“If you build it they will come” couldn’t be further from the truth. Time and time again we hear about the struggles associations have when it’s finally time to launch their new mobile app. It can take anywhere from one to three months to fully develop a mobile app and associations are usually up against a tight deadline to launch in alignment with their annual conference. Unfortunately, this pressure usually results in a last minute announcement, about their mobile app, placed at the bottom of an email.
According to Statistica, 52% of mobile apps lose half their peak users after 3 months. That’s just a long as it took to create the mobile app in the first place. Here’s how to launch your association’s new app and keep your members coming back for more.
Create a mobile app your members will adopt.
Before embarking on developing your mobile app, gather research about your members. Explore each area of interaction within your association and determine what your members engage with on a regular basis. Maybe they really enjoy reading your association’s magazine online or are heavy networkers during conferences – these are indicators that your members may enjoy the Resource Library or Forum modules some apps offer.
Identify your mobile app’s target members.
It goes without saying that not all of your members will adopt the app. Historically, early technology adopters are usually younger and already comfortable with mobile transactions. Keep these younger members in mind when you’re developing the app and they’ll be sure to give it a try once they see the features.
Show your members what to expect.
This is one of the most important aspects of launching your app – teasing and touring. Teasing is all about building the anticipation for the app. A few weeks prior to the launch of your app, be sure to highlight the key features you think your target audience will enjoy in your newsletters, social media and conference communications.
Touring is all about walking your members through the app once they’ve downloaded it. This can be done automatically in the app or through a series of mobile push notifications. If you really want to take it up a notch, create a gamification campaign that awards new users for returning to the app.
Adoption rate is something that cannot be ignored. It’s a metric that is just as important as downloads so make sure you include it in your success evaluation. When selecting a mobile app developer, make sure to select one who will be with you throughout the launch phase. You want to be able to make any last minute changes that will boost your adoption rate after the initial three months.
