So, it’s the end of the year again. Time to dust off your list of personal goals and check if all is going as planned in your life. Many may grimace at the sight of an incomplete list, but they are not alone. We’ve all been there, including us at Kdan Mobile. Our journey, like yours, has been anything but smooth sailing.
2017 was our year though. We used 8 proven strategies this year to kick some serious butt. And now, we’re sharing them with you, because they work.
Interested? Let’s begin.
Strategy #1:
Create Solutions – Not Products
Let’s get one thing straight. A product is not the same as a solution. The former usually refers to single products or applications. Solutions combine different products and services to solve a problem. There’s a distinctive end-to-end, user-centric, problem-solving feel to it.
In 2017, Kdan launched not one, but two solutions, for different segments. Kdan Creativity 365 bundled all five apps in the Creative App Series to allow users to work seamlessly across mobile and desktop via Kdan Cloud. We also launched Kdan Document 365 to provide cross-device document solutions catered towards businesses.
The solutions approach worked brilliantly when we entered the B2B market. Our ability to tailor a comprehensive solution for complex business needs, led to us clinching deals with top clients including VolksWagen and several educational institutes.
Takeaway: Take time to think about your users’ pain-points and develop a solution that solves their problems.
Strategy #2: Find Your Audience
To grow your reach and influence, you need to find out where your audience spends most of their time. In 2017, Kdan launched our flagship apps (PDF Reader, NoteLedge, Animation Desk) on all three major platforms – iOS, Android, and Windows 10. Because of our targeted approach, we grew our membership to 3 million registered Kdan members
Takeaway: Research which platforms your target audience uses most often, and focus your efforts on them to grow your influence.
Strategy #3: Get Noticed
Getting recognised for your efforts is a long, hard slog. You need to have a solid solution that solves a pressing problem. But if you think an endless barrage of press releases will get your solution noticed, think again. You need to build your credibility, and nothing speaks street-cred better than a string of shiny awards and recognitions.
At Kdan, we lined our shelf with a bumper crop of awards in 2017. PDF Reader Android was selected this year for the Google Building for Billions Program, featuring optimization for users in developing countries. Write-on Video was also selected for the FbStart program, and apps in our Creative App Series like PDF Reader, NoteLedge, and Animation Desk were featured several times in Apple’s App Store and Google Play Store.
To top it all off, Kdan Creativity 365 earned a place in Capterra’s Top 20 Most Affordable Document Management Solutions. Commenting on the report, Rachel Wille of Capterra explained that, “Creativity 365 obtained a quality score of 5/5 and an overall reviews score of 4.5 stars. These two metrics helped Creativity 365 rank in the top 10.” FinancesOnline also conferred Creativity 365 the Rising Star and Great User Experience Awards.
Takeaway: Get the word out there quickly by applying for awards, and engaging with programs from influential brands like Facebook and Google.
Strategy #4: Content Marketing
Developing your own content puts you in control of the message going out to your fans. And brilliant, useful content keeps them coming back for more.
At Kdan, we published almost 60 articles in 2017 (including this one!) on The Lab!, Kdan’s in-house blog. We’ve come a long way from 2013 when we launched it and published just 23 articles in the same year. The Lab! now features 5 series, including Company Culture, Exclusive Interview with Animators, Social Media, Photography, and Unleash the Creativity. Following our blog’s success, April 2017 saw us expanding our content marketing efforts to cover users in Taiwan with a dedicated Blog and Facebook fan page in Traditional Chinese.
Takeaway: Start a blog and start writing regular, relevant, and useful content that your users crave more of.
Strategy #5: 
Develop a Culture of Constant Learning
If your idea of developing culture is limited to that pack of yoghurt in the fridge, this one’s for you. In 2017, Kdan strengthened its culture of constant learning and improvement by holding two seminars, one on UI design and another on Agile software development.
We even conducted in depth interviews with Kdaners to learn what they thought about our company culture and what it should be like.
And as we prepare to hold a customer service workshop soon, all our team members will gain in-depth understanding on what questions our customer support team encounters the most. Undoubtedly, this will prove invaluable as we improve our user experience from app design and coding to after-sale customer service.
Takeaway: Never stop learning. Period.
Strategy #6: Entertain Yourself!
They say that all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. At Kdan, we agree. That’s why our 2017 was packed chock-full of games and fun activities.
Things got so serious with our Animation Desk Street Fighters that we needed a Pie Face game to determine who had to forfeit.
We can’t escape our deadlines but at least two out of three teams managed to escape the room.
Sometimes the best way to enjoy a hot summer is by having a BBQ by the lake.
If developing apps for 3 million users doesn’t scare you, the four in-house ghosts in our first ever Halloween contest will.
Takeaway: Work Hard and Play Hard. Your inner productivity and creativity muses will thank you for it.
Strategy #7: Grow Your Team
Solo entrepreneurs might be all the rage but even they eventually need a support team to back them up when their business thrives. To support our rapid growth, Kdan added nine new members to its ranks in 2017. We look forward to meeting new challenges head on with our new team!
Takeaway: If you’re stingy on hiring just to keep your team lean and scrappy, you need to look at the bigger picture.
Strategy #8: Adopt a Pet
Let’s face it. Success is a long, arduous, and sometimes lonely journey. You may lose friends and team members you’ve worked and gossiped over lunch with, for whatever reason. But no matter what happens, the furry family members behind our hard-working Kdaners will always be there to comfort them when the going gets tough.
Because every over- and underachiever needs a cuddle once in a way.
Takeaway: If you adopt a pet, it’s a lifetime commitment, just like your unwavering commitment to your own success.
BONUS Strategy #9:
Subscribe, Save, and Maybe Win an iPhone X!
If you’re truly serious about achieving something great next year, why not invest in your creativity and productivity right now? Take the first step, and subscribe to our award-winning Creativity 365 annual plan today to save 20%! Plus, you stand a chance to win an iPhone X in a lucky draw!
Sharing is caring, so we’d like to hear from you.
What strategies did you use in 2017 to achieve success in your life and work?