Creating an App with Kiley Ferons of Modish Quilter

Have you considered creating an app for your business? Alumni, Kiley Ferons, started her own modern quilting magazine with great success. On episode 125, Kiley shares about creating apps for her businesses: Modish Quilter Magazine and Kiley’s Quilt Room. She will take you behind the scenes and share all the details involved in the process of app creation. If you are curious to find out if an app would be beneficial to your business, or you haven’t yet considered it, but are curious… this episode is for you! Kiley generously shares insight as she shares this aspect and perspective of her business. She shares the cost, the process, what and who you need, and why you should consider this for the future of your business.

In this episode Kiley gives insight on:

• The history of Modish Quilter Magazine
• Kiley speaks about “staying in her lane” and focusing on one thing. This has been a challenge for her. She talks about the two aspects of her business, the difficulties it can bring and how focusing on one thing can be beneficial to business. 
• She shared what is in the Modish Quilter Magazine and what makes it unique. Staying true to her customers is what drives a lot of her business decisions, especially when it comes to what is featured in the magazine. 
• Her magazine is not printed- it is all digital! This brought her to developing an app for the magazine subscribers.
• Who did her app development? Where does one go to start this process? Why build an app? Why would this be important for MY business? She answers them all! 
• What about an app over a website? Is one more beneficial than the other? She talks about how they work together and each have specific roles for success. 
• She explains the two apps that she has created for her business. Developing an app takes a long time. She explains what there is to it and the things that you must consider when creating one. 
• Her and her husband found a company, Mag Plus, which has a platform for magazines and does apps for magazines. She talks about the process and the beneficial features that makes having an app so cool and exciting! 
• We talk about ads and how they can be done very creatively in the app. They hope to feature quilters shops, upcoming fabric lines, or whatever would be applicable and helpful for her audience. 
• Making money with the app? How much time are we talking to create the app. if you do it well, it will take at least a year.
• How did you market the app? Many of people have found the app because of her email list. Email lists are huge! 
• Are you curious to see what this app is all about? Download it and you can view the FREE sample. She tells the benefits of being a subscriber and having the app. 
• What about tech issues? Having the app through another company has tech and customer service benefits. We talk about some things to keep in mind, including fees and the different requirements for Apple verses Android. 
• Kiley shares things to consider when developing an app… like needing a developer, a designer and of course the content.  
• When is having an app worth it? Is having an app right for your business?
• She breaks down some of the cost in developing an app. You should plan to spend between$5,000-10,000 to create an app that will represent the best of you to your audience. 
• What are some other business models, besides magazines, that would benefit from having an app? Not every business needs an app. We talk about when it makes sense. 
• Kiley shares a little about her two apps and what to expect within each one. 
• Her advice for business owners, in general, apps aside.
• How has she seen the success that she has had? It doesn’t come easily or overnight. Fake it til you make it!