%20(1).jpg)
Launching a new product or service is a huge undertaking, whether you choose a ‘big-bang’ approach, an evergreen launch or anything in between. When the big day arrives, and you’re ready to hit that ‘publish’ button, having all your ducks in a row is crucial.
In this blog, I look at some launch types, how the components of your launch {or launch funnel} fit together and why I’d always choose to engineer in reverse…
What’s in a Launch?
Bringing your new product or service to market can be nerve-racking. You’ve worked so hard to get to this point, and now it’s deep breaths all around as you get ready to introduce it to the world.
As a business owner, you know that your launch is a critical moment in the life cycle of your product or service.
Attention spans are short. Plus, prospective customers will need to see or hear about your offer an average of 7 times before they feel confident enough to make a buying decision. That’s why having a confident, competent launch strategy is non-negotiable.
So what does that mean? Let’s look at some components to consider using in your next launch…
Components of a Successful Launch
Your Sales Page — as a sales page copywriter, the first thing I’ll wave my flag for is an all-encompassing sales page. Unless your product or service already has a host of customer-friendly literature, a sales page is non-negotiable. The lynchpin of all your marketing efforts, it is the central hub of your launch.
Your Email List — building and nurturing your list before you consider launching your offer is the best option. With an audience already hanging on your every word, getting those 7 magic touchpoints should be a breeze! Of course, you’ll also be funnelling folks to your list during your launch.
Live Appearances — webinars, live events and podcasts effectively spread the word about your new offering. You can choose to host your own, or feature on shows with a large and reliable following. Having an enticing offer-related giveaway at the ready will draw your ideal audience closer to you without the need for a heavy sales pitch.
Social Media — it seems that nothing happens these days without social media. Ensure you have a wealth of content related to your offer ready for every phase of your launch. Consider selecting platforms based on the preferences of your target audience.
Paid Ads — if you have your sights set on being the next Marie Forleo or Amy Porterfield then you’ll want a budget for paid ads to guide prospects to your Youniverse too!
Let’s look at some ways we can bolt these components together…
Some Classic Launch Funnels
Let’s start with the simplest of all launch funnels:
The Email Launch
If you already have a large, engaged email audience you know is a perfect fit for your new product or service, then an email launch is the easiest {and likely the cheapest} way to launch.
What you’ll need:
Emails — and lots of them! Although you’ve identified your target market in terms of your product, what resonates with one person may likely not have the same impact on another — and remember those touchpoints! In this case, your emails will do the heavy lifting in that department. But still, emails land directly in the inbox of folks who have already expressed an interest in you. That means that getting your messaging right in this space is worth more than its weight in gold!
Sales Page — you’ve given your prospects a ton of information in your emails. So all you need now is a page that gathers everything together in one handy package.
The Simple Evergreen Launch
You may be launching your product now. But if you intend to sell it all year round, I’m thinking self-study course here, then an evergreen funnel could be the perfect choice for you.
What you’ll need:
Paid Ads {or Social Media posts} — create curiosity in your ideal client and lead them to the next stage…
Pre-recorded Webinar — here you’ll offer your prospects some useful free takeaways that they can work with and give a short presentation of your main offer
Sales Page — prospects viewing the webinar are encouraged to view the sales page for more details and can sign up for your main offer from there
Emails — you’ll also use emails to their best advantage throughout the process, from invites to the webinar to follow-ups after the event.
The Live Challenge Funnel
Live challenges are very popular in a learning and development environment. Often prospects are drawn from outside your Youniverse to see what you have to offer. Even if they don’t buy the first time, when you’re offering something of value, they’re likely to stick with you and purchase at a subsequent launch. So how does it work?
What you’ll need:
Promotion opportunities — these include podcast guest interviews, newsletter announcements and emails to your list, and heaps of social posts.
Your Live Challenge — often multi-day challenges where prospects are invited to hop onto live calls with you each day. You’ll give your presentation and invite attendees to complete a task before the next session. You’ll also take the opportunity to talk about your offer and direct your audience to your sales page.
Sales Page — by the time your prospects have spent a couple of days in your company, they may not even need to read the whole page. But for the detail-hounds in the group, everything is there, leaving you free to enjoy some downtime at the end of the day.
Emails — emails come into their own during a live challenge. Use them to whet your audience’s appetite for what’s to come. Remind them to attend. Recap what happened during each session, and offer a replay for those that didn’t make it. And of course, let’s not forget those all-important follow-ups.
Launch Pitfalls to Avoid
Not Doing the Pre-Work
As I said at the beginning, creating a product and launching it are not the only steps in the process. Being underprepared is the same as navigating blind. Here are a few things you’ll need to have nailed on before you think about launching:
Who your offer is for — this underpins all the decisions you make about your marketing {not just your launch}, so make it a priority to get super clear on this point. Beta-testing your offer with a few people from your target audience will help a ton and give you lots of valuable feedback.
What exactly are you offering — what are the deliverables your clients can expect {be super precise} AND what are the benefits of purchasing this product?
Why — Why you? Why this product? Why are you different? Why now? The more whys you’re able to address, the better.
How — the devil is in the detail! Getting granular on the ‘how’ of what you’re offering enables you to answer your prospects’ questions with clarity and confidence.
Timelines — this is two-pronged. First, you’ll need to know timings to communicate them to eager customers poised to sign on the dotted line. Second, you’ll need a precise timeline for the launch itself. How are your prospects moving through your funnel? When are your touchpoints? Are there any deadlines to communicate such as fast-action bonuses and discounts?
Talking to No one
You'll have heard that famous Seth Godin/Meredith Hill marketing quote: “When you speak to everyone, you speak to no one.” We touched on that in the last section.
But in the launch world, there’s also simply speaking to no one. It doesn’t matter how clear, concise and compelling your message is — if you’re not getting in front of an audience then it’s the same as shouting on a deserted hilltop.
Building an email list by offering freebies, mini trainings, regular newsletters etc., is key to attracting people into your Youniverse. Maybe you start a Facebook group, speak on podcasts, or at in-person events. Whatever strategy you decide upon, give yourself enough time and resources before your launch to attract a good-sized audience.
Expecting Miracles
It’s easy {and fun} to get carried away on a tide of positivity. You’ve worked hard and poured your heart and soul into this project. So it’s hard to imagine it not being a runaway success. But here’s the thing…
Until your brainchild is out in the wild, no one truly knows how it will perform for you. And that means there’s a good chance, on its first outing, it may not meet your expectations — sorry, I know that was cruel!
Think of this first launch as a prototype. Sure, you’ve given it everything you’ve got, and now it’s time for the road test. Say there’s a weird clunking noise when you take a corner, investigate and revise. Or, maybe not everyone is as keen on the traffic light red seats as you were sure they would be… that’s okay. Dust off your mindset, listen to the feedback, be humble, make the tweaks and get back out there!
With all that in mind, let’s return to my original point…
Why I Recommend Reverse Engineering Your Launch Copywriting Strategy
Okay, so you’ve done the groundwork and your offer is ready!
You’ve built an audience and been busy nurturing them, ready for what’s to come. You’ve beta-tested your offer with some folks who represent your ideal client. You’ve made minor tweaks and you’re clutching a wad of client feedback.
It’s time to start building a kick-ass launch pad!
So where do you start?
I’ll ignore Lewis Carroll’s very sound advice to Alice in Wonderland fans, and suggest we start at the end.
As I’ve mentioned a couple of times already… your sales page should hold all the information any prospect needs to make a buying decision.
That means it’s your MASTER reference document too. Putting together a comprehensive, long-form sales page not only benefits its readers {your prospects} — it benefits you and your marketing team.
Voice of customer research
Competitor research
Customer feedback
Testimonials and case studies
Only need to be carried out once — if you start at the end.
The document becomes a comprehensive resource for everyone promoting the product — including you!
And each component of your sales page feeds other areas of your launch such as emails, ads, and social media posts.
In this case, starting at the end pays huge dividends {and saves time}!
Let’s sum up…
Define the who, what, when, how and why of your offer upfront
Get feedback by beta-testing your offer to avoid expensive errors
Grow an audience BEFORE you launch for the best chance of success
Choose a funnel and launch style based on your offer and your audience
Build your sales page first and use it as the master reference document for your launch copywriting strategy!
Happy launching!!
Want to chat about your next launch? Ready to invest in a high-converting sales page to underpin your strategy? Then I’d love to hear from you!
Whilst you're here, why not grab a copy of my Super Sales Page Checklist?
Wendy Ann Jones is a voice of customer copywriter and customer experience advocate. Wendy’s passion is delivering authentic copy for coaches, guides and ethical businesses driven by a desire to help people and do good.