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July 5, 2011
Comparing Apples to Apples: How to Find the Right App Developer for Your Company [DMA11]

Application developers come in all shapes, sizes, and walks of life. And just like most professionals, you can’t judge their abilities based on anything but their track record. If you’re interested in expanding the scope of your company’s social media presence by developing a mobile phone app, you’ll need to find yourself a developer that is affordable, reliable, and experienced. Conferences and marketing seminars are a great place to meet capable developers and talk to them face to face about what they can bring to your company. DMA2011 Conference and Exhibition in Boston is place that'll be packed to the rafters with individual developers and application development companies seeking your business. The only problem is, you’ll probably meet so many that you won’t know who to pick. Here are a few tips to help you decide.

Match Apples to Apples
The one thing you don’t want to do is employ an app developer that doesn’t fit your company’s image. We’re not talking about hiring people that only dress a certain way or that maintain a certain lifestyle—what we are talking about here is finding an individual or company that can accurately reflect the brand image you’ve worked hard to cultivate. For example, if the image you seek to convey to your existing clientele and potential customers is a conservative one, it’s probably a bad idea to match yourself up with a development company that’s earned itself a reputation as a “renegade.” Otherwise, you run the risk of releasing an app that stands in stark contrast to your brand image. If your brand is already somewhat edgy, however, or if you’re looking to loosen up a bit or infuse your brand with some pizazz, doing so could be a smart move. Just make sure that the rest of your company’s marketing falls in lockstep with the tone, look, and feel of the application once it’s released.

Ensure a Clear Understanding
When you’re developing a mobile app, there’s no room for vague notions and partially understood objectives. Either your developer is fully on board, or they’re not. And as most of us know from life experience, it’s impossible to achieve results when your point person’s not sure what direction to march. A developer should also be able to communicate well via the spoken and written word, so that whether you’re discussing plans by phone, by email, or by text, he or she will “catch your drift” 100 percent of the time. This is one of the most important things to look for, which is why meeting with developers in person at marketing seminars and conferences is important. This is where you’ll test their ability to convey their ideas in person. If someone can do this well, they’re likely to be able to communicate well via any medium.

Seek Talent
Talent goes a long way. And since you’ll likely come away from DMA2011 with a list of potential developers about a mile long, you’ll have the luxury of demanding it. The best way to judge talent in an application developer is by looking at their past work and asking yourself a few questions. Is the application original? If not, does it improve on an original idea? Does the quality of the developer's work exceed their chronological experience? If so, you may have found a superstar developer in the making that will serve you well and help you go far.

DMA2011 Conference brings together hundreds of direct and digital marketing professionals and thousands of individuals like yourself seeking to uncover new and exciting marketing methods. You'll be able to make new contacts to power your marketing goals at DMA2011's Mobile Marketing Hot Spot. For more details and registration information, go to www.dma11.org.

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