With 7 billion people in the world and counting, it would seem that all it takes to snag a devoted following is to cast a wide net. And with so many things going viral these days, expanding your user base should be a piece of cake. The reality for many mobile applications; however, is that gaining a meaningful and profitable following is an increasingly daunting task. Numbers are only half of the equation; quality of experience is the driving force.
The recipe for valuable user acquisition includes the perfect blend of retaining loyal users, promoting your brand, and continuously engaging users. WeWork Fulton Center member Mobiquire sets out to offer this power combination to mobile app developers. Founder Arsen Pereymer works with his clients to steer their app in the right direction.
A serial entrepreneur, Pereymer explains how his experiences inspired him to pursue his newest endeavor with Mobiquire and encourages everyone to stay persistent with their dreams.
WeWork: What is your favorite part of the workday?
Pereymer: The mornings! I usually get in the office around 7:30 to 8 a.m. and love that it’s so quiet. It allows me to use my creative energy to come up with further ideas and build my dream.
WeWork: With an extensive background in technology and with several startups under your belt, what was your impulse for creating Mobiquire?
Pereymer: Having personally created several hundred apps and run multiple app companies, I understand the difficulty app publishers face in acquiring users, and more importantly “relevant” users. Realizing this challenge, I decided it’s a great opportunity to create a platform to help app publishers solve this problem.
WeWork: What sets your company apart from the other mobile app marketing companies out there?
Pereymer: Mobiquire focuses on helping app publishers acquire “targeted users.” We are able to laser focus on demographic and geographic criteria. For example, we are able to deliver 20,000 users in the New York area who are men between ages 18 to 34. Our pricing model sets us apart from others as well. We only charge for the install as opposed to charging for clicks or impressions. Thus, our customers set a budget and know up front exactly the amount of downloads they will get. We also provide a pricing model based on action, such as user delivered or sign up.
WeWork: What were some difficulties you faced in developing Mobiquire? How did you get past them?
Pereymer: The biggest challenge is educating app publishers and managing their expectations.
Many app publishers expect to reach the top charts and want us to help them achieve that. Yet, they may not have the necessary budgets for that goal. Therefore, we spend a lot of time educating our customers and helping them realign their expectations based on their budgets. One factor we focus heavily on is user retention. We educate our customers that retaining users who will come back to their app is more important than just acquiring many users—quality versus quantity.
WeWork: What do you think is the key to success for a startup company? Any advice for up-and-coming startups?
Pereymer: Persistence and never giving up! I believe that entrepreneurs do not fail, but instead just give up because things are not moving as quickly as they would hope. Dreams take time to build. If it is not working as quickly as you would hope, do not give up! Pivot if you need to, but never give up on your dream.
WeWork: Do you ever get a chance to unplug during your day? What do you do in that time?
Pereymer: Although it’s tough, I try to go outside for a walk at least 30 minutes of the day. I leave my phone back in the office to ensure that I get no interruptions. During my walk, I try to be in the “tourist” state of mind in that I explore the city.
WeWork: How long have you been with WeWork and what has your experience been like here?
Pereymer: I have been with WeWork for close to one year now. We started small and are continuing to grow here. My experience has only been positive, and I continue to recommend WeWork to all my friends and colleagues. I think that the concept is superb! Specifically, I love that I can concentrate on “just work” and not worry about the non-work related items. I don’t have to waste any efforts in ordering water, or coffee, or clean up; everything is taken care of for me and I can focus on building something great.
Photo credit: Lauren Kallen