Let’s set the scene. You’ve created something awesome. Maybe it’s a product, a service, or a new offer. Either way, you’ve poured blood, sweat and tears into getting it *just* right, and now you’re ready to tell the world about it. You’re ready to launch.
The secret to a successful launch isn’t a step by step guide that can be replicated for every offer. There are dozens of different ways to launch your offer, from the super simple to the incredibly complex. Your launch strategy will depend on your audience, your offer and your goals.
But here’s something you can take to the bank: Every successful launch MUST have these 5 elements for best results.. These are all things you can start putting in place NOW, so that when it’s launch time, you’re ready to roll.
So let’s get straight into the 5 things you need for a successful launch.
#1: Clarity
Hold up! Resist the urge to keep scrolling and skip this step. Ask yourself a few questions to make sure that the actual offer you are putting out into the world is NOT going to be the reason you have an unsuccessful launch.
- Clarity on your offer – Do you feel clear on your offer? Do you feel clear on the deliverables and the scope of the offer?
- Do you know who this offer is for? And not just a general idea. Have you gotten super specific on the ideal client that you want to purchase this offer? Double check that the offer and the ideal client match up.
- Are you clear on the transformation that your offer provides? Are you clear on why your ideal client would benefit from your offer?
- Are you excited about this offer? Are you energized and enthusiastic about promoting the offer? If not, turn the dials until you’re ready to shout it from the rooftops. Your ideal client won’t be excited about the offer if you’re not.
These are simple, but powerful questions that bring you back to the necessary foundation of successful launch.
#2: A Warm Audience
Even if your offer is the best thing since sliced bread, you’re still going to struggle through your launch if you don’t have a warm audience.
So let’s talk for a minute about the elements of a warm audience.
- It’s full of ideal clients. You could have a very engaged audience, but if you are pivoting or launching something new, it’s important to take a step back and make sure that the audience you currently have is right for the product or service you are about to market to them.
- You post relevant, helpful content on at least a weekly basis. Is the content you’re sharing “warming” your audience up for the offer you’re about to drop?
- You are regularly nurturing and engaging with your audience. Are you taking the time to respond to your audience’s comments or to initiate a conversation in the dms?
- You’ve been teasing your offer. Your die-hard “fans” know something is coming. You’ve been talking about it, posting about it, and sharing sneak peeks for awhile, and you’ve created interest and excitement.
- You’re consistent. Jumping into an abandoned (or neglected) social media account to try to sell your service is like popping into your high school friends’ DM’s to get them to host a networking marketing party for you. It doesn’t work, and it leaves a sour taste. If you haven’t been consistent in your online presence, it’s time to get visible BEFORE you launch.
#3: A Marketing Strategy
Ok, check and check. You have the clarity you need and it’s all green flags. You’ve warmed up your audience and you’re ready to launch. But FIRST, what strategy are you going to use to launch? Before we get any further, remember that “launching” is really just an industry term for “announcing that I’m offering a new thing” and encompasses the sales plan around that new service or product for the launch period.
The way you launch will depend on WHAT you are selling, WHO you are selling it to, and your GOALS for the launch. A launch can be as simple as a post to say “Hey, I’m offering this new thing, it’s really awesome, and you should buy it”. Or it can be as complicated as a multi-tiered launch with multiple segmented email campaigns, promotions, incentives and affiliate programs.
Here are a couple traditional ways for online service providers to launch a new service:
The Lead Magnet method.
In this method, you create a lead magnet that is related to the service you are offering with the goal of sending them through a series of emails that leads them to a call or a buy button. Note: your lead magnet can also be a component/first step to a bigger launch.
The Challenge method.
In this method, you run a short challenge on one of your social platforms (facebook groups are the most popular for this!). The topic of the challenge is closely related to the service you are launching, and helps establish authority, trust, and interest in the product. Usually the service is launched on the last day of the challenge to your very warm audience.
The Waitlist Method.
Starting a waitlist for your service is a great way to create scarcity and urgency for your offer. It’s also a way for you to warm up your audience before you launch by offering special incentives to those on the waitlist. The waitlist can be used in conjunction with the lead magnet or challenge.
The Masterclass Method.
This method allows you to pick a topic that will be instantly interesting and valuable to your audience (it needs to tie into the service you’re launching!) and to create a short masterclass or seminar on this topic. These are either held live or pre-recorded and can include a short pitch at the end for your new service.
A Content Plan.
Regardless of what method you use, a successful launch will need a killer content plan. Think sales pages, emails, posts and freebies. What will you say? How will you say it? Do you need to hire a copywriter to help you get to the heart of your offer? Take some time to build a content plan around whatever launch method you choose.
This is by no means a comprehensive list of ways to launch, but it does briefly cover some of the more popular methods. You’ll need to closely examine your goals and gauge the temperature of your audience to determine which will be most effective for your launch.
#4: A Specific Plan and Logistics
This is where the rubber meets the road…or the pen hits the paper. It’s time to get down into the weeds and start mapping out the nitty gritty details of your launch.
Before you assigning dates, double check the calendar and make sure that the dates you’ve chosen make sense with holidays and your own schedule.
Get out your calendar and start mapping out dates for each phase of your launch. You should be planning out every post, video, email, sales page, welcome page etc. and then work ahead so you’re not flying by the seat of your pants during your launch.
Also, don’t forget to think through the software or platforms you will be using for your launch.
#5: A Solid Mindset
Here’s the part you’re most likely to skim, but honestly – it’s probably the most important. You can not have a successful launch without a strong mindset around launching and selling. Take the time to unpack and uncover any mental hangups and fears you have about your launch and dig deep into them.
It’s not about always being happy and positive during your launch – even if it’s not going as planned – it’s about adapting an attitude of confidence that knows that for every hiccup or problem you encounter, you will grow and learn.
It’s diving deep into the transformation your new service will bring to your ideal client, and believing and embodying that transformation when you talk about your service.
Ultimately, the mindset you need for your launch is centered around a deep trust in yourself and your ability to have your offer’s back no matter what!
One Last Thought for a Successful Launch…
There’s a real temptation to WAIT to launch until everything is perfect. You will want to wait until you have everything done, you have ZERO doubts, you are calm, confident and prepared. But that day will likely never come. This is not my endorsement to launch your service prematurely. You should still take the time to work through each of the 5 things in this blog and make sure you’re prepared. But ultimately, you’ll have to eventually pick a date, and GO WITH IT.
You’re going to make some mistakes. You’re going to learn things about yourself. You’re going to identify ways to improve your next launch. It will NOT be perfect. But you will be MUCH, much closer to a perfect launch than you would have been if you were stuck back in the land of “overthinking”.
Ready. Set. Launch!
Pssst… inside GROW Business & Marketing Academy I cover 5 ways to launch in detail. Complete with guides, email templates, spreadsheets, examples and more!
