Email marketing
Have you contacted all the people on that big, fat email database your company has yet? As long as they’ve opted-in for these kind of communications from you, then go right ahead and let them know about you new app.
Email marketing can still be one of the most cost-effective ways to reach people, particularly if you have a niche interest database, for a niche interest product. If it’s your database and you have their permission to contact them, go-ahead and design/write a great email and spread the word (and a link to your app).
If you don’t have an email database, there’s still a few things you can do. Forget the ‘buy 100,000 email addresses for $100’ merchants though. Instead look to local publishing houses (or those who specialise in your target market) who have built up large, detailed and sortable databases, who can send an email shot on your behalf. Let them know your criteria – eg. job title, age, location – to narrow it down to your target audience (this will also keep the cost down too). Then if the quote sounds good go for it.
If you don’t fancy that then why not take this opportunity to start your own opt-in email database…
Create a newsletter list / newsletter schedule
If you don’t already have your own ‘opt-in’ email list then setting one up is easy to do and you needn’t be concerned about spamming people if done correctly either.
If you don’t want to manage every detail of the process yourself then there are many websites that offer a complete service. From capturing information in the first place to letting you send out periodical news alerts or email newsletters.
All of them can, if you wish, also ensure that emails are only sent to those who have chosen to receive this particular kind of communication and allow people to easily unsubscribe at any time. Important considerations if you are concerned about annoying people or breaching any local laws!
Popular services include:
aweber.com
newsweaver.com
Direct Mail
It may not sound very ‘new media’ (it isn’t) but if you or a publishing house you are in touch with has an up-to-date, relevant and easily segmentable mailing list it may be worth you writing to selected people – particularly ‘influencers’ – on that list to tell them about your new app. It may not work out as cost-effective as emailing them but it is another avenue you might want to consider if you are able to target the right people.
SMS campaign
You can do an opt-in SMS campaign to all of your existing customers that have said they are happy to receive this type of communication from you. Obviously you have a lot less characters to work with (max 160 if you want it to be a single SMS), but that shouldn’t stop you. The people who you are contacting should already have some clue who you are and what you do so you don’t need to explain everything. A simple message like the following example should do the trick:
[Your Company Name] – as the sender name saving you some characters
The wait is over… [App Name] [iPhone* / iPad*] app released! Get the [first ever* / brand new* ] [type of app] app now. Go to www.companyname.com/app
*Delete as appropriate
Clickatell.com is one provider who can do this for you, but there are many other others (just do a Google search for ‘bulk SMS provider’) if you want to compare some more.
