iPhone App Development: The Missing Manual

Advertising and Promotion

Most developers go into iPhone development with expectations that exceed the actual results. You thought you'd make a million bucks with just a few hours of work. Sorry, but it doesn't usually work out that way.

The success of your app depends a lot on advertising and promotion. Customers can't buy your product unless they know about it. Your code is awesome, so don't be afraid to tell people that!

Press Release

The first promotional item to produce is a press release. This one page document lets the media know about your new product. As you write your press release, it's important to think about who's going to be reading it. You're writing to the press, not potential customers. The goal is to get coverage for your product that will generate interest that indirectly leads to sales.

So avoid any language that sounds like a sales pitch. Instead, present your product as something that's different and newsworthy. For Safety Light, points that get the press's attention might be:

• It's the best flashlight for the iPhone, unique among the myriad flashlight apps.

• Its rescue beacon can save a life in an accident or natural disaster.

• It has a disco mode.

Another tactic is to use quotes that tell a story about your app: "Safety Light replaced all the other flashlights on my iPhone!" or "My dog just loves the disco lights!" (If these quotes come from an industry expert or minor celebrity, so much the better.) Provide as many talking points as you can to give the journalist ...