You’ve got an ace service or programme to launch and you’re ready to give the whole process everything you’ve got.
But don’t start too fast. Keep hold of all that excitement energy, you’re going to need it, but the best thing you can before you launch is to PAUSE. That’s right – don’t do anything. Chances are you’ve missed a piece of the launch puzzle – and if you catch them now, you’ve got a smooth and easy launch ahead of you.
Look before you launch
Sometimes launching can feel like heading out on an expedition. You know there’s an adventure and a destination somewhere, but planning and packing takes up all your brain power before you’ve headed out the door.
Planning is essential – and being prepared for challenges, too. But you what if I told you there was a way to minimise the challenges by pausing? Here are five of the most common mistakes my clients make (okay, I’ll admit I’ve made them, too) when they set out on their launch adventure…
Having a half-baked offer to launch
You are not me. That’s good news for you, actually, because most of the time I have launched before working out what I’m actually trying to offer.
You really want to get clear on what your offer looks like. What shape is it? How long will it be? How can people access the content? Just remember, nobody likes a soggy bottom.
Forgetting about your customers
You know the old adage ‘people buy from people’? Well guess what? People SELL to people too. Make sure you’ve given your ideal customers a wee think through before launching.
Who are they? What do they need? And most of all – what do they need to hear to make buying from you easy?
Ignoring the true value of you & your offer
If you’re spending money with someone you don’t want to feel you’re being ripped off do you? You have to value the whole process – before you even think about parting with the money. And it isn’t just about how much the thing is.
The trick is to add value into every aspect of your launch process. The main question you could ask is ‘how can I make this better for them?’ That’s where the real value lies – and it’s going to go a long way to helping your customers know you’re the one for them.
Creating a Launch Monster
If you’re doing it properly, there are so many bits to a launch. It’s a lot of work – on top of your every day work and real life stuff, too. Often the launch plan becomes a nightmare – something else to add to the pile of ‘why can’t I do this?’ rubbish.
Unless someone is actually going to steal your babies / pets if you don’t launch on a certain date, do you really need to knock your pan in trying to hit that self-appointed deadline? Take a moment to think about the pressure you’re piling on yourself. Do you REALLY need to do the big scary stuff all in one day? Or can you be kind and do it in an easier way?
Slap dash marketing (and sales)
If you’re like me, you get so excited about the launch you start your marketing from that place. “Ooh look at this totally amazing thing I’ve created for you”…
But people don’t know if they want that thing. How can they? You’ve just dreamed it up and whacked it out. Give them time to catch up with your brilliance, lassie!
Which means, start the conversation from this point. From the beginning. Lay out the breadcrumbs so people have a trail to follow. That way – when you do start properly talking about your offer, people have already been thinking about it for a while, and are WAY more curious.
Mistakes as learning opportunities
God it’s annoying when people say stuff like that to you – but they really are. You can choose to torture yourself with all the things you’ve done ‘wrong’ or you can choose to say ‘ach, you know what – I might have done that a bit skewiff, but I’ve done all of THIS really well’.
Go on, choose that option…I dare you!
When it comes to launches, it might feel like life or death, but it definitely is NOT. The sun continues to rise*and set no matter how many people do or don’t choose to work with you after a launch.
And there is always another ‘next time’ for your launch. And when that time comes – think back to the learning opportunities from your last launch and make a plan for nudging past them next time.
Or better yet…use my free Fives WAVES to Launch guide
Yeah, you read right! The Five WAVES to Launch is my new guide to help you get really clear on what you’re doing before the launch process begins.
You wouldn’t launch a rocket from a sandcastle would you? No you’d build a strong rockety structure to launch it with style and pizazz.
Consider the Five WAVES to Launch guide your pizazz creating structure. It’s totally free for you dear Sea Changer – all I ask is that you join my mailing list where I will dazzle you weekly (Fridays) with coaching on all the hot topics around the mindset and practical tools for launching online.