What is a launch & is it right for your business?

You’ve probably heard the word ‘launch’ bandied about online, or heard lots of online educators talking about running launches a few times per year and maybe you’ve wondered what exactly is a launch? Or perhaps you’ve been part of someone else’s online launch, either knowingly or unknowingly, I’ve been part of quite a large number over the years.

Is ‘launching’ just marketing jargon? 

The word ‘launch’ is a very good example of terminology or jargon being used in the online space that can feel unnecessarily confusing. If you know me at all, then you’ll know that I like to simplify things whenever possible, so with that in mind, all that a launch really is, is a marketing campaign.

The purpose of a launch marketing campaign is to focus your marketing on selling one single thing during a very specific time frame. For example, you may want to launch an online course or group programme that is going to start and end on certain dates. Alternatively, you may want to launch an evergreen digital product (a course that is not limited to specific dates, but can be started at any point) - it’s also possible to run a focused campaign to drive sales to evergreen products at specific times of year.

My preferred type of launch takes it one step further 

My preferred type of launch takes it one step further and includes a live element - a live launch. What this means is that live content is included, such as a live Challenge, Masterclass or Webinar.

I’ve used live launches to fill my own group programme, Fully Booked Bootcamp and I’ve also used many different types of launches to support clients of mine to do things like sell spaces on their group programmes, fill spots at a series of webinars and herald the arrival of new products or services to the market. I’ve organised and managed five and six figure live launches so far, both organic (with no ad spend) and paid (utilising Facebook ads).

There are many different types of launches and once you’ve created one, you’re most likely going to want to create more - the power of launches is kind of addictive! Plan your launch right and you will not only have fun, but also grow your audience and, of course, the whole point is that you will make money.

How to use live launches to make more money

Let’s be honest though, the intense nature of launches means that they can feel exhausting. You might experience some resistance to the idea of launching at first (I know I did), you will most likely find your first launch emotionally draining (yup, I found that too) but stick with the process and the results will make it all worthwhile.

When planning out your very first live launch, it’s important to set a clear goal. When I was launching Fully Booked Bootcamp last year, my goal was to fill all 24 spaces (tick!). When I started working with a new client on her very first live launch, her goal was to increase sales of her  recent digital course from 100 to 300 (we finally hit 322 when the doors closed). Both of these were very specific goals and that’s what will keep you going when you hit that inevitable stage of overwhelm during your launch period.

Maybe you’ve dipped your toe in and tried to launch an online product in the past but not had much success, here are some of the reasons why that might have been:

• You didn’t have a clear goal aligned with your overall business strategy so you didn’t commit fully and gave up when the going got tough

• You didn’t include a live element (perhaps you felt scared about going live) and so people didn’t get excited about your launch

• You didn’t have a launch campaign mapped out in detail - I’m talking exactly which channels you were going to use, how frequently, what your message was and how you were going to bring that to life visually

• You didn’t allow yourself enough time to build momentum.

Here are some top tips to make sure your next launch is a success:

Don’t underestimate the importance of a launch strategy and how long it will take you to pull all of the different campaign elements together (creating the email sequence alone can take up to 2 days)

• Start building your list NOW. Seriously, email is a hugely powerful part of your launch but you need a list to sell to.

• Factor in a live element and start preparing early. Write a script, learn it and practise on camera if you feel you need to build up your confidence.

• Rather than focusing on the features (the nuts & bolts, what is happening and when) of your offer (the thing you’re going to sell during the live element of your launch), focus on the benefits (what it will do for the people you are hoping to sell to)

• Remember, although it’s your launch, it’s really all about them. Don’t drone on and on about your experience, your life story and what‘s brought you to this point - nobody cares! The people watching don’t have time to listen to that, they want to know how you’re going to help them and they want to know fast.

• Deliver value. Your launch should focus on delivering excellent value, for free, to warm people up - then at the end you can sell them your offer. People are far more likely to buy once they’ve experienced some of your great free value, so that they know they can trust you.

Interested in creating your first live launch? I’ve got something you’re going to need!

My digital mini-course, The Beginner’s Guide To Live Launching is now live - it’s priced at just £47 and will provide everything you need to make your first (or next) live launch a huge success. Don’t forget to add on the live launch email sequence during checkout too - this alone with save you DAYS of launch planning and help you make a ton more cash.