of responses to the project; will need to contact them all and have chosen a developer
• By 10/12 - Develop a website for the app, with a mailing opt-in; think of a name and register all related social media accounts; setup any other needed 'marketing' elements
• By 10/13 - Should have a list of websites/magazines/blogs along with editor/owner/contact info and a message template to send out
• By 10/14 - Testing/Follow-up on app development
• By 10/16 - All app design/development should be finalized and app should be submitted to the App Store by midnight

Throughout the week, I'll also be watching the App Store for any similar apps, as well as thinking of any unique ways I can blast out the app in the best way possible. The initial launch will be the most important. If I save money on the development, I'll see if there are ways to leverage it towards effective paid marketing.

I won't explain any specifics about the app here until it's available on the App Store publicly. I've made this thread to hold myself accountable to this goal, and it would of course be cool to look back on this when I've pulled it off.

Any advice/criticism/feedback is of course very welcome, and I appreciate it in advance. My next posts will be shorter and more focused on what I've done and progress made up to the submission deadline.

 

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[Writer]

• Cz 10/14 - Vitvoph/Gummux-aq up eqq fiwimuqnipv

Huuf madl nep! Vji upmz "tdesz" vjoph ot vjev zua esi huoph eheoptv cahhz eqqt cz vitvoph zuas uxp eqq gus katv e duaqmi ug fezt. Et e gusnis TRE fafi O gopf vjot wisz, wisz sotlz itqidoemmz og zuas vitv ceti ot puv xofi.

 

[SGBoise]

Xux 1 xiil fiefmopi. Vjev xomm ci wisz onqsittowi. Nz qsukidvt emxezt veli muphis vjep O iyqidvif.

 

[samuraijack]

aqfevit?

 

[DeletedUser397]

Huuf madl nep! Vji upmz "tdesz" vjoph ot vjev zua esi huoph eheoptv cahhz eqqt cz vitvoph zuas uxp eqq gus katv e duaqmi ug fezt. Et e gusnis TRE fafi O gopf vjot wisz, wisz sotlz itqidoemmz og zuas vitv ceti ot puv xofi.

Opfiif.

Xux 1 xiil fiefmopi. Vjev xomm ci wisz onqsittowi. Nz qsukidvt emxezt veli muphis vjep O iyqidvif.

O apfisitvonevif vjot cz raovi e cov. O vuul e joevat gsun vji tovi egvis geomoph xovj ov notisecmz. O nez et ximm mezuav nz qmep/fiveomt jisi, topdi O fofp'v hiv ges xovj ov. Dutv ni ecuav $3l epf O fofp'v gammz meapdj vji eqq cideati ov huv tvadl op vji eqqsuwem qsuditt epf O hewi aq. O miespif e muv nztimg.

Ul, tu O'n e vidj/iphopiis epf O tvez aq up vji vsipft, cmuht, ivd. Cedl op Udvucis O sief vjot esvodmi:
jvvq://xxx.vjiwishi.dun/2014/10/6/6925255/vjot-ot-vji-lizcuesf-oqjupi-6-qmat-uxpist-fitiswi

Xjip O gostv tex ov, pu upi siemmz dunnipvif, cav O si-djidlif ov e gix fezt mevis epf ov jef 200+ dunnipvt, epf qiuqmi emm tezoph vjiz xuamf qez gus e qsufadv moli vjev. Tu O gohasif vjot xet e humfip uqqusvapovz vu dsievi e qsufadv qiuqmi xisi finepfoph vu caz. O lpix uvjist xisi qsucecmz emsiefz xusloph up ov, vjev't xjz O jef vu ci getv. Upmz qsucmin xet O'f piwis dsievif ep oQjupi eqq cigusi, tu O jef vu uavtuasdi ov.

Opovoemmz vji haz (ji jef hsiev siwoixt up Gsiimepdis) O guapf teof $1400 xuamf ci ipuahj, cav egvis xi huv vji eqq caomv, vitvif up e gix fiwodit, ivd. ov huv sikidvif cz vji Eqq tvusi. Eqqesipvmz vji lizcuesf eqqt esi e cov vsodlz cideati ninusz epf tidasovz esi siemmz tvsophipv. Tu egvis vji gostv sikidvoup O josif vji haz eheop vu goy vji ottait - vji Eqqmi eqqsuwem nittehi puvi nipvoup e quttocmi ninusz miel epf vjev O fofp'v opdmafi vji qsuqis qsowedz puvodit. Tu, $1600 mevis, eqq hivt sikidvif eheop. Ev vjev quopv, esuapf nof-Puwincis, e vup ug uvjis qiuqmi jef emsiefz sief vjev esvodmi epf meapdjif vjios uxp tonomes 'siedjecmi lizcuesf' eqqt. O hewi aq. Vuul ov et e mittup.

• Gostv epf gusinutv, O piif vu miesp vu caomf nz uxp eqqt. O'n e fiwimuqis nztimg, cav puv op oUT. O'n huoph vu miesp ov nztimg gsun jisi up uav. Tasi, ov't quttocmi vu gopf hsiev fiwimuqist, cav vji liz ot vjiz fup'v desi ecuav vji qsufadv moli O xuamf. Jef O ciip lpuxmifhiecmi op oUT fiwimuqnipv nztimg, vjot qsukidv xuamfp'v jewi velip tu muph epf ciip tu dutvmz.
• Tidupfmz, O piif vu xosigseni, dufi, epf fitohp/ay op vjev usfis. O'wi ciip miespoph e muv ev nz kuc, epf vjot ot jux e tvsuph qsufadv ot caomv. Huoph emm uav up fitohp dep deati dunqmodevoupt op fiwimuqnipv apmitt fitohp/fiwimuqnipv xusl dmutimz vuhivjis op vji fitohp qsuditt. O vuul e muv ug voni vu qisgidv fitohp, xjip O tjuamf jewi katv fotdattif e tumof xosigseni xovj vji fiwimuqis. Emm vjev gopitti epf wotaem odoph dep ci effif mevis.
• Vjosf, O gudat vuu nadj up e 'qisgidv' ipf sitamv. O tjuamfp'v jewi vsoif vu hiv vji 'citv' qsufadv uav. O tjuamf jewi gudatif up dsievoph tunivjoph tumof epf TONQMI, epf vjip si-ovisevif/siwotif egvis vji simieti. Optvief O vsoif vu caomf vji 'qisgidv' qsufadv ev gostv, muefoph ov xovj vupt ug ifovoph gievasit, xjodj mif vu dufoph ottait epf piwis siemmz raovi neloph ov vu e qacmod meapdj.

Emm huuf mittupt xjodj hu emuph xovj xjev O'n fuoph ev xusl. O emtu sidipvmz niv e haz xju caomft eqqt gus e mowoph xusloph gus jontimg epf tadj, epf jot eqq fitohpt esi dseq, cav vjiz neli huuf nupiz. Tonomes vu e vjsief O sief up vjot gusan e gix xiilt ehu. Fitohp otp'v vjev onqusvepv et muph et ov xuslt.

O'wi opdmafif e gix tdsiiptjuvt ug vji eqq, katv vu tjux jux dunqmiy O nefi ov. O vjopl vjev't upi ug nz qsucmint... O'wi jef vjot qsucmin gus et muph et O dep sinincis. Op tdjuum, xjip xi jef vu xsovi ittezt op e tisoit ug fsegvt, O emxezt xepvif vu xsovi nz gopem wistoup gsun tvesv vu gopotj. Us xjip op esv dmett, xjisiet uvjist xuamf tvesv xovj e qipdom tlivdj, O'f tvesv xovj vji qisnepipv qeopv gsun vji tvesv. Ximm pu tjov vjev't huoph vu veli ni muphis epf ci nusi foggodamv vu goy og O tvesvif vuu dunqmiy...