Simplify Product Perception: Practical Steps

We have been designing and creating an iPhone app for two weeks. I sent a letter to mom with the name of the program and one line of description of this application. She answered with one phrase: "I do not understand." We threw away the source code and the program itself and started over.

The most important lesson that we learned while working with the App Store is that most unsuccessful App Store developers still do not understand: if the mother immediately understands what it is by the name and short description, the program will be sold in more than 30 copies a day. If the name and description of the mother does not understand what is at stake, the program will be sold less than 5 copies per day. Unfortunately, other App Store developers do not have access to my mom or her delicious bagels, so we will continue to maintain this strategic advantage.

The main reason for the success of the program: Make sure that the description of your program is as clear as possible. If not, then simplify.

When you do this, you will discover one of two things:

1. I do not have a single product
2. I have a product that people need.

It's like with Microsoft Word. If you made it extremely easy, you would get a notebook. A notebook is still a very useful product. I can describe a notebook in one sentence: it allows me to create, save and print documents.

If you cannot describe your product in one sentence, you cannot sell it. People do not want to listen to your explanations, they just want a simple and clear answer to the question: “What is she doing?” If you need two sentences to answer this question, then you have a problem.

What happens when you set aside all the extra features and cheap effects that you will see: the app still has any meaning for humanity? If the main purpose of the program has no value, and this is its main function that you want to sell, then you again have problems.

Customers have two questions:

- What is she doing?
- Aha! And what is it better than the one that I already use?

Answer these two questions in one sentence and you will earn money. For example, if I wanted to sell Microsoft Word to Notepad users, I would answer these questions something like this:

- It allows you to create, save and print documents
- You can make text bold, italic and add pictures

* Simplification measures *

1. First of all, highlight the most important function of the program. No, not two, not three, just one function. What is the essence of your application? Yes, there are other applications that perform the same function, but this is not a problem. You have to understand while there are some problems, and while there are applications that solve them - people will need these programs.

2. Describe it in one line, in terms of benefits to the user. In other words, what problem will be solved by this application.

3. After you answered the customer the question “What is she doing?” in one sentence, he said "Aha!" and started asking about her? If not, change points 1 and 2 until this happens.

If you have a ready-made simplified concept of the program, then it will be very fast and cheap to implement the basic functionality for this concept. You will get a very simple prototype and you can test it on real users before you spend time creating additional features. Work out this prototype so that it works well, test with your friends, family and your readers on Twitter. Get feedback and hear their opinions.

After the implementation of the main idea, what will you discover! Once you have a working prototype, you make the final decision on the future path of its development, if you still want to develop it.

You will remain competitive by following this path, increase your chances of success, and reduce losses if your initial assessment were incorrect. And this is the formula for a successful business, right?