Hi guys,<p>I'm slowly working on my first iphone app in my spare time.<p>Watching how the app store works and watching lots of apps appear briefly in the new releases before plummeting into the abyss leads me to this question...<p>Are there certain things you MUST now do if your app is to stand any chance of gaining enough users to get into the rankings and keep on climbing?<p>On launch day do you NEED an email list of eager people ready to go and buy your app and write reviews?<p>Is there a secret giant conspiracy amongst cartels of app developers of I pat your back, you pat mine that you NEED to be participating in?<p>What things MUST you do to stand a chance?<p>And what things spell certain doom?<p>It seems pretty unforgiving out there.<p>Cheers!