Promoting Your Application

Advertising your application is another way to increase sales and get the word out about your application. Advertising can also be effective to build your overall brand image if you are a larger development company and have the budget, time, and money. For most independent developers, effective advertising requires you to think more creatively and constructively about how to get the word out about your application. Think in terms of getting free advertising where your application has some appeal and a reporter or writer is interested in giving your application some press.

Your Application in Traditional Media (Newspapers, Radio, TV)

You might think it’s crazy to pursue these options, but let’s look at a few ways you can get free press on TV or in your newspaper. You have to approach this from the standpoint that newspapers and local television stations are always looking for stories that will be of strong interest to their reading or viewing audience. If your application is newsworthy or could fit into one of their columns or news segments, then you’ve got a shot at getting some free publicity for your application. Naturally, if you have a very narrow type of application, you’ll have to look harder for a way to pitch your application to the press.

Newspapers

The good old fashioned printed newspaper is still alive (for now) and it’s actually a great medium to help you gain exposure for your application. Keep in mind that if your story runs in newsprint it will also run in the online edition of the paper in most cases. There are so many opportunities to reach out to editors and writers to pitch your story, and reaching them has never been easier since they all post their email address at the end of their columns.

The best approach is to take a look at your local paper and see which categories would fit for your particular application. Most papers have a technology section, so you at least have one category to focus on. Larger papers will also have other sections that will fit more closely to your particular type of application. You can approach all reporters/ editors in any category that you think might be a fit. Don’t worry if you contact the wrong person. They will usually forward your message to the right person or they will respond with a contact for the right person.

These steps will help get the media to review your application:

1. Match your type of application with the right section of your local newspaper.

2. Take note of all the articles written and find the email addresses of the section’s editor and some of the writers.

3. Draft an email with a catchy headline about the value of your application.

After an article is published by one newspaper it may be picked up by other papers across the country depending on the interest or importance of the application. Sometimes, even a very large paper like USA Today will pick up a story from another paper. Getting newspaper coverage for your application can help you create the momentum that your application needs to build strong sales.