AGENCY GUIDE

A guide for agencies considering using an

app builder to create apps for their clients

Agency Guide | GoodBarber 1

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Why should I sell apps? ...........................................................4
How can I get started selling? ........................................................................5

Should I be an agency? ....................................................................................6

How should I price my apps? .................................................8

SubscripAon based............................................................................................9

Flat rate ...............................................................................................................9

Value pricing ....................................................................................................10

SelecAve pricing ..............................................................................................10

What features can I oer my clients? ................................11

What if my clients need custom features? ................................................18

Can my clients have access to the back oce of their apps? ...............19

How can I show my clients a preview version of their apps? ..............20

What if my business model evolves? .................................22

Can I switch from one app builder to another? .......................................23

Should I stay white label? .............................................................................25

How can we help your business gain notoriety?.............27

How can I get started?...................................................................................29

Agency Guide | GoodBarber 2

If you are reading this guide it most likely means that you are considering selling mobile
apps or, maybe that youre in the process of growing your business selling apps.

For individuals and agencies alike, oering a mobile app solu>on to clients, can be a
challenge. There is a lot to learn, a lot involved with ge@ng started, as well as staying in
the game. To make sure we send you o on the right track, weve gathered in our Agency
Guide some of our best insight, to give you a head start, and make sure you have a
comprehensive vision of the key factors that will make you successful.

Mobile apps are a fast growing industry, so theres really never been a beDer >me to jump
in. Good news is, youre only one step away. Read on for some accelerated training and be
ready to make your dent in the app market.

Agency Guide | GoodBarber 3

Why should I sell apps?

Whether you are an established digital agency or an individual interested in breaking into
the industry, mobile applica>ons are a vital, and surprisingly accessible element that should
be in your range of oerings.

Companies in virtually all elds are in need of a means of communica>on that is at the
hands of their customers 24/7, and mobile apps are the obvious supply to meet this
demand. While its important to provide the basic, mobile-friendly site that many small
businesses are content with, the interac>ve, prot-increasing features a na>ve applica>on
oers is the selling point so many agencies are missing.

Using an app builder to help you create and sell apps is a cost and >me eec>ve way to
break into the industry and build a compe>>ve edge.

Agency Guide | GoodBarber 4

How can I get started selling?

Dening your scope is the rst stepwhat are you going to sell and to whom? Of course
youre going to sell apps, but you need to familiarize yourself with exactly what youre
capable of oering. If youre working with an app builder (as opposed to coding from
scratch), get to know their strongest features and what type of business they can cater to
the best. This may help you to narrow in on who your target clients are and concentrate on
certain sectors at a >me, as opposed to going all in and promo>ng yourself to
organiza>ons that you are not equipped to deliver a top notch product to.

Once you know who your ideal client is, prepare some sample apps that demonstrate
exactly what value you can bring to their business, and get started with prospec>ng. If
youre willing to invest some extra >me in client acquisi>on, you can even oer to create
their app before they decide to buy, providing a free trial period for them to get an idea of
the results they could achieve. Once they see what theyve been missing, theyll never
want to go back to the non-app days.

Agency Guide | GoodBarber 5

Should I be an agency?

You can always nd work in freelance status, but se@ng up an agency can really establish
a tried and true sense of professionalism. If you decide to do so, make sure you have the
basics covered for a smooth launch.

Iden9ty

Take your >me when rst establishing various aspects of your iden>ty, and be sure to keep
things dis>nguished and catchythe iden>ty you choose with be around for the dura>on
of your agencys life>me and is your primary source of representa>on.

Your logo is what customers will see each >me they visit your website and login to the
back oce of their app, so something appealing with a design that depicts the value you
intend to oer in your product makes the most sense. Purchasing a domain name will also
be necessary for the purposes of your agency website as well as the app back oce your
clients will see.

Por<olio

Having a variety of dierent industry-specic apps (restaurants, salons, churches, news,

etc.) publicly available in the stores is a great way to show your work to prospec>ve clients
and build credibility.

For a quicker presenta>on earlier on in the sales process, create a collec>on of mockup
images displaying your most aDrac>ve designs, features, etc. that can be displayed on your
website and on landing pages.

Agency Guide | GoodBarber 6

Templates

Being prepared to handle demand that may come quickly requires having some scalable
op>ons readily available. You may nd that dierent designs you have created work well
for certain industries, so having ready to use templates for restaurants, salons, etc., can be
a huge >me saver. Cloning apps is a great way to u>lize the basic framework youve
already created for the corresponding industry, and focus on adding content and tweaking
the details that bring the real value to the app.

Developer Accounts

Get your developer accounts ready and start ge@ng familiar with both the Apple and
Google Play interfaces! Being well accustomed to the publica>on process on both
pla_orms will help keep things moving quickly and smoothly. If you believe internal apps
which are accessible only to specied users could be a worthwhile oering, inves>ng in an
Apple Enterprise Account is not a bad idea.

CRM Plan

The core of your sales strategyhow will you gain and nurture leads? How will you build a
solid mailing list? Will you manually look for and contact prospects or will you invest cash
in visibility so that they come directly to you?

Once you have your leads and even clients, what are the steps you will take to follow up
with them, ensure they are ge@ng the experience they expected, and maintain their
business? There are several tools created solely for the purpose of aiding customer rela>on
management, to make sure each party is sa>sed and ge@ng the maximum benet out of
the deal. Some of our favorite tools include HubSpot, MailChimp, and Zoho CRM.

Agency Guide | GoodBarber 7

How should I price my apps?

More >mes than not, the rst thing your prospec>ve client will ask when learning about
your services is the cost. As a general star>ng point, the cost to the client should at least
cover the cost of the technology itself (in other words, the cost of your subscrip>on). Acer
that, the rest of the price should reect the value of your work, as well as what this
product is worth in your marketplace. Depending on what your local compe>tors are
charging, and what you can or cannot oer compared to them, a safe bet is to start out
charging somewhere in the middle range market price.

Agency Guide | GoodBarber 8

There are several ways you can choose to charge for your app services:

SubscripAon based

The benets of subscrip>on based pricing are obvious on the side of the clientthere is
no scary, up-front price tag and there is no commitment in the case they arent sa>sed.
Its a much safer bet for someone who isnt completely sold on the idea of inves>ng in an
app.

The outcome for you can go either way. If the customer s>cks around at least past the
break-even point of their cost to you, subscrip>on based pricing tends to be more
protable in the long run than a one->me purchase. However, short-lived client
rela>onships will cost you; those who drop the subscrip>on acer just a few months will
not help you to recover your costs, let alone make a prot, so an educated es>mate on
average client life>me length will be a great help when considering the subscrip>on pricing
model.

In order to avoid the short-lived client scenario, consider oering discounted subscrip>ons
that last a longer period of >me, like a 6 month subscrip>on that includes one free month,
or a cheaper monthly fee for auto-renewable payments. Your client will be happy to save
costs, while you will have a more stable, guaranteed income.

Flat rate

Here we are talking about anyone being able to tack an app onto their package for a
standard price that you have set for all apps. Giving the client the op>on to buy and own
an app is tradi>onally the way developers work, but things can get tricky if youre using an
app builder. If one day you decide to leave your app builder, according to your buyout
agreement your client probably s>ll has the rights to this app, so you will have to nd a
way to pass it on to them. You can always be upfront with them about the usage of an app
builder, and an agreement can be made for them to maintain their app using their own
account or transferred to another pla_orm.

Agency Guide | GoodBarber 9

Many web agencies used to tell their clients they were crea>ng their websites from
scratch, when in reality they were using WordPress. Things are star>ng to change
agencies are realizing theres no shame in being open about the fact that they are using a
widely established and accepted technology, and the added value the client pays for is
their crea>vity, work, and exper>se with the technology. Keep this in mind as something
you may do when giving your client "full ownership" of their app in using at rate pricing.

Value pricing

Another op>on is to charge clients (either at rate or through a subscrip>on) based on the
features and upkeep required for their app. For example, charging per number of push
no>ca>ons, charging by the amount of sec>ons, charging for custom features that take
>me to develop, etc. Not all apps are created equal and you deserve to be compensated
for those that are more complex than others. Customers requiring very basic apps will also
appreciate paying only for what they need.

SelecAve pricing

At some point, you will inevitably have a client who wants to nego>ate on pricing. Its good
to have a plan ahead of >me that determines exactly who gets a discount, how much they
get, and where you draw the line. The common contenders for discounts usually include
non-prots, educa>onal ins>tutes, and startups, and more >mes that not, without a special
oer they will not be able to use your services at all. Less income is beDer than no income,
so for these cases be prepared to make them a special oer in order to avoiding losing
their business all together.

Agency Guide | GoodBarber 10

What features can I offer my
clients?

In order to successfully convince clients of why an app is a must, youll need to present
them with some concrete examples of exactly how you intend to help them reach their
goals through your product. Heres a list of what we believe to be the most useful features
you should oer, along with the basis of how to pitch each one. Remember, a list of
features is a great start, but demonstra>ng exactly how each aspect is going to help them
grow will take your pitch to the next level. So, don't hesitate to create a por_olio full of
sample apps to present each of these features in a real-life, relatable scenario.

Agency Guide | GoodBarber 11

Agency Guide | GoodBarber 12
Maps

Maps can be based on one loca>on only, or can include an unlimited number of points (if
you have a more directory-like project). With each one providing informa>on, photos, links,
and contact informa>on. Best of all, step by step direc>ons from wherever your user is are
available for each pointproviding this logis>cal informa>on is the basis of ge@ng them to
you.

Event calendars

Display and even no>fy your users of events, sales, and new releases. Either pull content
from a source you already have set up (i.e. Google Calendar, Facebook Calendar, etc.), or
manually input events. With several templates created specically for event display to
choose from, you have a lot of great op>ons to provide users with, such as a link for
direc>ons, a buDon to buy >ckets, sharing possibili>es, and your contact info.

Audio & Video

Audio op>ons include podcasts, a SoundCloud integra>on, CMS les, and live streaming.
As far as videos, CMS les are also an op>on, in addi>on to live streaming, YouTube,
Vimeo, Ooyala, and DailyMo>on integra>ons. Including audio and video aspects in an app
is a perfect way to add some interac>vity and even deliver content to users that cant be
physically present but dont want to miss out. Churches and radio sta>ons nd these
features especially useful. Some examples of what these industries have done with them
can be seen here.

Forms

Forms are a mul>-purpose tool. They can be used for conduc>ng surveys, gathering
contact informa>on for mailing lists, receiving customer support requests, or even as an
ordering pla_orm. Form results can then be exported for further use and evalua>on.
Having a quick and easy channel of communica>on from user to owner is a crucial element
of every successful business opera>on.

Agency Guide | GoodBarber 13

User Authen9ca9on

User authen>ca>on is what paves the way for all more advanced user features, such as
user groups, push no>ca>on subscrip>on, chat, and more. To provide a more personalized
experience, allow users to login and create their own proles. This gives you the op>on to
adjust the content in the app based on dierent user proles, avoid sending irrelevant
informa>on and oers, and is the rst step to crea>ng a real community.

Chat

A chat feature allows your users to get to know each otherwhether its for social
purposes or for the purpose of exchanging opinions about your establishment, its a great
way to get people engaged. Users can view each other based on a list template or a map
template which displays who is closest to them. For security reasons, a blocking feature is
also provided. The chat func>on can also serve as a customer service tool in which users
can chat with the app owner to get answers, place orders, and more.

Agency Guide | GoodBarber 14



Agency Guide | GoodBarber 15

Loyalty Cards

The simplest way to keep customers returning is to oer them rewards for their recurring
business. Start o by choosing and customizing a unique card design. Point valida>on can
be completed either through a purchase, manual check in, or social media sharinga great
way to leverage customer power in your marke>ng strategy. Finally, choose the gic for
comple>ng a loyalty card and its expira>on. Spur of the moment rewards (independent of
loyalty card comple>on) can also be sent out to clients in situa>ons such as their rst visit,
if they have not visited for a certain amount of >me, during happy hour, or based on the
client's geographic loca>on.

Club Cards

Regulars deserve special privileges for their loyalty, and customers will be thrilled to be
oered membership to an exclusive club card with three levels of life>me value you get to
dene. This is a powerful incen>ve for maintaining secured clients and showing them your
apprecia>on.

Coupons

The quickest way to get a boost in sales is through a special oer, ocen in the form of a
coupon. All details of the oer can be dened , such as method of redemp>on, terms and
dates of validity, number of available coupons, number of >mes a client can use a coupon,
and more. To simplify the process maximally for the client, detailed store informa>on (such
as map informa>on) can be included. As always, design can be customized and perfected
to make the oer as aDrac>ve and eec>ve as possible.

Beacons & Geofence

Being able to deliver a message or oer to users at the right place and right >me is crucial
for increasing conversion rates. Geo alerts allow for contact to be made at the very
moment customers enter a designated zone, through geofencing, while beacons trigger
alerts as the user approaches a specied object.

Agency Guide | GoodBarber 16



And more

Between in-app adver>sing to raise prots, social network integra>ons to build your
marke>ng strategy, contact sec>ons, click-to possibili>es, an advanced content
management system, and web embed op>ons, basically all small business needs are
covered.

Agency Guide | GoodBarber 17

What if my clients need custom features?

Depending on your level of skill and how much >me youre willing to invest, several
op>ons are available.

Custom design

The API se@ngs allow you to really modify many aspects of the design and display in great
detail, such as colors, fonts, formats, etc. If you are in need of some help with crea>ng
custom icons, splash screens, logos, and achieving the overall look youre envisioning for
your app, the GB Services design team is available to oer you their exper>se.

Custom Integra9ons

If the feature you need already exists on a webpage (for example a booking func>on), the
webpage can be embedded into the app using an HTML sec>on. There are two ways to do
thisthe rst is simply copying and pas>ng the URL and the page will appear within the
app. For some websites that have already been op>mized for mobile, this is all that needs
to be done. For others, the display may not be so great, and the design and user
experience of the app can be signicantly brought down. In order not to interrupt the
na>ve look and feel, you may have to use the second method of web embedding, which is
customizing a blank template with your own html (coding knowledge is needed for this).

If you want to integrate a pla_orm that we dont oer a connector for, but do so in a
na>ve way (a non web-embed), try crea>ng a custom connector, which is achieved through
crea>ng custom content feeds. Again, youll need some developer knowledge.

Custom Features

Although GoodBarber doesnt oer a service for crea>ng custom developments, crea>ng
your own custom plugin if you or someone on your team has some coding knowledge is a
nice op>on. Once your plugin, coded in HTML5, CSS, and JS is added to your app, the
GoodBarber APIs will allow your plugin access to the na>ve func>onali>es of your app.

Agency Guide | GoodBarber 18

Can my clients have access to the back oce of their apps?

Most agencies want their clients to have some degree of par>cipa>on in the crea>on and
maintenance of their app. Whether this is to allow the client to help with the design, to be
in charge of upda>ng content, or to not have to be the middle man each >me the client
wants to send a push no>ca>on, there is almost always an advantage to providing back
oce access.

In each app backend as a reseller, you have the op>on to send a white label invita>on
email to your client from which they can create login creden>als and have access to their
app. There is no limit to the number of people you can give access to, which means that if
there are several individuals working in your clients business, they can all take part.
Personalized access rights can be given for each user, so if one person is working with
more aesthe>c parts of the business they may have access to design aspects, while
someone focusing on marke>ng may stay in the push no>ca>ons and sta>s>cs zones.

Customized access rights dont just apply to your clients, they are useful for members of
your agency as well. To avoid confusion and overlap with clients working on the same
areas of the app, it may be a good idea to split up the access so everyone has rights only
to his or her own responsibility or skill specic sec>ons.

You may be worried that giving back oce access means disclosing your use of an app
builder, but this isnt necessarily the case. While not all of the back oce is white label, it
has been sorted through so that you can designate a client as a user who should not see
any GoodBarber branding. The non white label areas of the back oce will be
automa>cally restricted, and from there you can further customize what you want them to
see.

Addi>onally, the GoodBarber domain name, logo, newsfeed, and social media links can all
be removed and replaced with your own, so the backend will completely appear as your
own agency.

Agency Guide | GoodBarber 19

How can I show my clients a preview version of their apps?

An important part of the sales process of an app is the product demo. This may take place
before or acer the deal has be sealed, but either way, your client will absolutely want to
preview the applica>on that will be represen>ng their company before it goes public.

Back oce preview

The most basic way to show your client their app is by giving them access to the back
oce. Here, the applica>on can be viewed on a range of mockup devices. If your client
wants to be part of the design process at all, this is the quickest and easiest way to gather
their input and approval before too much work goes in. If you trust their skills, you can
even give them some rights to modifying certain elements.

My GoodBarber app

The next step up in previewing the app involves the actual phone or tablet. You may
already be aware of the My GoodBarber app which can be an op>on if you arent using the
white label op>on. This app can be easily downloaded from the stores, and is used to
preview your app as its being updated in the backend. However, not all features are
available for tes>ng in this version (push no>ca>ons, for example).

AdHoc version

To showcase the version of your app with all features, and avoid displaying GoodBarber
branding, the most ideal op>on is to generate the AdHoc version(s) of your applica>on,
and send your client this le. This can be done by adding the unique iden>er (the UDID)
of your clients phone to the list of approved devices in your developer account(s). This le
will allow them to download the app directly onto their device, where they can preview it
and test the exact version that will appear in the stores.

Agency Guide | GoodBarber 20

This is a great way to not only present the overall app, but to upsell features as well. You
can take this opportunity to give a real >me demo of extra add-ons your client may want,
such as loyalty cards, beacons, and coupons. Its much easier for a client to envision the
protability of a feature when it can be demonstrated in a real life situa>on, rather than
just hearing a sales pitch.

Later on, when updates are made that require a rebuild and resubmission, all you have to
do is send the most recent AdHoc version to your client once again, and they can test and
approve this new version before its submiDed.

Test Flight

For iOS apps, its also possible to use Test Flight, a solu>on provided by Apple, to invite up
to 2000 emails to test your app before its released into the App Store.

Agency Guide | GoodBarber 21

What if my business model
evolves?

Many people are intrigued by new app builders but are hesitant to make the switch due to
the idea that moving to a new pla_orm equals star>ng from scratch. Especially for
agencies who have mul>ple apps running somewhere, the idea of this transi>on can seem
like a huge burden.

In this sec>on well address the op>ons to look for when choosing an app builder if you
want room for evolu>on and to make sure you are covered with an exit strategy.

Agency Guide | GoodBarber 22

Can I switch from one app builder to another?

In every Store, each app has a unique iden>er and a signature authen>ca>ng the owner
of the app. If you switch from one app builder to another (or to a new version of your app
coded from scratch), youll have to give the new project the same iden>er and the the
same signature as the old one. Here are the things you need to know for Android and iOS:

Android

In order to maintain the same applica>on in Google Play, you will need to ask your app
builder to provide you with the Keystore le, which is the le that contains the private key
(signature) of your Android app. Only this is what gives you the freedom to rebuild your
app on another pla_orm and publish the new version as an update to your exis>ng app,
without disturbing your users.

Some app builders give the Keystore les while others do not. Unfortunately, if youre not
able to get ahold of the Keystore le, you have no other choice but to create an en>rely
new app in the Play store, which your users will have to redownload. At GoodBarber, we
do release this informa>on upon request, so as to not lock you into anything in case your
needs change down the line.

Apart from the Keystore le, the other informa>on needed is the package name (the
unique name that iden>es your app on Google Play and on your device) and version
number, found easily in your Google Play account.

iOS

Upda>ng the iOS version with your new GoodBarber app does not require any exclusive
informa>on as the Android version does.

Agency Guide | GoodBarber 23

Keep in mind you will need to have published the app under your own developer account
as opposed to that of your previous app builder (but if the app has been published under
someone elses developer account, you can request transfer of ownership to yourself). All
the informa>on you need to have on hand is your App ID and version number, available in
the App Informa>on tab of your iTunes Connect account.

Transi9oning

Once the new version of the app replaces your old app in the stores, the only thing your
users will have to do is update the app in their device, just like they do all the >me when
socware or app updates are released. A non-intrusive no>ca>on will be displayed aler>ng
them of this.

In order to avoid down>me between versions, we suggest you fully build and test the app
on your new pla_orm before ending the subscrip>on to your old app builder. This way you
can make a quick and smooth transi>on without leaving your users with a period of >me
where the app is neither running under your old subscrip>on nor ready under your new
one.

Agency Guide | GoodBarber 24

Should I stay white label?

One of the biggest advantages of the reseller program is the ability to hide GoodBarber
branding from clients and replace it with your own. Although we agree that this is a great
op>on for your marke>ng strategy, there are several good reasons to consider not using
the white label feature as well. So hear us out before you make your choice!

Being partnered with an established brand

It takes a while to build a reputa>on and trust around a brand, and if you are just star>ng
out its normal that your level of notoriety is not yet at its peak. By being transparent with
the fact that youre using a sturdy, well-established tool, clients may feel much more at
ease with leaving a huge representa>on of their business in your hands. Le@ng them know
which tool you are using even allows them to do thorough research themselves, be
comfortable with the abili>es of the technology, as well as be aware of the limita>ons.

More backend access rights

When the white label feature is ac>vated, access to certain parts of the back oce is
removed. This includes publishing, the online help, contac>ng the support, etc. If you are
okay with le@ng your client know youre using GoodBarber, they can play a bigger role in
the crea>on of their app (and therefore make your job a liDle easier). You can s>ll restrict
whichever areas you want, depending on what you do or dont feel comfortable with your
client touching (for example, in most cases you would probably want billing informa>on to
remain hidden).

Exit strategy

If for some reason, you need to discon>nue being the provider of one (or all) of your
clients apps, and they are not necessarily looking to discon>nue the ac>vity of their app,
being upfront from the beginning will prove to have been very useful. If theyve known all
along that youre using GoodBarber, you can simply suggest that they take their own

Agency Guide | GoodBarber 25

subscrip>on to maintain what youve created, or even refer them to another reseller who
will be happy to take them on as a clientand the best part is there will be no awkward
moments of explana>on.

If youre worried that revealing app builder usage will signicantly lower your value in the
eyes of a client, think again. Its no secret that even with the help of an app builder,
crea>ng and maintaining an app takes a lot of >me and energy. On top of the value of your
crea>vity and deep pla_orm knowledge, if the customer is looking for a higher level of
customiza>on or special development that isnt oered by default, your services are clearly
worth a lot.

White label is a great advantage for many agencies, but we strongly advise you to consider
the alterna>ve as well.

Agency Guide | GoodBarber 26

How can we help your business
gain notoriety?

If you do decide to forego the white label op>on, leveraging the GoodBarber brand can be
an easy and ecient way for your agency to gain some coverage and publicity.

One of our favorite things to do is to showcase our clients beau>ful work. This is done in
the form of a blog ar>cle, short promo>onal video, and social media sharing. If you feel
youve created an excep>onal app that deserves recogni>on, feel free to send it our way
and we will be glad to consider adding it to our series.

Agency Guide | GoodBarber 27

Even beDer, if we think your agency has made successful use of GoodBarber, we will
present you with the op>on to par>cipate in our Agency Spotlight series in which we will
interview you and promote your agency and exper>se in the industry, with the hopes of
you gaining clients as well as helping fellow resellers.

Agency Guide | GoodBarber 28

How can I get started?

Now that all the basics have been covered, the only thing lec to do is start selling apps.

llllllllllllllllllllllllll
llllllllllllllllllllllllll
llllllllllllllllllllllllll
Contact us for a free 30 day trial of the reseller plan as well as a special oer for all ebook
readers.

Agency Guide | GoodBarber 29

 Written by

Alexandra Soroka
Reseller Account Manager
ali.soroka@goodbarber.com

Contact us

IIIIIIIIIIIIIII
IIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
IIIIIIIIIIIIIII
IIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
IIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Blog Facebook Twi\er Google+

Agency Guide | GoodBarber 30

 IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

2016 GoodBarber
made with in Corsica

Agency Guide | GoodBarber 31