#7 - How to build a successful Shopify App 🚀

Shopify Editions Summer 22

If you were on Twitter these last days, you might have seen many tweets about Shopify Editions. If you haven't, let me explain what it is:

Once a year, Shopify will host "Editions". A page with all the year updates for the Shopify platform (with coming updates). And this Editions 22 was a real bomb.

Shopify announced many important things for developers, including:

• Shopify Functions

• Built for Shopify

• Checkout Extensibility

It's a real bomb because it created many opportunities for developers. You know, I sometimes receive DM on Twitter from people saying, "I don't know what to build. All the apps already exist".

And I think it couldn't be better. Shopify literally created new markets. With no competition, and no existing app, everyone starts at the same time.

So if you didn't know what to build, feel free to check Shopify Editions, the documentation is ready, but the updates are not released. You have time to build.

They also released Built for Shopify, making it easier for a dev to know the guidelines they have to follow for a Shopify App.

They also released many updates for merchants. So we can expect even more stores in the future. More stores mean more potential users. Think about that.

Shopify App Dev event

Recently on Twitter, I asked if people would go to a Shopify App Event in Paris if I ever organized one. And I had many comments! I didn't expect that much. You were a lot interested even if you had to take a flight to come.

It excites me and shows me that's is definitely something we should do. And I will! I promise!

I'm currently talking with Shopify to see if I can get their help to create an amazing event. If you have ideas for this event, speakers, organization, and number of days, let me know by replying to this email!

For my app WideBundle

The new dashboard

I know you're a lot interested in my work on WideBundle.

"What do you still have to do on the app?"

And I'd say that we're improving the dashboard for the moment. We talked to many of our users to understand where the friction was, and we're trying to improve it.

And you're starting to know me better. You know data back everything.

I am actively looking at the activation rate and the churn for this update. We want to improve it. That's why I'm doing that. And you should follow that too. Listen to your guts but back your guts with some data.

Partnerships

We are also onboarding more partners these last weeks to work with us on some integrations to help merchants. But also in some co-marketing activities to share mutual users.

If you have an app with active users almost the same size as WideBundle and want to partner with us, you can email [email protected].

Remember that partnerships are important to grow your app.

400 subscribers 😍

You are now more than 400 subscribers to this newsletter, and I can't thank you enough! Thank you for being part of that! It motivates me to create good content around Shopify Apps 🚀

Let's build the future of Shopify Apps together.

Almost $28,500 MRR 🚀

I'm still sharing the MRR with you. WideBundle and WideReview are now at almost $28,500 MRR combined. We're growing!

But remember, this period of the year is one of the best for my Shopify Apps. We'll probably lose some MRR during summer.

Let's end this weekly email with a tutorial you can apply directly to your business 🙏

I'll teach you how to close app partnership deals for a Shopify App.

1) Choosing the potential partners

• Do not choose competitors (obviously)

• Start with apps your current users already use

• Find apps at the same level as you (number of reviews)

2) Contacting the partners

Some people take time to find out who the CEO of the app is and then try to find his Linkedin or email.

But I feel like you're wasting time doing it.

The majority of apps are already aware of partnerships and it's common for support to receive emails asking for partnerships.

So this is how we do it:

• Open the app store URL of the app

• Get the support email

• Contact the support by email

In the email, you'll be able to explain who you are and what you want. The support will then forward the email to the person in charge. And for smaller apps, the person doing support can also be the founder.

3) Content of the email

• Make it short and simple

• Explain who you are

• Give context

• Explain what you want

• Tell the app what's in it for them

• Call to action

Here is an example 👇

Explain who you are:

"Hello, my name is Mat. I'm the founder of WideBundle (https://apps.shopify.com/widebundle)"

Give context:

"I'm sending this email because some of my users are also using your app"

Explain what you want:

"So it makes sense to ask if you'd be interested in an app partnership? You could help us build integration and then do co-marketing."

What's in it for them:

"We currently have 300 users and 150 paying users. They will be very interested in your app, and we can feature you directly inside the dashboard, send your app in our newsletter, and put you on our website."

Call to action:

"If you're interested, we can get a quick call to make it work.

Have a good day,

Mat"

4) Follow up

Don't forget to follow up after a few days if you don't get any reply. People are sometimes busy. It's not that they don't want to do the deal. They just didn't find the time to reply.

Don't assume they don't want it. Wait for them to tell you "NO" before giving up.

I hope you enjoyed this email! Feel free to forward it to a friend if you're feeling generous!

See you next week,

Mat