Brief Summary
This video features an interview with Jack Schikman, co-founder of the meditation app "The Way," and Steve Pou, founder of VMS.com. They discuss the app's unique approach to meditation, its growth strategy, and an app audit of a journaling app.
- The Way app focuses on a single path to meditation, guided by Zen Master Henry Schikman, Jack's uncle.
- The app prioritizes organic growth through word-of-mouth marketing, podcast appearances, and earned media.
- The app audit highlights the importance of clear value propositions, social proof, and user-friendly onboarding experiences.
The Way App: A Single Path to Meditation
Jack Schikman, co-founder of "The Way," shares the inspiration behind the app. He explains that they identified a gap in the meditation app market, where many users struggled to stick with a practice due to overwhelming choices and lack of guidance. The Way app addresses this by offering a structured, single-path approach to meditation, guided by Zen Master Henry Schikman. This approach aims to replicate the experience of studying with a Zen master, providing a deep and consistent learning journey.
User Research and Product Market Fit
Jack discusses the importance of user research in developing the app. They conducted iterative research, starting with interviews and progressing to diary studies and prototype testing. They focused on finding a core target audience, specifically those who were ready to take their meditation practice to the next level. This approach, "build something that a few people love rather than a lot of people like," helped them achieve product-market fit and build a strong community of dedicated users.
Growth Strategy: Organic and Word-of-Mouth
Jack outlines their growth strategy, which prioritizes organic and word-of-mouth marketing. They focused on building a high-quality product and then leveraged earned media, particularly podcast appearances, to reach their target audience. They also implemented features to facilitate sharing, such as referral bonuses, shareable content, and the ability to gift subscriptions.
App Audit: Rares Journal App
Steve and Jack conduct an app audit of "Rares," a journaling app. They provide feedback on the App Store listing, suggesting improvements to the call-to-actions and social proof elements. They also recommend increasing the app's rating by encouraging users to leave reviews.
Onboarding and Paywall Optimization
Steve and Jack analyze the onboarding and paywall experience of "Rares." They suggest streamlining the paywall by reducing the amount of copy and offering a trial period. They also recommend adding a prominent upgrade button to make it easier for users to purchase premium features.
Growth Hacking: Lifetime Offer
Steve shares a growth hacking strategy for "Rares" to increase downloads and ratings. He recommends offering a free lifetime subscription for a limited time and promoting it through app review websites like App Advice. This strategy can generate significant downloads and user feedback, helping the app gain traction and achieve product-market fit.
Dad Joke Showdown
Steve and Jack engage in a friendly dad joke competition, with the winner receiving a pint of beer. The jokes range from Christmas-themed to meditation-inspired, with Jack ultimately emerging victorious.
Tim's Coaching App: Onboarding and Paywall
Steve and Jack analyze "Tim's" coaching app, focusing on the onboarding and paywall experience. They suggest simplifying the paywall by reducing the amount of copy and offering a video demonstration of the app's features. They also recommend tailoring the pricing tiers based on user needs and providing clear context for the value of each tier.
