Why should you launch your app on the Salesforce^® AppExchange?

Adding channels, new revenue streams and expanding your customer base is no easy feat for any company and usually comes with huge R&D and marketing investment. ISVs though have an easier route. A decision to launch your app on the Salesforce AppExchange opens the door to an enormous pool of potential new customers. It will also elevate your status by increasing the value of your products and positioning your company among other leaders within the Salesforce ecosystem.

How does the Salesforce AppExchange work?

With 5,000 solutions and more than 8 million installs, Salesforce AppExchange is one of the world’s leading marketplaces reaching 150,000+ customers in 100+ countries. 91% of the Fortune 500 companies use at least one Salesforce App and as Salesforce is increasingly becoming the center of many companies’ digital strategy, the addressable market keeps growing. It is the place to be for ISVs wanting to extend their market reach to all sizes of companies across every sector.

What are the different types of Salesforce apps?

It is easy to find your niche when there are multiple ways of leveraging the platform. Salesforce AppExchange solutions come in a variety of types: Apps, Components, Lightning Bolts, Lightning data, and Flow solutions, all based on how they extend the Salesforce platform. 

Apps can either be built natively on Salesforce or remain off-platform and synchronise with Salesforce using pre-built connectors. For native apps, you can target companies already using Salesforce (ISVforce app) or provide a turnkey solution embedded with core Salesforce licenses to companies not yet on the platform (OEM).

No matter if you want to develop a popular type of app or have a disruptive new idea, AppExchange is a place for you. At VRP we are familiar with developing every type of app. We have designed and built 100s of apps, helping our ISV clients bring their vision to the market. For existing ISV Partners we have also refactored apps to improve performance, scalability and leverage new Salesforce technologies and features. 

Why should you use external help to bring your app to market?

If you made a decision to enter the Salesforce app ecosystem, but the process of building and publishing your app seems confusing, don’t worry – this is where a Salesforce-accredited product development outsourcer (PDO) comes into play. It is an exceptional type of Salesforce consulting partner who specializes in helping ISVs along the entire product development lifecycle. They are experts when it comes to strategic advice and technical expertise for all aspects such as design, architecture, development, quality assurance, security review, implementation and support. They also can help with marketing, sales and alliances strategy. Partnering with a PDO is the best strategy to stay agile and get to market quickly to gain a competitive advantage.

Teaming up with already accomplished Salesforce certified experts can be more efficient than upskilling or hiring an internal development team. This way, you can maximise your budget, and save time. PDO’s top-notch expertise gained through countless successful deliveries will provide a perspective that can overcome challenges along the way. They can also make sure that you will avoid any issues while passing the infamous Salesforce security review. They have gone through it many times previously and know all its intricacies and pitfalls. 

What if you don’t have an app yet?

If you are a start-up ISV company and want to bring an app to the Salesforce AppExchange, turning to a PDO is a smart choice. It is important to find an expert who has a customer-centric and hands-on approach. Lucky for you, this is the right place. VRP Consulting is one of only 9 PDO Expert companies globally. On top of that, we are one of the few rare cases; being also an award-winning System Integrator (SI) with Platinum Consulting Partner status. This unique advantage makes us an excellent advisor. We implement Salesforce to customers of all shapes and sizes and so understand deeply how users interact and how businesses get the most value and benefit from the platform. We use this knowledge to help ISVs design brilliant apps to deliver critical new functionality.. 

We can help you handle all aspects, not only with technical development but also end-customer implementations and managed service support if required. We will evaluate your ideas in terms of marketability (we know what apps are successful) and can help you move from MVP to a solid roadmap, regularly releasing updates to your installed base.. You can also rely on us with pre-sales processes and budget evaluation. Need to create a successful marketing strategy? No problem – we will help you raise the visibility of your app among targeted audiences.

The success story of DigitalGenius

DigitalGenius turned to VRP, wanting to expand their go-to-market channels and increase their customer base by bringing their powerful AI customer support solution to the Salesforce AppExchange. We helped develop multiple packages as a product set  and successfully navigated through the security review process. 

As a result, DigitalGenius now has four Apps on the AppExchange and 50% of their clients are Salesforce-based, helping achieve a key milestone of securing series A funding. Their products have been praised by the customers who use them to increase the speed and quality of their customer service support, reducing the first response time by 93% and increasing ticket volume resolution by 85%.   

Are you ready to launch your app on the Salesforce AppExchange? 

Joining the Salesforce AppExchange is an ideal move for ISV companies to reach new markets, build brand awareness and drive scale effectively. This process does not have to be daunting – PDO experts are there to help. You can trust that our unique view will help you accelerate your time-to-market. Our teams have already helped clients bring to life over 100 apps. Whether you are taking your first steps in the Salesforce ecosystem, or need to solidify your position on the market, our experts would be delighted to assist you with all your app needs.

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About the Author

Will Lamb

Chief Revenue Officer, VRP Consulting

Over a 25-year product and services consulting career, Will has worked the last 13 years in the Salesforce ecosystem, both on the client and partner sides. Will ran the Hi-Tech sector at Tquila (acquired by Accenture), establishing the first PDO in the UK and helping many ISVs innovate on the platform. On the client side he has run large enterprise programs helping businesses transform around Salesforce. Will joined VRP in 2018 to build up the UKI division and position the company as a go-to Salesforce partner.