We have by no means created the killer app (yet).  But we are pleased with ourselves and in our minds have done well with just our first app.  We knew Master Cleanse would fill a niche in the appstore, but also knew our audience would not be huge – simply because the Healthcare and Fitness category still has a lot of room to grow.  There was a very crappy cleansing app out there but it was so poorly designed, difficult to even look at, and chock full of awful reviews that we didn’t even consider them competition.  Let’s take a step further back.

It was the spring of ‘09 when the three of us decided we’d start making iphone apps.  We had to figure who would do what and who was able to do what .  But we had one little problem – we didn’t even know what had to get done. Luckily, and of course, extremely importantly, one of us is a developer and has been for 15 years.  He goes by the alias, Ace Ebb, in tribute to Nintendo Power Magazine’s contributing game reviewer of the same name, circa 1998. But what about us other two, who don’t know the first thing about programming or the business world?

We did some research into how to start a business, learning some basic stuff such as creating a business plan and a marketing plan.  I know that sounds like common knowledge but none of us had ever done anything like that before.  We also read – a lot.  We took each step slowly and cautiously, trying to decide the best approach:  which of our ideas should we turn into an app first,  should we use an idea we have or come up with others?  Then one night, as we just so happened to be in the middle of a 15-day Master Cleanse session, it came to us – we would create a Master Cleanse app.  Something else happened too.  We agreed to re-structure our work strategy and pledged to have it created and ready to submit to Apple in a week’s time.

We worked our tookas’s off, everyday writing the content of the app, programming it and initiating our social media ‘buzz blitz’, as we like to call it (again, another thing we spent ample time reading up on).  I believe it took us about nine days before we submitted.  We were a couple days off but happy nonetheless.  We began hitting up all the relevant social media channels we planned on doing and sending out promo codes to app review sites.As soon as the appstore started carrying our app we were making sales and have been happy ever since.  Because of this, we spend time reflecting on what we did to get where we are.

Was it pure luck that people were buying our app?  I don’t think that’s it at all.  I also don’t believe it is solely our ‘buzz blitzing’.  We now realize that the key to developing, marketing and making money with a team of three is simple.  Make a truly excellent app that people will be happy with.

As for how we got here, from what I can tell and what from I’m learning, it’s a combination of three things.  First off is our fresh idea.  Obviously we’re not the originators of the Master Cleanse.  For that we give props to Stanley Burroughs, who back in 1941 brought it into being.  We just happened to be the ones to turn it into a really cool app, which brings me the second factor – the simple, effective, sleek and fun operation and performance.  Our tech whiz is the one who made our app function the way it does and look the way it does.  And because I don’t have the slightest idea as to how the development process works, he’s going to be sharing his experiences with us soon on here, so stay tuned.  And last but not least is marketing.

From the time we even began entertaining the idea of making iPhone apps, we were trying to figure out how we would be marketing them – something none of us had any clue about.  But many google searches, websites and blogs later, we’re still learning how to do it the best we can.  A simple “how to market iphone apps” google search will yield dozens and dozens of hints, tips, tricks and techniques by all sorts of gurus, corporate-types, indie-types and rookies.  But reading about is and ‘figuring it out’ is just the beginning.

In the words of a great philosopher, developing and marketing an app is “10% inspiration and 90% perspiration.”  The point is, it takes a lot of hard work and you have to be prepared to immerse yourself in it, do a lot of research, and learn by trial and error.

From the beginning we wanted to make an application that wouldn’t just describe the Master Cleanse or list all of its perks, but rather one that everyone can use without having to wade through the dozens of websites and books in hopes of finding accurate information and directions. We set out to make the most authoritative Master Cleanse application in existence with a simple to use design providing the information one needs to successfully complete the Master Cleanse.

We decided to keep the usability so smooth and simple that, no matter how much experience one has using an iPhone or even an app, anyone can easily maneuver through it in a comfortable and understandable way. One of my favorite parts about the app is the Shopping List. Not only does it give you a list of what’s needed, but also the nutritional value and explanation of the importance of each ingredient. Our decision to give advisory information about the Master Cleanse was a given. The Master Cleanse is an incredible experience, however it isn’t for everyone, such as diabetics, pregnant women, people on certain medications, etc. It seems that a lot of Master Cleanse information out there leaves out two crucial elements of the cleanse: pre-cleanse preparation and coming off the cleanse. We address those in our app with specific details. The Master Cleanse is an excellent detoxification program rather than a general weight loss diet. But the truth is, people can lose some serious weight while on it. That is why we added a weight tracker that monitors your weight and tells you each day how much weight you lost. I like to think of the weight loss as one of the master cleanse’s perks. We also know that while on the Master Cleanse there are times where you’d like to reflect how far you’ve come and how far you’ve got to go. This is where our Status tracker comes in and visually shows you this information. Last but not least, we’ve got the recipe for the cleanse and specific daily instructions on how to perform the cleanse all in a simple no fuss, no muss set of steps.

I’m confident our master cleanse app is a great help to anyone thinking about or currently doing the Master Cleanse and it works very well. It offers the support needed whenever and wherever you are. However, we’re not done yet. We are already working on the design of the next version because we want to make it even better. And we want your ideas and feedback. What do you want to see in the next version? An energy tracker to monitor and keep track of how you feel during the cleanse? A list of locations near you where the necessary supplies are sold?  A way to communicate with others on the cleanse?

If you’d like to contribute ideas to the next version and be a part of making this app help others to have the best Master Cleanse experience possible then please click on the Feedback tab on the right side of our site and let us know!

This app isn’t just something all of us have personally done and stand strongly behind, but it’s something we want other to successfully complete.  We’ve made it possible and easy to do, no matter where you are, with lots of personal advice before, during and after the cleanse.  We’re very proud of what we’ve created.  We are by no means claiming any credit for creating the master Cleanse – that was done by Mr. Burroughs over 50 years ago.  But what we have done (very well I might add, if I do say so myself) is worked our butts off to genuinely help to educate, prepare, guide people through and ease people off a successful master cleanse experience in an all-inclusive application. The Master Cleanse App is our first iphone application and is based on our successful experience completing the cleanse. We were so inspired by the physical, mental and emotional growth as a result of it, we decided to make an app to help others do it too.