Do you have an idea that could solve a problem and add value to the world around you? It doesn’t have to be something big. All ideas start small, and through hard work, perseverance and discipline, transform into something stupendous over time. So, if you would like to build an app for your business but have no idea where to start, here are 9 things you need to know before building yours.

1. Identify the need

Every entrepreneur believes their own product to be life-changing but is left heartbroken when it doesn’t do well in the market. Can you guess why? There may be a number of contributing factors here, but the most common one is that they are not clear what problem they are trying to solve or the need they are trying to fulfill. How can you give an answer to a question you don’t know?

2. There is no such thing as too much research

Building an app entails a lot of investment – not only of money, but of time and energy. It is no joke. And therefore, no amount of research is enough when it comes to nailing down your problem statement, target audience, competitor analysis, etc. Did you know that more than 8,000 apps are released on app stores worldwide every day? Most of these fail, resulting in loss of time and capital. So, don’t leave any stone unturned to ensure that your mobile app has a strong value proposition.

3. Know your customers better than you know yourself

Not knowing your target audience before setting out to build an app is like shooting in the dark. You cannot convert customers and keep them happy without catering to their needs – which you will only understand when you take time to know them. Additionally, assessing your target audience makes you realize key statistics like whether your users are mainly using iOS or Android devices, how often are they using your app, what changes would they like to see, and so on. When you understand your target audience better than you know yourself, you’ll be able to build an app specifically tailored for them, guaranteeing success.

4. Justify your reason for developing an app

Now this may seem like an easy question, but it is not. Do you have an elevator pitch for your app? What specific problem does it solve? What makes it different from other apps out there? Will your app be able to justify the investment with intended returns? If you are even a tinge uncertain about any of these answers, then it means you are not ready to get started with mobile application development just yet.

5. Don’t lose sight of your budget

The biggest mistake most startups make is getting carried away and letting their app development bleed them dry. Here are some tips. Focus on the bare essential features when you first launch. You can always keep stupefying your users with extra features in subsequent updates. You can choose the cheapest app builder in the market that can deliver high-quality products – emphasis on high quality. This is because fixing a low-quality product can end up costing you more than building the entire thing from scratch, so choose your app builder carefully. Never lose sight of your budget.

6. There is no shame in starting small

Well, you don’t have to start out with a million bucks. The more important thing is that you start. If you cannot afford a whole app, go for a Minimum Viable Product. If you cannot afford that either, then choose a prototype. There are brands that let you have a free prototype without any tricky terms and conditions. Builder.ai is one such platform that lets users create a generic prototype for free and a custom prototype for a negligible fee.

7. Get feedback, adapt and improvise

Once you have your prototype or MVP ready, or an app on the App Store, study the first hundred customers’ behavior to get insight into any hitches or areas of improvement. Enhancements and updates are a constant part of the app life, so don’t let that get you down. Keep an eye on user feedback and keep building.

8. Work out how to market your app

What role do you want your app to play in your business model? If you are looking to drive revenue from it in the smallest of ways, then marketing will help get you there. The right marketing strategy can help you build popularity in the App Store.  Don’t underestimate the power of A/B testing for efficient conversions.

9. Choose your mobile application development partner carefully

This is another area where Builder.ai and its no-code software development platform comes in. It lets you build software without needing to understand technology. Builder.ai uses human-assisted AI to let everyone build software for their ideas. The platform has been building software for entrepreneurs and enterprises alike and delivers quality products in a fraction of the time and cost. It also lets customers pay weekly, unlike the hefty down payment agencies typically demand. Additionally, they let customers own the code when development is done unlike SaaS platforms. Their 3 products – Builder Studio for app development, Builder Cloud for cloud adoption, and Builder Care for app maintenance help you build, run, and scale successful ideas.

So, if you have all these 9 points taken care of, then you are ready to set out on the app development journey and Builder.ai could be a good place to start.