WP Appointments

This project illustrates the value of informal conversations at WordPress events. The idea for the plugin and subsequent collaboration with our client, Dawid Urbański, originated at such a meeting.

Dawid is a speaker, developer, and the creator of WP Appointments. WP Appointments is a plugin for scheduling appointments on WordPress sites. Currently, a demo version of the plugin is available, and its final functionalities are being polished and released.

The idea for the plugin was born with Dawid, leading to the purchase of the domain www.wpappointments.com. The growing interest in the domain and the mysterious project spurred action.

Dawid knew he wanted to create a plugin, and we had a plan to do it differently by combining our development and marketing experience.

Objectives

At the outset, we heard, "There are plenty of identical plugins." Indeed, the WordPress repository is full of appointment scheduling plugins, including leading products. But are they good? Do they truly cover user scenarios? Could they be improved?

These questions multiplied, leading us to start our collaboration with WP Appointments by analyzing the market and proposing features that would differentiate the product.

Solution

This expansive project required thorough planning. We received several guidelines about the final functionalities of the plugin and its monetization strategy. We resolved not to create just another plugin that nobody asked for. Instead, we approached it with an open mind to the real needs of WordPress users.

Our work was based on consumer needs research, modularity in functionalities, well-crafted marketing strategy, and social media communication strategy. We also anticipated paid campaigns to support filling the waitlist.

Workflow

Consumer Research

We conducted over 50 one-on-one interviews and analyzed approximately 1000 surveys. We are grateful for the openness of all respondents and the valuable data we were able to gather.

At this stage, we divided our work into analyzing current market solutions, studying the needs of potential plugin clients, and examining the experiences of end-users. We also kept developers in mind, as the plugin was intended to present not only functionality but also beautifully clean and accessible code.

The greatest value came from individual conversations, which highlighted numerous pain points of modern business owners not only in scheduling appointments but also in online presence.

Interestingly, our research revealed the unreliability of existing solutions, or the difficulty in adapting them to specific needs. This gave us the space to create proposals for features that address these specific problems. Through collaboration between the marketing and development teams, we introduced truly useful and implementable features for the WP Appointments plugin.

Marketing Strategy

The next step was to design a marketing strategy and a communication plan. The prepared document included a competition analysis, feature proposals, and a detailed target group developed based on the surveys and interviews. The strategy also included an action plan for the upcoming quarters, both prior to and following the plugin’s release. This document remains active and guides the actions of the WP Appointments team.

Hiring a Team

Having a strategy on paper is one thing, but its execution is crucial. Therefore, our next step in the project’s development was to hire a marketing team. We chose two individuals who complement each other in terms of skills and who would independently implement the documented strategy. The team was given complete freedom to manage the brand’s channels, reporting only their work to the client.

Outsourcing

From the beginning, the plugin’s promotion included paid campaigns. Although initially managed by our employed team to maximize results, we partnered with advertising agency 4822, which continues to successfully manage the marketing activities.

Our task is to oversee the agency's work and monitor the results to ensure they align with our stated goals. Employing an external agency has provided us with more assured campaign outcomes and professional collaboration.

Mentoring and Ongoing Support

This is the broadest non-developmental service we offer. Within this framework, Karolina, our specialist, is fully available for activities related to WP Appointments. She supervises the marketing team, agency work, ensures timely delivery of features, and execution of communication strategies. She also actively works on the content plan with the team, plugin development, advertising texts, and keeps Dawid motivated.

Development

Our development team participated in the Proof of Concept process for the WP Appointments plugin. However, since the client is a developer, all programming work is his responsibility. He can rely on our experience and advice regarding any issues he encounters or the business process of releasing a WordPress plugin, which he readily utilizes.

Project Challenges

Waitlist

Our initial numerical goal was to gather 700 people on the waitlist, eager to try WP Appointments for a three-month period. The efforts included an email campaign, paid ads on LinkedIn, Meta, and Google, as well as organic activities on accounts.

Sales

During the campaign, a lifetime deal purchase option for the plugin was introduced. Although this move was intended to encourage joining the list, it far exceeded expectations. Since the purchase option was introduced on the site, 40 people have already bought the plugin.

Plugin Release

Time is not an ally in digital projects. The plugin is highly comprehensive, and its core is a free version, which is already available. However, the plugin gains significance when additional modules are added. Currently, work is ongoing on the payment and services modules.

Quality Assurance of the Plugin

Before releasing the demo, the plugin underwent a series of usability tests conducted by our specialist Anna Szałkiewicz. The tests identified about 30 issues that needed fixing before release. Allocating space for testing only confirms the seriousness with which the creator approaches users. Everything is aimed to be top-notch.

Crisis Communication

The continually shifting release date presents an ongoing communication challenge. The growing uncertainty within the community due to the prolonged development demands decisive and transparent actions. Therefore, in addition to communication on social media, the project is also open on GitHub, where the progress can be monitored. This approach has helped to reassure and inform the community about the extent of the work being done.

Final Results

We exceeded the set KPIs, with 1,500 users now on the waitlist for the release of the first version of the plugin. Additionally, the LTD offer introduced during the promotion generated $30,000 in sales.

October 2024 Update

The plugin is still in development. In June, after several weeks of no communication, Dawid Urbański likely decided to pause the project and end our collaboration. We have not been able to reach him since then. We posted our statement regarding the allegations against WP Appointments in a separate post.