I've given up on making apps** 🤐
It's very, very hard to get a side hustle up and running. If you do not have the followers, you will need money and lots of it. The fun part was making the apps. The worst part? Marketing.
I did, however, placed an app in the Shopify app store but I took it down due to financial and personal reasons. I found out, just recently, that I like giving things away and it feels sooooooooooooooooooo good when a stranger says "thank you". I've built many products that lives on my old macbook that never made it to the "www"; all they knew was "localhost". I will turn those into tutorials and place them on my blog, including the shopify to xero app I built. This will take time but they will all be there -- all updated.
Maybe one day I'll become a professional blogger 🤷🏽
** as a side hustle.
I'm a developer by heart and I understand what you are going thorough. I would suggest you to hang in there and try longer. Finding customers is difficult unless you have an audience. I would suggest you to read Zero to Sold if you get a chance.
Unlike code, figuring out what marketing tactics work for you would require a lot of experimentation. And it will involve phases where you get no "output" after trying different things. Stay in the game longer, you will figure out some insight about your prospective customers and a way to reach them. Maybe some external dynamics will change - for example a go-to Shopify app that has the same feature as yours shuts down.
I'm sure you would have some customer in mind when you created the product, try creating a list of "leads" and contact them via email or twitter DMs, that should be worth a shot before shutting down.
If you still feel this painful, maybe another option would be to sell your app at https://microacquire.com/ or https://indiemaker.co/ or similar places.
I'm no expert in marketing, but would be more than happy to brainstorm some ideas with your if you are up for it! Just DM me in twitter or reachout via email.
👋🏼 Awin. Wow! Thanks! I will definitely have a look at Zero to Sold. Honestly I do not know what works that's why I'll focus on the blog then I'm sure something will hit me sooner or later. If any more pain, yes, I will try to sell what I have 😉
I can recommend you read "the Embedded Entrepreneur" I think it has a lot of value for the situation you're in and might help you find an audience that you both care about and that is monetizable!
@arvidkahl
Dave your intention is so honest. Thank you for sharing such personal insight about your current professional situation. I myself am experiencing a big creative setback, or block... all out of fear, nothing is ever good enough to deserve to be launched, much less charged for right? It's is such a pain for me right now, and your blog does feel like home... BTW love the gradient on the header: I both personally and professionally LOVE gradients 😍
Cheers to you, because I know you'll overcome and succeed!
Thank you! But don't be discouraged. This is a personal experience. Have a go at it and see what works for you. I'll focus on blogging tutorials and see if that works. My blog is a work in progress 😉
Sounds like to me what you should be doing is creating a YouTube channel and teaching people how to code. If your interested in doing YouTube Tips to grow on YouTube you don't need other social media just focus on YouTube. Have a upload schedule like once or twice a week. Look at other channels in your niche small or large and see their most popular videos and do your own spin on it. I usually ghost around this platform but this needed to be said maybe it can put you in the right direction. 😁Also I don't know if this is a issue but some people don't like being in front of the camera but you will get used to it overtime. Covering all the edges case questions here
Hey @Palptine. I looked at Youtube years ago but doing videos is not my thing. I have not tried it. Maybe if I do I'll like it? I guess there's only one way to find out. We'll see. I MAY do a clip for a specific blog post just to get my "feet in the water".
Are you building apps that solve real problems? Are there too many competitors? Do your app have a unique selling point? Picking a good product will reduce marketing effort, thus increase success probability. Or if you like to build, just join a startup and work as a developer.
Hey, I'm a pro in marketing and product development... i've taken over 500 products from idea to market. I can offer a sounding-board for you and the communities ideas...fire away! :)
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You say "people", these "people" are referring to their own experiences. Maybe I should have word it properly, directing it towards me. Again it is very hard, for most people including me, to get a side hustle up and running. I'm very happy for who makes money on a monthly basis and I follow these people, wanting to read their stories and how they've done it. Have you've written about your journey: ups and downs? I'd like to read it.
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I'm curious: if you didn't have any follower or any money, what else was critical for your result?
@MatthieuCneude the right audience. I believe I poured money at the wrong audience. Also when I asked for feedback, I felt like I was spamming a forum and I don't think I'd ever "slide" into someone's DMs; it's like inviting yourself over to a friend's house 😂
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Hola! I think it's a good thing. I feel at home with the blog. Thanks for the follow and yes, updates are coming.