DEV Community: Nick Selman

9 Reasons Small Business Owners Should Be Thinking About Low-Code/No-Code

Nick Selman — Mon, 01 Nov 2021 21:38:30 +0000

It’s practically impossible to run a business today without technology. No matter the size and type of enterprise, there’s a universal need for simple, functional software that streamlines processes and improves daily operations, while also attracting users and serving customers. But small businesses, in particular, have unique needs and challenges related to technology, as well as new opportunities.

Traditional software development is a costly and time-consuming endeavor that often requires experienced, expensive specialists that aren’t always available or affordable internally. For many new and small businesses, this can seem like a daunting problem. At the same time, though, an intelligent solution has never been closer – right in front of you and at your fingertips: low-code/no-code development.

Whether you’re building a mobile app or opening a flower shop, you can use a low-code/no-code platform to launch and scale your business, doing everything from website design, project management and accounting to marketing, customer engagement and creating APIs. If you’re in the startup phase, low-code/no-code (LCNC) is especially appealing because it is versatile, customizable and open source, so you won’t feel trapped by your architecture or have to start over when you change programs. You can just keep going and growing.

In this article, we’ll share insights informed by our experience working with small business owners and startup founders who used Draftbit’s low-code/no-code platform to save hundreds of engineering hours and reduce their time to value.

What is low-code/no-code technology?

In software development, LCNC is an approach that requires little to no coding to create applications and processes. These development platforms use visual interfaces with straightforward logic and drag-and-drop features, rather than complex coding languages. They offer intuitive tools that enable users without extensive programming knowledge to build web applications, including mobile apps.

Low-code/no-code platforms are becoming more and more popular as a simpler, speedier option than traditional software development. Professional and nonprofessional “citizen” developers alike are able to use LCNC to build apps that accelerate digital transformation, automate key processes, meet business development demands and much more.

Increasingly, low-code/no-code solutions are being considered as advantageous for small businesses because they are cost-effective, mitigate the IT skills gap, expedite application development, require minimal training, can be deployed cross-platform (mobile, web, desktop, cloud) and are highly scalable.

Benefits of low-code/no-code

LCNC platforms are a phenomenal way for small businesses to build and deploy effective, easy-to-use applications with little to no coding experience. Any company can use low-code/no-code to create custom-made apps to help automate workflow-based internal tasks or provide tailor-made solutions to their customers.

Low-code and no-code platforms can lower costs and build complexity for software development, allowing for an accelerated time to market. Successful platforms offer user-friendly visual interfaces. Prebuilt, reusable components and connectors empower non-technical business professionals and power users to quickly develop apps and easily integrate them with existing systems. Small businesses no longer need to engage in lengthy projects that would have been required using traditional consultant routes.

Because LCNC utilizes reusable code and is expandable, it’s easy to rapidly deploy apps while still allowing for adjustments to meet the changing business environment. Small companies know right away how their business models vary and when their customers desire more.

How low-code/no-code makes small businesses more competitive

These days, customers expect that companies of all sizes will deliver high-quality digital applications and experiences. This means startup founders and IT leaders face intense pressure to produce applications quickly and improve time to value.

But traditional coding processes are time and money intensive, requiring well-trained teams of developers that are too expensive for most small businesses. Still, reaching customers online is critical for the success of SMBs, 80% of which will fold within 10 years of launching.

To ease the mounting pressures, some small business owners are taking advantage of the explosion in low-code development. Low-code/no-code platforms are making it possible for non-IT individuals, a.k.a. “citizen” developers, to create applications quickly on their own and at a fraction of the cost. These technologies are dramatically changing the IT landscape and giving small businesses the lifesaving tools they need to stay relevant.

9 reasons small business owners should be thinking about LCNC

Brand loyalty is the key to new customers, happy customers, and repeat business. In fact, 98% of U.S. consumers surveyed by Microsoft view customer service as a crucial factor in deciding which brands deserve their business. And, according to Forbes, roughly 75% of companies with above-average customer service perform better than their competitors financially.

Small businesses know their customer needs and desires better than anyone else. By taking the initiative to develop their own applications, they’re enhancing customer experiences and delivering quality service like never before.

Here are nine reasons small business owners should be thinking about low-code/no-code right now:

1. Record Ease in Time to Value

For small companies, the cost of traditional web and app development can be prohibitively expensive. But LCNC allows users the opportunity to develop apps on their own without the need to hire high-priced programmers.

These tools are also incredible time savers. In a recent worldwide survey, 29% of global respondents reported that low-code development was 40-60% faster than traditional development.

2. Improved Marketing Efforts

Cost-effective growth strategies are a major challenge for small businesses. Competition is high, especially if your brand awareness is low. But data suggests that consumer engagement trends are shifting.

One recent report indicated 85% of users now favor apps over mobile sites because they’re more convenient, faster and easier to browse. Catering to these changing preferences, mobile app development makes it easier for small businesses to target and engage consumers.

3. Tailored Customer Experience

Because apps allow for personalized experiences, they give people the customized content and communication they crave. Mobile apps offer customers the ability to set preferences and receive recommendations that can improve their experience and help boost the chance of conversions.

In addition, you can target consumers with tailored notifications, a simple and easy way to keep them up-to-date with product offerings and deals.

4. Meet Consumer Demand

Customers are better connected and more informed than ever before. And, accordingly, their expectations have never been higher. Fast and smooth mobile experiences are prerequisites for the modern consumer’s digital experience.

Small businesses can no longer just offer a website and customer service contact. They need to build easy-to-use and intuitive apps responsive on all devices. Low code/no-code platforms are the solution for both technical and non-technical teams to deliver for their customers. Draftbit can help you digitize your business.

5. Opportunities for Feedback

Mobile apps enable small businesses to keep in touch with the feelings and opinions of users by offering opportunities to share critical feedback. Not only does this help your business get better, but it also might encourage other potential customers to try you.

Some low-code/no-code platforms are collaborative, customizable and connected, offering the ability to publish multiple versions, share externally and run user tests, with access to software experts and a vibrant community. On a platform like that, your team members can work together, acquire valuable feedback and grow your user base.

6. Loyalty and Retention

Research shows that 89% of companies view customer experience as the number one factor in driving loyalty. With so many different options for customer service and engagement, the goal is to work smarter, not harder.

Of course, saving money is important, too. Thanks to advancements in LCNC development, apps are not only the most in-demand way that customers want to access your products and services. They also are becoming the most affordable, efficient way of reaching customers.

7. Easy Integration with Other Apps and Systems

Low-code/no-code platforms typically are built to offer a wide range of integrations to leverage existing systems. Many platforms are ready-made to interact with existing services, and they allow you to use your own business processes instead of migrating everything to a new platform.

For example, if you built an app with a scheduling component, it could easily be tied to Microsoft Outlook or Google calendars. With Draftbit, you can add custom integrations that connect your app directly to supported third-party platforms, helping you maintain greater control over your applications and avoid bringing in costly developers or professional services to make updates.

8. Independent Innovation

Businesses don’t need to hire developers or contract vendors to create apps. With LCNC solutions, you avoid expensive planning and ramp-up stages by giving teams close to the business the ability to be hands-on and actively involved.

Effective low-code/no-code platforms will have a wide range of prebuilt templates purpose-built, ready for you to expand on and deploy in a short time. Flexibility and adaptability make solving once expensive problems cheaper and more streamlined, helping small businesses innovate in a way that would not have been possible before.

9. More Engaged Employees

Department managers are now able to use their own people to bring ideas and innovation to market. LCNC solutions mean small businesses don’t have to try and find talented developers or wait until employees acquire new skills to enjoy the benefits.

Your team can understand app-based project needs and requirements better than any outside consultant. Why not give them the basic tools and training they need to deploy apps? Empowering your employees to do their jobs better and independently will boost creativity, cultivate buy-in and improve the overall product.

The low-code/no-code solution for mobile app builders

Small businesses today are facing a marketing and IT dilemma. It’s now 60% more expensive for businesses to acquire new customers than it was five years ago, making retention more essential than ever before. And mobile traffic accounts for at least half the total web traffic worldwide. Indeed, consumers increasingly prefer using mobile apps to access products and services.

Unlike larger, more established companies, most small businesses don’t have the time or resources for sophisticated digital advertising or expensive app development. But by harnessing advancements and embracing opportunities in LCNC development, small businesses can address these challenges with ease.

Mobile application development is just one of many reasons small business owners should be thinking about low-code/no-code, but it’s becoming an ever more important one. And Draftbit is just one of many great low-code/no-code platforms out there, but we’re the one to help you build your mobile app visually – the app maker for small businesses.

That’s because Draftbit offers citizen developers the most user-friendly experience with an ecosystem of tools and support designed for all skill levels. Our platform enables users to create Android or IOS apps online without coding by using powerful software like React and React Native.

Draftbit’s LCNC applications are built with real code at the core, meaning it’s designed to grow with your business. As your business expands, so do the coding demands for your app. When complexity expands to the point that you must hire trained coders, there’s no need to start from scratch, as is often the case on other platforms.

Learn more about why building with Draftbit can help your small business, connect with our Community or request a free demo today.

React Native vs. Flutter: Which One is Better?

Nick Selman — Fri, 22 Oct 2021 16:18:35 +0000

When it comes to selecting a cross-platform mobile application framework, many developers are indifferent. That’s because, in the beginning, the goal is often just to pick the most practical, expedient app maker and get the product to market as quickly as possible.

As a result, someone with a low-tech or no-tech background might view software frameworks and software development kits (SDKs) for mobile applications as interchangeable. But making a selection without at least some forethought is a bad idea.

This is especially true when deciding between the two most popular cross-platform mobile frameworks for software developers: React Native and Flutter. In terms of performance, to most founders’ eyes, they are both fairly similar. But their differences could mean steep costs down the line.

But first, some brief background.

What is React Native?

React Native, initially released in 2015, is Facebook’s open-source UI software framework for developing applications. It’s a free app maker that is pretty well established, thanks to its use of Javascript and general popularity among developers.

Your application is written in Javascript but then rendered with native code to your users’ app platforms without sacrificing their respective user experiences.

What is Flutter?

Flutter, first launched in 2017, is Google’s answer to React Native, its own open-source UI software development kit. It offers users a fairly enhanced set of widgets and tools, which are sought-after by app makers because of their ability to create vibrant, stunning applications.

Instead of using Javascript, Flutter is programmed in Dart, a programming language created in 2011.

For many startups, React Native and Flutter can seem pretty similar. But let’s take a look at some of the considerations that can set them apart.

1. User Interface and Speed

Flutter was created with UI in mind and is known for its ability to create apps with visually appealing graphics and seamless transitions. Also, whereas React Native requires a bridge to render Javascript to native platform code, Flutter’s Dart code can be compiled directly, which often makes it a faster option.

Dart is also a more compact programming language than Javascript, and therefore it also tends to compile slightly faster, as evidenced by Dart vs. Javascript benchmark data available online.

For these reasons, some have seen Flutter as an improvement over React Native, which was initially clunky and struggled with slow animations.

As a result, Flutter has been picking up steam in recent years. The percentage of cross-platform mobile developers using Flutter globally has steadily increased over the past few years, from 30% in 2019 to 39% in 2020, and now 42% for 2021. The percentage of cross-platform mobile developers using React Native was 42% for 2019 and 2020 but dropped to 38% in 2021.

These reasons often lead people into believing that Flutter is inherently the fastest, least expensive option for app development. But that is potentially a very costly mistake for those searching for a free app maker or creating android apps online without coding.

2. Community Platforms and Talent Pools

Javascript was originally created in 1995, and as a result, developers have been solving problems using this programming language for almost a quarter of a century.

In comparison, Dart has only been around for a decade, and its popularity and use have been limited to Google and Google developers for most of that time.

Thus, the Flutter community isn’t nearly as large. Indeed, it can be difficult for developers to locate solutions to specific problems, which can increase the time to market. It also creates a perfect storm down the line as you scale your mobile app and need to hire developers.

The world is currently experiencing a shortage of software engineering talent. In fact, by 2030, experts believe this talent shortage will reach 85.2 million.

Since React Native and Flutter use different programming languages, your selection could limit the pool of talent qualified to work on your app. Also, since the community platforms for Flutter are less mature than their more robust React Native counterparts, that means more limited access to solutions and the greater resulting need to seek out highly skilled Dart programmers.

Yes, Flutter as an SDK may be faster than React Native as a framework. However, when you consider the possibility of time lost trying to solve problems and the additional costs of possibly needing a more skilled Dart programmer to compensate for the problems that can’t be solved through its community platforms, Flutter may not be your best option. It’s risky, and some risks simply don’t pay off.

3. Time

It’s also important to consider that app development software is constantly changing and always improving. Whereas React Native struggled with stability and slow graphics (among other issues) at first, there have been major improvements since then, and it has become a legitimate competitor to Flutter in terms of UI.

Likewise, the Flutter community is gaining ground. With time, its community platforms will be significant assets for app makers that may even rival those of React Native. But for now, Flutter is still quite young, and its community is simply not as mature.

React Native is the most powerful cross-platform development framework used by millions of developers around the globe, and Draftbit is built on it, providing full React Native and Expo source code exports and the support of our knowledgeable, helpful Community.

Free App Makers Aren’t Equivalent to Free Apps

While you may be attracted to the prospect of a free app maker, when you consider the hidden costs of lost time and hired talent, you’ll realize that it’s nearly impossible to make a free app.

Especially if you prefer low-code or no-code options for app development, the quality of your community support will have a far greater impact on the quality, time to market, and cost of your app than anything else.

That’s why we at Draftbit have invested so much into fostering a vibrant Community, where our users can connect with experts, get help, showcase their progress and stay informed. Your customers and your team rely on you to build solutions that are exceptional. And solving hard problems requires powerful tools, which is why we're building Draftbit to be the most powerful visual development tool available.

Our affordable pricing plans give Draftbit users a competitive edge by fostering an ecosystem of support for app makers, regardless of skill or experience level. Request a demo or start building for free today and experience the difference firsthand.

How to Get Your First 1,000 Mobile App Users

Nick Selman — Fri, 22 Oct 2021 15:02:55 +0000

For so many founders and entrepreneurs developing mobile apps, the most difficult challenge early on is how to attract initial users. It's especially tricky territory because every business idea is different, so there’s no “one-size-fits-all” approach to begin building a loyal customer base.

In today’s hyper-competitive, fast-paced digital world, with new technology enabling better, faster and easier-to-use software to build better, faster and easier-to-use products, it seems like everyone and their smartphone-savvy grandmother is developing a mobile app. So how do you stand out from the crowd? How do you get people to know about your app, care about it, use it, buy it? How do you attract early adopters to cultivate an engaged community to eventually grow into paying customers?

Lots of great mobile apps thrive and take off, and lots of great mobile apps never get off the ground. In many cases, based on our interactions with thousands of founders in the Draftbit Community, success seems to come down to how well they enlist the support of those first mobile app users. In this article, we’ll discuss some of the best strategies for doing that.

Put down the build tools! What do your customers actually want?

With consumer mobile-focused startups, the best idea is to build an audience first, and then build a business. It’s critical to have a community of users before a finished product because their feedback is so essential.

Many founders approach a solution or the original version of their app with a very specific vision in mind, and they don't want to get product feedback. They want to build the thing they want to build, and they want to do it the way they imagine. But then they end up building the wrong thing or solving the problem in a suboptimal way.

In the startup world, when you’re pitching your idea and proposing your solution in the preliminary stage, no one wants to come across as critical or unsupportive, so people will sometimes avoid sharing negative feedback that actually could be quite valuable. If that happens, you end up learning the truth only after your first version is already out there.

It’s so much more efficient to develop a set of enthusiastic users early on, which is why you start collecting those first 1,000 mobile app users before you ever even think about the app store.

But how do you do that?

There's an old adage that says, “ask for money and you'll get advice; ask for advice and you might get money.”

At the beginning, don’t think about selling. Don’t even think about building a product. Think about building a community (or joining an awesome existing one). Think about feedback, simplicity and iteration. About your first 1,000 users – what they want, what they like, what they think. Then you can think about downloads, dollars and the dream you made a reality by bringing your mobile app to life, to market and into people’s hands.

1. Get Away from a Closed, “Build-It-First” Mindset

Every background carries some sort of bias. For example, developers and designers tend to want to build the product first, without seeking the kind of alpha-test user input that might lead to a better product. Those with a business background might talk up the product in a way that doesn’t yield useful feedback, which can actually improve it. Then there’s the artistic mindset that says, “I’m the one who solved this big, important problem, so I don’t need anyone’s feedback.”

There’s nothing wrong with any of these mindsets, of course. But if you want to build a business, you need a mindset that invites honest, meaningful feedback about your product from day one. Those questions, comments or even criticisms can be vital to refining, redeveloping and eventually perfecting – or perhaps pivoting to – your final product.

Friends and family are an excellent source of feedback. They’re people you can trust and who will support you; but they’re also day-one users who can create traction, lend credibility to your app and show newcomers that some other humans have downloaded the thing, so maybe they should too.

2. Boil Down Your Concept at the Beginning

Oftentimes, the best approach to building your app is to start by solving the simple version of the problem, the one you’re able to explain to people in five minutes. It can be daunting to try and develop something large and complicated from the get-go, and it can cause trouble down the line, as opposed to starting with a simple concept, gaining some traction, and then growing in complexity over time.

A lot of people want to solve the largest, most challenging problem right away, or think about the final version of the thing. They’ll say they want to develop the next Tinder or build the equivalent of Uber today.

But Tinder and Uber didn’t start out that way. They weren’t born fully formed and feature-filled. They started out simple and expanded. Why would you expect to be successful doing something that the already successful companies didn’t do?

3. Develop a More Iterative Mindset

There's a great, short book called The Mom Test, which is a short, practical guide to how to talk to customers and learn if your business is a good idea when everyone – even your mom – is lying to you.

You have to go out looking for people that are experiencing the problem you’re hoping to solve and bring them to you. This can be through a landing page for your business or a survey that asks people for a 20-minute conversation, with no sales strings attached. Or it can be a call on social media for your audience to give feedback as you develop your product. In fact, some people have even started building live on Twitter, as their followers offer opinions in real-time.

Not only are these responses genuinely helpful with your development, but by soliciting and creating a space for people to tell you what they think, you’ve created some authentic engagement and potential interest. Even someone who tells you why your product is stupid will be more inclined to use it if they think you’ve seen and perhaps considered their suggestions.

Besides social media, online forums, discussion boards and message groups are good places to ideate and iterate with like minds. Throughout development, you can throw out screenshots of your build or new design ideas, things you’re testing, asking people to check them out and offer their views. From that, you can pick up users, customers, even investors.

The best thing about these communities is that the people involved don't just feel like users of a product. They feel almost like vicarious founders, and so they are emotionally invested in your success because they are helping you build that business. In the world of startups, the goal of most companies should be to build a loyal audience at the beginning and then expand. The success of your mobile app comes down to fostering a sense of community among users.

To recap: First, start by building the beginnings of your audience, your community, your customer base, before you build the first screen. Talk to people before you build. Get feedback and be open to thinking differently.

Second, build the smallest thing you can build that actually helps someone, even if it’s ugly, even if it kind of doesn’t fully work. Just something that helps users incrementally solve the problem, and go from there.

And third, do this over and over again, in cycles as you develop, either publicly on social media or with a group of friends or somewhere online. Talk to people; ask for regular, ongoing feedback. This generates not only more constructive feedback but also deeper levels of assistance and loyalty.

Those are three powerful things that not all startup founders are thinking about, but they really should be. Before growth hacking, before digital marketing, before pitching Wired or TechCrunch and long before you ever push that submit button on Apple. Cultivate a community, iterate with an audience, convert it into a customer base.

Not too long ago, building apps required a team of developers for each customer experience. But now, with Draftbit, you can design and build once, then deploy to multiple endpoints. So, go ahead, bring your screens to life.

If you’re ready to create, customize, and launch a mobile app from your browser, with the source code included, request a demo of Draftbit or sign up to start building for free. Your first 1,000 users are waiting.