I have been testing and using productivity apps for years.

One major issue I observed is that, as soon as I sign up for an app, they:

• Flood with ads
• Force me to sign up for the premium version
• Ask for a 5-star rating

Whenever I see any of these, I immediately uninstall the app from my phone.

I understand that the developers of these apps are not serious about their business.

They are here for quick money, but end up being spammers.

If you are one of these productivity app developers and want to make it big, see what is possible with productivity apps:

5. Productivity app success stories

1. ClickUp – Founded in 2017, ClickUp grew to a valuation of 4 billion dollars with a 4 million users and 85,000 paying members.
2. Notion – This app’s journey from near failure to a $10 billion valuation is legendary. Ivan Zhao and his team turned Notion into an “everything app” for work, challenging Google and Microsoft. It’s like a notebook that can manage your entire life, with better AI.
3. Todoist – Amir Salihefendic’s journey with Todoist is nothing short of inspirational, starting as a simple side project and evolving into a widely-used app. Today, it has a user base of over one million active users. It generates more than $10 million in annual recurring revenue (ARR), reflecting its significant impact and success in the productivity app market.
4. Monday.com – Over 100,000 customers, including Uber and General Electric, use this app to manage tasks and projects. With $130 million in revenue, this productivity app is highly profitable.
5. Focus@will – Focus@will was born from the idea that music could aid concentration. Imagine your playlist was your productivity coach, whispering, “Focus, human, focus!” The app has created a community where focus is cool, with VIPs being those who ignore their phone for a work session. Over 100,000 users, including big names like Uber, have joined, suggesting this app might be your secret weapon for focus.

If you are serious about growing your productivity app business to this level, you need to let users experience what you have built.

One way to do this is by creating an email-based educational course.

Creating an Email Education Sequence

The best part of your digital product is that any user who wants to try it needs to sign up.

This way, you instantly get their email address.

Once they sign up, most founders ask for email verification and stop there. But you can go further by sending them an email sequence. This daily email sequence, sent over 5-7 days, will introduce your products and educate them on how to use the product.

We call this an educational email course.

Remember, you can also send these email sequences to your existing users.

What to Include in an Educational Email Course

Let’s say you send a 5-day educational email course to your subscribers.

Here is how you can structure it:

Day 0: Introducing your software product to your prospects.

The Day 0 email will be sent immediately after prospects sign up for the educational email course.

With this, you welcome them to the course and outline what they will learn over the next five days. The course states the scope of the software product, identifies your target audience, and discusses the problems you plan to address.

And each day, you will provide a brief overview of what is coming the next day.

Day 1: Why and for whom you built this software product

On day 1, start with a personal story about why you built this software. What was your motive? Share a story that connects the audience to your brand and goals.

Next, discuss who this software is for, focusing on your intended customers. Help participants understand how each feature contributes to their workflow. Then, talk about the key features and how they will benefit users in terms of productivity, saving time, and saving money.

Day 2: Customizing Settings for Personalized Workflows

Day 2 starts with a summary of what was learned on the previous day.

Then, you educate them about customizing software settings to fit their specific needs. you also share tips on tailoring the user interface and functionalities for optimal efficiency.

Day 3: Navigating Advanced Features and Functions

On Day 3, you will introduce advanced features to enhance productivity. You’ll provide step-by-step instructions on how to use these advanced functions effectively.

You can implement gamification techniques to create a more engaging and interactive learning experience for users.

Day 4: Additional Features for Overall Productivity

On day 4, help them explore the diverse uses of the software, including possibilities with third-party tools. Also, explain how to seamlessly integrate the software into their existing workflow.

Day 5: Time for premium plans

On Day 5, provide a bigger picture with strategies to enhance their daily productivity. Then, explain your subscription plans and invite them to start a trial.

By the end of this 5-day Educational Email Course, prospects should have a clear understanding of how the software can transform their daily productivity and be ready to start their trial.

How to Create Lasting Impressions in Prospects’ Minds

It doesn’t take much time for prospects to understand your thinking. As I mentioned earlier, if you put up glaring ads or force users to pay or leave reviews, they will pull back quickly. Welcome them, let them try your product, and then let them decide.

Here are 5 ways to create a lasting impression:

1. Personal touch – Sharing your personal story instantly hooks them. It’s important to tell them why you built the product.
2. Solving one core problem – Instead of creating a “me-too” productivity app, find a core problem you can solve for your prospects. For example, my core problem is not seeing an analytics feature for recurring tasks in the apps I tested. Can you solve that for me?
3. Security – I choose popular productivity apps because I believe my data is safe and secure with them. I don’t want to use a product from a company that becomes dysfunctional after a few years.
4. Prioritize user experience: Make your app the first thing users want to open in the morning. Design features like a customizable home screen that provides an instant overview of tasks, projects, and goals⁠.
5. Implement practical productivity strategies: Integrate proven techniques like the Pomodoro method or project planning tools to help users maximize their efficiency⁠

Here is a sample 5-day Email Course you can refer to to know how it is done: https://trainyourprospects.com/