How to create an email to drive app downloads

Whether you’ve just placed your app on QuickBooks Apps.com or it’s been there for a while and you need to start publicizing it, a launch email to prospective customers can increase views of your app card and drive downloads.
To help you create an email that follows proven marketing techniques and best practice, we’ve created an html template for you to download and populate, using the following guide.

Plan the content

Before you use the template, write yourself a mini brief to make sure your message is focused and on-target. It can be as simple as answering the following three questions:

#1: Who are you talking to?

Key stakeholders, customers and prospects. Picture them in your mind and make a note of their average age, their job titles, their working situation and any other detail that comes to mind. This will help you use the language they use and focus on the messages that are most important to them.

#2: What do you need to communicate?

The launch of your app on QuickBooks Apps.com. But what does it do? Why should the recipient check it out? How does it help them?
A good way to put together content for your email is to imagine that you’ve got into an elevator and have struck up a conversation with a stranger.
They soon ask, “I use QuickBooks – what does your app do?”
How would you reply, to make them want to download it? You only have thirty seconds before they reach their floor, so give them the top line benefits.

#3: What do you want them to do?

You want them to go to the QuickBooks Apps.com to learn more about your app, download it and try it out. So let’s provide the top-line benefits so they feel compelled to learn more.

Get a friendly From

It’s good practice to use a real name in a familiar format, to make your email personal and trustworthy. For example, joe.smith@yourcompany.com is more likely to get through than ‘info’ or ‘no-reply..
Now let’s create the email

Now you have a good idea of who you’re targeting, what you need to say, and what you want them to do, let’s go about creating the email.
The main body of the email – Before you write the subject line, write the main body of the email, using every element to drive visits to your app card on the Apps.com
Link to Apps.com – This is the most important part of the email, so we’ve placed it at the top, in the most prominent place. Research shows this works well in a box and should be repeated as a hyperlink in the text.
Headline – Make this about one benefit and address the reader.
Body text – Get straight to the point at the top of the email – explain what your app does, how it improves their life, and why it’s better than other ways of working or indeed other apps.
Explain how your product works with Quickbooks Online. Use short sentences and a few bullet points if necessary.
Remember to keep it all about how the reader will benefit, nudging them to visit Apps.com for more details and a download.
Screen grab – Show them what they’ll see if they download your app, give them an instant visual suggestion of ease of use.
Your app icon – Shows who you are and adds authenticity but keep it small so it doesn’t dominate.
Sign-off – keep it personal and give them contact details to ask any questions that might influence the sale.

Nudging works

To drive downloads, nudge the protective customer on with suggestions and invitations, before the link to your app card.

Why not try [App name] for yourself?
Explore how [App name] can work for you and your customers.
Discover how [App name] can change the way you [feature].
See how you can spend less time [feature].
[App name] is perfect for you if you want to [feature].

Learn more and download on the QuickBooks App Store

Choose your subject line wisely

You know how you react when a new email appears and the subject line doesn’t interest you – you trash it. So take time to make sure it reflects the content of your email. Make it direct, professional, clear – and above all, benefit-led. Give them a reason to open the email and find out more.
For example:
Save hours pricing jobs using this QuickBooks app
Remember that you only have about half a second to grab their attention, so keep it short and to the point. Around 50 characters or fewer is about right.

Don’t forget the preview text

This is the text that appears under the subject line in some email clients, especially on mobile devices.
It’s pulled from the first few lines of your email. We’ve marked it up on the email template, so you can easily add yours. For optimum compatibility across devices and email clients, we recommend a maximum of 50 characters.
You can use the preview text as an opportunity to reinforce your subject line and add extra detail. For example:
Subject line: How long does it usually take you to price jobs?
Preview text: This QuickBooks app can save you hours
Or introduce your call to action:
Subject line: Save hours pricing jobs using this QuickBooks app
Preview text: Take a look on QuickBooks Apps.com

Test it out

Email yourself the subject line and preview text you’re considering and see how it works in-situ on your phone and computer.

Anti-spam laws

Comply with anti-spam legislation. In the US, this is the CAN-SPAM Act of 2003. As a general guide:

Deceptive From names, reply-to addresses, or subject lines are outlawed
An unsubscribe link must always be present
Unsubscribe requests must be honored within 10 days
You must include a physical mailing address or PO Box

Also, don’t fall foul of Spam filters:

Avoid adding unnecessary code, extra tags or code pulled in from other apps
Try to avoid common spam words – e.g. replace ‘free’ with ‘at no cost’
Ask recipients to add you to their address book

Next steps

Set up a dedicated email address
Follow the tips on this page to:
- Write a short brief
- Complete the rest of the HMTL template
- Try different subject lines, preview text lines and headlines
Test it on colleagues and then send it out to prospects

As a result, your app rating and ranking will rise, and you’ll gain more connected customers.