Launching a product can feel incredibly daunting.
There are so many different factors to consider, and trying to get everything in order and your timing on point can feel difficult at the best of times and downright impossible at the worst.
Don’t get me wrong, I’ve made a few product launch mistakes along the way, too!
But instead of keeping those hard-learned lessons to myself, I’ve taken my experiences and turned them into a checklist that you can use to ensure your next launch is as successful as possible.
No launch is perfect. The main goal is to actually launch, and this article will show how to do so whilst maximizing results.
Why an Effective Product Launch is so Important
But before we dive in, let’s quickly review why an effective product launch is so important for any brand in any industry.
Some of you may think, “But Gretta, if the launch doesn’t go well, sales can always pick up in the future.” That is true, but without an effective launch, you’re immediately putting yourself on the back foot, scrambling to catch up with your sales targets.
After all, there’s a reason that box office numbers are always calculated based on the film’s first week in the cinema or that products from Tesla or Apple are judged based on the first week’s sales.
Interest tends to plateau after a product’s launch, not grow, which is why getting the launch right can have such a monumental impact on sales and customer base growth.
A well-executed launch can increase your sales from day one, help you gain more customers, and really separate yourself from the rest of the competition.
It helps to build momentum from the very start and makes it much easier to scale from there.
Don’t Skip: How Do You Launch a Product?
The 3 Phases of Your Product Launch
Phase 1: Planning your launch
In the first phase, all your attention should be focused on planning. The first thing that you need to be clear on is your launch date. Make sure you pick a date when you know you will have your product in stock.
When planning each aspect of your product launch, ensure you assign timeframes and goals for every single task so that nothing gets missed along the way. This process will also allow you to gain a better insight into how long it will be until everything is in place for your launch. With a clearly planned task list, you can also work ahead if some tasks are delayed because of shipping, tech updates, etc.
Also, try to plan for any potential issues that may arise. Of course, I’m not saying things will go wrong, but it’s important to have contingency plans in place in case they do.
At this stage, it is also important to consider your unique selling position (USP). What will turn a potentially interested customer into one who signs up for your waitlist and makes a purchase on launch day?
This could be done through scarcity in stock, a special discount on launch day, or promoting your product as unique and new.
Once your USP is in place, it’s time to identify which influencers you’ll contact. How will you do this, and how will you get people interested in your product launch on your waiting list?
It can take some time to get in touch with and line up influencers, so ensure you have plenty of runway to start contacting them. Ideally, you will be offering them an incentive for them to post on or during your launch.
Phase 2: Pre-launch
Next is phase 2, where your focus should be on getting as much hype and excitement surrounding your launch as possible.
The launch can last anywhere from as little as two weeks to a couple of months, depending on what time frames you are working to, but I always try to give myself space to build an audience to ensure they are fully engaged and excited for the launch.
To garner buzz for your product launch, it’s time to head to social media, focusing on the social channel your target audience is most active on.
To maximize your efforts on social media, reach out to your network of influencers or list of targeted influencers early on so that they can start promoting that the product is coming soon and offer sneak peeks of what customers can expect when it launches.
You should also consider running competitions, giveaways, or referral campaigns to help expand your reach and generate more hype around your launch.
The more organized and structured activity you can generate that brings your target audience onto your mailing list, the better.
Phase 3: Launch
Finally, it’s time to launch your product. This is when all your hard work will pay off, so you want to make sure that everyone on your team is briefed and ready (even if your team consists of friends and family volunteers).
As I’ve already mentioned, if done well, your product launch is likely the time you experience the most traffic and sales, so you need to ensure everything is tested and working correctly.
After all, is there anything more frustrating than an excited customer clicking through to purchase a product on launch only to find that the website has crashed due to too much activity or that there are issues with the purchasing process?
You only get one chance to make a first impression with potential customers, so it’s vital to ensure everything is set up for success.
Once you’re confident everything is in order, email your waitlist and announce it on social media. Keep it exciting, remind them of the offer and have just ONE very clear call to action, sending them directly to a page where they can buy.
Continue to talk about the launch on social media in the short-term, keeping an eye out for any complaints or concerns in the comments section.
Pro Tip: Customer service is always critical, but especially during your launch because it will be the first time you deal with complaints. Keep your customer support email open, and answer any questions ASAP.
Full Product Launch Checklist
Planning Your Launch
- Plan your launch date
- Assign dates to everything
- Conduct a thorough risk management
- Identify your USP
- Research and contact chosen influencers
Pre-Launch
- Establish your pre-launch time frame
- Choose your social media channel and organize your influencer promotions
- Run a competition or giveaway
Launch
- Test everything and all aspects of the customer journey
- Email your waitlist and announce it on social media
- Have one clear call to action
- Maintain social media posting
- Respond to queries or issues ASAP
Keep Learning: This Ecommerce Funnel Generated $70M
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