Hmm... If you think all it needs is a visual makeover and some marketing, how about I give you the source code and remove my version from the app store, and you can make it over and see how you go? If you have some success, all i want is for you to give me some marketing tips, let me know what you did that worked. Anyone up for this? My email's on my blog.
A good app should be easily discoverable. Like if I plug in grocery list, dinner, automatic, or some combination thereof it should pop up everywhere.
Execution doesn't mean just coding something out and deliverying it. Execution means marketing, sales, business process, documentation, team building, and on and on.
Just like an idea is about vision, dream, purpose.
The execution that would make the idea successful though is not just getting the app written and posted to the app store — contact someone who makes cooking books and do some cross-promotion / integration, a supermarket, etc. — that part is hard, but also necessary if you want to really succeed, and that’s why many say ideas are worthless and execution is everything.
Adding to promotion is of course making sure the application is easy to use, appealing, comes with recipes I actually will like, are easy to follow, use ingredients available from the normal store, etc. — that’s another part of execution.
I am a programmer like you, but if I can come up with some ideas for a cohesive strategy for your product, I'll shoot you a note!
A bit bizarre though; your iPhone tells you to make a sandwich.
Sorry just thinking aloud here: if it used an online database (perhaps social/collaborative), you could specify criteria (cheap/diet/interesting) - it would select, plan and shop for you, like an active recipe book. Of course, with social, you could select for most popular, rising, new etc. And have some very interesting culinary experiences. i.e. ask what people actually want from a recipe book (what need they are trying to get met through the book, not what a recipe book currently is), and see if you can serve that better in some way.
So there you go: the target audience has grown by one.
I've tried google ads, i've tried engaging on forums, but nothing seems to get anywhere. Any suggestions appreciated!
Problem with the search network is that you need to target people who match your offing closely and it's very hard to do that when you don't know if the user 1) has an iPhone, 2) cooks, and 3) wants help deciding what to cook. So a normal 1% clickthrough rate would likely end up much lower than that unless you hit on some awesome uncompetitive keywords that match exactly what your app does, for the right target market.
At least with the content network, you can target foodies, and maybe some pages mention iphones and recipes so you can target those accurately. Some work involved, but that's how I'd do it.
Other thoughts:
You're calling it Random Chef. That doesn't reaaally solve the problem of the user. A casual scanner might think 'throw in random ingredients' or make some similar non-connection to what the app does. Their problem (or solution) isn't 'randomness', it's deciding what to make. So maybe 'menu decision maker' or 'recipe suggestion box' or 'chef's recipe suggestions' or something that a person who is reading a list of app names says 'that's exactly what I need!' because it hints at solving the problem they have.
Another thought: maybe the 'benefit' isn't the decision making, it's the more interesting menu. I know people who will order the same things from the store each week just so they don't have to think about it. That'll get boring after a while, so your app helps to make it less boring. Maybe add a checkbox for 'standard' recipes, and those make up the bulk of the recipes each week so everybody is happy, and throw in a new one once/twice a week just to grow the collection without making them think through each meal every day.
In any case, your idea of 1-month apps is a great one. Nice work!
Anyway, if I think of a better response/solution than "it is what it is", I will be sure to let you know. Good luck in the mean time.
Now I'm tempted to go write my own webapp to do that, lol :D
Maybe I should add something similar on my Android todo list :)
This actually doesn't sound like a bad idea at all, and would definitely be something I'd get if I stopped working late and started cooking more. Anyhow, a good idea and a strong implementation do not guarantee success.
I'd guess one reason it didn't sell well is because nobody thinks to themselves "Oh, I need an app that randomly picks meals I already know how to make and gives me a grocery list." Rather, this is an app that people will stumble upon and decide whether they think it is useful or not. Perhaps the missing ingredient for this app's success was neither idea nor execution, but rather marketing and a bit of well-timed publicity.
Edit: Found the app (http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/random-chef/id438618418?mt=8&...), and I would double down on my wager that it is a marketing/presentation problem: those first 2 screens definitely do not look very appealing. I'd scratch the paper texture--or if you really do want a paper texture, use something that you'd actually write a grocery list on, and not an ancient manuscript. The multiple different fonts throughout the app don't help with the readability or the presentation. Anyhow, the idea still sounds good, but how do you expect people to think it is well implemented when the first two pictures they see look like a mess!