This is the Day #2 post in the article series “7 Deadly Sins for Windows Phone Developers!“.

What is Envy ?

From http://deadlysins.com:

Envy is the desire for others’ traits, status, abilities, or situation.

Why: Because other people are so much luckier, smarter, more attractive, and better than you.

How does Envy relate to Windows Phone development ?

— jealousy, feelings of deprivation ..

Are you jealous of other successful Windows Phone App developers? Think you/your app isn’t getting the attention it deserves? Well, you may not be alone; and there’s definitely something we can do about it. Here are few ways Windows Phone developers can get around Envy:

• Opportunity: Remember, we all started the same with the new Windows Phone ecosystem & you have equal opportunity compared to other app developers on the platform. And it is still a newer Marketplace; so if you write something really cool & follow it up right, you will shine!
• ISV: Individual Software Vendor. That is what Microsoft calls us individual developers who produce Windows Phone apps for the Marketplace. Did you notice the word Vendor? Yes, it started with the Apple store; but still pretty exciting to have an immediate consumer base across the world for your code. Accordingly, a Vendor outlook needs to developed, where we are answerable to our users. We need to support & nurture our user/consumer base through detailed appropriate communication, visibility, regular updates etc.
• Is your App discoverable? : Your million-dollar idea had a spark when it first launched; but is it discoverable now amidst hundreds of similar apps? Steps need to be taken to continually make our app discoverable in the Marketplace. Releasing to newly open Marketplaces, Search keywords, social buzz .. anything helps.
• App Connect: Did you know your app could be featured in the user’s Bing searches for tight integration? This, is called Search Extensibility or App Connect and in my opinion, a great way to showcase your app & keep bringing your users back into the app. More info & code samples here & here.
• Marketing: So, you spent a lot of late-nights coding up your dream app & just published to the Marketplace. Wait, you’re job is not done. Careful marketing will get you spikes of app downloads at the beginning & persistent numbers as your features/user base grows. Talk about your app to anyone who would listen. Get in touch with the MSFT User Community (@usercommunity) to make sure your apps are showcased.
• Brand: Your app has greater chance of a loyal user base if users see your app as a brand and it is up to you to position your app accordingly. Start by making Twitter/Facebook profiles for your app, to give yourself an official channel to communicate with your users. Heck, make a website for your app for immediate brand recognition through screenshots/feature highlights. This WP7 App Site template on Codeplex is a great way to start.
• App Reviews: If you think your app is nice & polished and you want an immediate burst of users, don’t be shy to reach out to WP7 sites like http://www.wpcentral.com/ or http://wmpoweruser.com/. App reviews by these heavily-followed sites will give your app immediate recognition & downloads.
• Promotions: Once in a while, MSFT or partners may run campaigns like this or this. Make sure you don’t miss these golden chances, as featured apps in the Marketplace skyrocket in downloads.

That’s all I got for today. So, let’s put our Envy aside and do everything we can to get our Windows Phone apps the recognition they deserve. And it takes one tap from the user to uninstall .. so let’s continue doing all that we can to keep our app a first-class citizen on users’ phones. Hopefully, you come back tomorrow for the Day #3 article in this series of “7 Deadly Sins for Windows Phone Developers!“.

Adios!