This guide is based on Mixergy’s interview with Jo Overline.
Jo Overline knew it was hard to stand out in the crowded iTunes store, so he set out to build a unique app that became wildly popular and generated $400,000 in revenue. It was all done with app development and marketing tactics, so we invited him to teach you how to do it.
Jo is the co-founder of Dapper Gentlemen, which makes the Ugly Meter and other apps.
Here are the actionable highlights from the course.
If Jo had tested his Meatball Madness app on an iPad, he would have learned that the app’s animations were crashing the device, but he tested on a simulator so he wasn’t able to identify the problem and Apple rejected the app.
Jo creates apps for clients, and the $100-$300 he bills them per hour helps keep his income steady when his app sales drop.
The Howard Stern Show decided not to feature the first version of the Ugly Meter, but Jo kept in touch with the producers and told them about the second version of the app, and the show invited him on and helped him get $80,000 in sales in one day.
If Jo’s Wordicus app had received press coverage, he says it would have gotten more downloads, but he focused on a $20,000 online ad campaign and the app generated a measly $150 in the week after it launched.
Reporters falsely claimed that the Ugly Meter was used by bullies, but Jo fought back against the accusations, and the controversy actually helped sales.
When sales of the Ugly Meter fall to 100 a day, Jo offers the app for free for a day or two, and the resulting word-of-mouth advertising brings sales back up.
Jo sends push notifications to the phones of all the Ugly Meter users when he offers new apps for sale, and he also collects users’ email addresses so he can email them about new games.
Watch the full interview now
Written by Sarah Brodsky, based on production notes by Jeremy Weisz