Getting people to download your App??

Try a contest that promotes the "best use" of your app. Giveaways / freebies are loved by everyone, as long as the value of the giveaway is worthwhile in exchange for the "opt-in." Ads in FB are iffy, at best because most people have gone "blind" to ads.

Another idea is to JV with a targeted list owner. Qualified leads is better than cold leads.

Try CPA method. You can make most of it if you have proper landing page.

It really, truly depends on what SORT of application it is.

Hey James,

I have been thinking about a marketing concept for an app that I have yet to have built.

Create a YouTube channel:
Add a bunch of videos of various characters:
Pirate, Punch Drunk Boxer, Dude with a bad attitude ala Mr. T, Air-Headed girl with a goatee (man with a goatee and a wig) etc.

Videos would be about 30-45 seconds long.

Each character would talk about one benefit of the app in a totally outrageous way (think Bill Glazer).

Create QR Codes that direct people to different videos.

Distribute the QR Codes via flyers, shop windows, business cards

If the videos are entertaining enough the viral effect will take over.

It might be crazy enough to work.

Good Luck,
Gregg

P.S. Anyone know an android app programmer?

Marketing apps is 100x harder than IM. And it's a completely different mindset than IM.

The meat-and-potatoes of app marketing is done on the inside. (by the person who controls creating the app, the UI and graphics, the programming, the icon submitted to the app store, and the day-to-day price adjustments) James in our discussion you mentioned that your client would be in charge of those items, therefore you are not really in a position to do any marketing that could bring decent results. (but, you might get lucky, with item 1 or 2 below) For app marketers, it's all about ASO (app store optimization) and virtually nothing else matters. 90% of app marketing is done on the inside.

So my suggestion would be to not take on the mktg project.
(and especially with your clients keeping a close eye on ROI and Accountability)

The main things you can do from the outside include: (1) Create a killer trailer (btw a required necessity for any app) then submit the app + trailer to authority app review sites and keep your fingers crossed. However, because your client's app isn't a game, that eliminates most authority review sites. (2) If your app is newsworthy you can leverage press/publicity. Our Santa app had over 90 media pickups including tv news coverage. (3) Pay-per-install networks. (won't work in your case, as discussed in last paragraph of this post) (4) Big game companies use a grayhat technique for forcing their app into the Top 25, at a cost of $150k or more, however unless it's a major game with "staying power" where users go nuts and big things happen all wihin 24-48 hours, it's gonna fall right off the charts (within 24-48 hrs) and the $150k virtually flushed right down the drain. Plus, news over the past few days indicates Apple is making moves to close that loophole.

Unfortunately, the math does not work.
There are huge "pay per install" networks, specifically for iPhone & Andriod apps, however you can expect to pay no less than 40 cents per install. Plus you have to provide the paid app for free. Pay-per-install is done (by the huge game companies) for reasons other than making a profit per install. (if anyone wants me to elaborate, I will)

Ask Apple and tech-related blogs to review your app. Start with a big one, the smaller one usually rewrite stuff from a big one.
I don't know if they ask to be paid to review app.

Oh and if you could by bundle it with a lesser type application app. I mean a calculator, a map, a time killing game app etc. People always want just a little more than what they get. Two apps for the price of one will surely have them downloading!

promote you app and be sure to make it desirable to your customers