As a marketplace for Salesforce applications, AppExchange is used by 71% of all Salesforce users. With over 4,000 applications and solutions, AppExchange is the largest online marketplace for business applications from Salesforce. Simply put, Salesforce AppExchange caters to a wide range of business functions, including sales & marketing, customer service, and more.
What makes Salesforce AppExchange so popular among customers? Here are some of the latest statistics answering the same:
- Salesforce has added over 250 applications to AppExchange in 2022.
- 91% of all Salesforce customers have used at least one application from the AppExchange.
- Independent software vendors (or ISVs) have witnessed a 10-20% acceleration in their sales cycle after registering on AppExchange.
- After joining AppExchange, entrepreneurs have improved their sales lead generation by 5-30 times more than before.
But what exactly is Salesforce AppExchange, and what should be the key considerations in your AppExchange strategy? Let’s discuss them in this blog.
What Is Salesforce AppExchange?
Salesforce AppExchange is an online marketplace (or app store) for third-party applications integrated with the Salesforce platform. This platform is compatible with the Salesforce CRM platform.
As a technology platform, AppExchange enables application developers to publish their Salesforce apps and solutions and improve their market reach. The Salesforce AppExchange has a host of free and paid applications, categorized as below:
Types of solutions
- Applications
- Bolt solutions
- Lighting data
- Components
Products
- Sales Cloud
- Marketing Cloud
- Service Cloud
- Commerce Cloud
Industry Domains
- Communications
- Education
- Government services
- Retail
Product Categories
- Finance
- Sales & Marketing
- Human resources
- ERP
Why do companies and developers build applications for the Salesforce AppExchange? Here are some reasons:
- To achieve greater market reach and acceptance for their products
- To improve their business revenues by creating useful Salesforce extensions for the professional market
- To join the growing community of Salesforce partners and have access to their online forums & discussions
- To track and monitor relevant metrics for their apps or solutions on the AppExchange marketplace
Have you considered building Salesforce apps for the AppExchange platform? To that end, let’s discuss a few key considerations for your AppExchange strategy.
5 Key Considerations in Salesforce AppExchange Strategy
Without a clear strategy, the Salesforce AppExchange platform cannot deliver business value to your organization. Here are five key considerations to adopt as part of your AppExchange strategy:
1. Map Out Your Current and Desired Capabilities
The AppExchange has a host of applications and solutions with varying capabilities. The key consideration for your business is which of these capabilities you desire.
Here are some questions that should help you with this:
- What capabilities can serve to fulfill my business needs?
- Does my existing application ecosystem provide that capability or fall short?
- How easily can the existing IT applications deliver the desired capabilities?
As an effective strategy, negotiate with a single vendor on AppExchange to deliver all your business capabilities. This can lead to faster turnarounds and more ROI.
2. Identify the Business Functions That Can Leverage Salesforce
Which departments (or business functions) can leverage the Salesforce tool to the maximum level? Typically, this would include Sales and Marketing. As part of your AppExchange strategy, determine who will use Salesforce the most, along with the specific tasks that they will perform.
Based on these requirements, select (or develop) applications that meet your business needs. Besides the sales & marketing team, discuss your AppExchange strategy with other stakeholders and know their long-term goals.
3. Devise Your Application Security Strategy
Whether you are choosing (or creating) an AppExchange app, it’s vital to protect your app and prepare for security review. Every development team member must prioritize security when creating the app.
Here are some key security considerations to answer:
- Is the application 100% native?
- Is the application listed publicly?
- Does it leverage the Salesforce security features for proper user access?
Ensure that your application fulfills the Salesforce security requirements before sharing it for review.
4. Search for Relevant Applications to Download
Based on your existing capabilities, you need to first find the applications that are best suited to address your business challenges. Secondly, you must ensure that the new app works smoothly with other installed apps in your environment.
When choosing applications to download, check out the differences between the various apps. Are there major feature gaps or any unwanted features? After downloading the right app, first, test it in a different sandbox environment. This enables you to develop and test the app without risking the existing apps.
5. Check for Compatibility
Finally, you must remember that not every Salesforce AppExchange application is built for global compatibility. For instance, many applications are suited for selected geographies or use cases.
When checking for compatibility, try to answer each of these questions:
- Which markets or geographies are supported by the application?
- What are the successful case studies or references for the application?
- Have the applications been used by your competitor or in a similar market?
- Does the application support Salesforce localization tools like Translation Workbench?
As a rule, don’t rule out applications that support a low percentage of your supported geographies. Even if they work in limited geographies, applications can still help you achieve your desired goals (for example, increased sales).
Conclusion
In the age of rapid application deployments, the Salesforce AppExchange platform provides a genuine opportunity for any organization to innovate and leverage Salesforce expertise. To maximize the ROI, organizations must properly formulate their AppExchange strategy.
As a recognized Salesforce partner, Sapours has enabled its customers to benefit from the wide range of Salesforce capabilities. With our diverse domain experience, our team of experts can understand the unique business requirements of every customer and deliver the best solution.
Connect with us to consult your business on the best way forward with your Salesforce AppExchange strategy.