Overview
Business owners from all walks of industry have discovered the importance of going mobile and have begun to investigate the development of mobile applications. Mobile apps allow businesses to provide information, announcements, sales, events and more over a mobile platform which is becoming ubiquitous. The ability to download a simple, streamline app for any business makes shopping and searching more convenient and fast. Developing an app is an integral part of business development. Here we provide a guide to get you started on app development in just a few simple steps. 
Step 1 - Research
Spending long hours on market research may seem redundant if a business has been around a long time, but it is key to developing a successful app. This research can help you to come up with a great design for your app and can also give you sales and marketing ideas. Experts suggest downloading and using some of the top trending apps in order to familiarize yourself with how apps work and what changes you can make. Doing this can help you understand better what the customer wants and will direct you on the direction you should take when starting the development process.  Try to understand the business process of what others are doing and then try to adapt it to your business.
Step 2 – Redesigning an Old Idea
Take cues from other apps that you have seen or used. An app with an excellent idea or functionality could be redesigned to suit your business needs without actually stealing an idea. Melding ideas could help to create one functionally superior app. Many times, two or three ideas can be used together in one app to design an excellent overall product that becomes in demand.

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Step 3 – No Need to Spend Millions
You don’t need millions of dollars or a special degree to create a successful mobile app. There are some very basic cut and paste type app development programs for people on a budget, but these do not offer as many style and personalization options. Experts agree, if you are looking for something original that you should outsource and work with an outside development team. Before you do, it is suggested that you freshen up on your project management skills.
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Step 4 – Generating Income from Your Mobile App
Mobile apps offer business a few different ways to generate income from the app:
  1. Premium App - users pay a fee before they can download the app. After downloading, they enjoy unlimited features with minimal in-app purchases.
     
  2. Ad Networks - The owner of the app charges a fee for other companies to place banner ads and other forms of advertising within the app. This is usually a monthly fee and can bring a large amount of recurring income if the app is popular.
     
  3. Freememium - The app is completely free for download but will require in-app purchases. This model is often used for games where users can purchase extra points and supplies etc.
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Step 5 – Automate your Business
Team members should have distinct and defined roles during the development process in order to establish leadership. Knowing who is the programmer, the graphic designer and the accountant will help to create a hierarchy that will keep things organized and running smoothly.
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Step 6 – Conclusion
Now that you have a basic idea of how to build a successful mobile app for business, you can begin formulating a plan and start searching for an outside developer. Remember to keep your goals in focus and stay organized and you will be well on your way to developing a winning mobile app.
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