App Empire: Make Money, Have a Life, and Let Technology Work for You

Keeping Score

What to Measure to Win the App Game

Sometimes we think we're losing the game of life when we're really winning simply because we're not keeping score.

—Anthony Robbins

I stepped off the train and onto the platform in Berkeley, California, and was met with a blast of hot, dense air. It was an unseasonably warm day, and without question I was wearing the wrong outfit. I had relocated to San Francisco in hopes of learning more about the mobile app space and growing my business. I didn't know anyone, and I felt a bit uncertain in this new city and in my business.

I was on my way to meet a top apprenuer who had randomly emailed me the previous week in the hopes of networking. I wanted to make a good first impression, so I had to project confidence in this arena even though I had been in this business for only a few months.

Alan was pleasant. We met at his favorite lunch joint, the infamous Smokehouse. While clogging our arteries with what he called the best burgers and hot dogs in America, we began to discuss the app business.

“How many downloads do you have per day?” Alan asked.

Not knowing the answer, but wanting to appear informed, I estimated, “Umm, we are doing about one to two K a day.”

“Cool. And you have free apps with traffic pointing to your paid apps, I'm assuming?” he continued.

“Uh, yeah. We are working on that right now,” I deflected.

Dodging more questions, ...