Whether you like to have everything structured and organised, or you are more of a in-the-moment type of business owner, having a launch plan is important to the success of the launch.
Why launch planning is important
Having a launch plan doesn’t need to mean a rigid plan. It means knowing what needs to get done, when, and by whom (this part is especially important if you have a team). You can definitely build a launch plan that resonates with your style and your business.
When you don’t have a launch plan, it’s likely that you’re going to be very busy, but not necessarily taking care of those activities that move your launch forward. Being busy doesn’t always equal being productive. You can create a launch plan that feels good to you, and which motivates you to implement it (more on this below).
When to start planning your launch
Now that I have explained why having a launch plan is important, you’re probably wondering when to start planning your launch. My short answer: as early as possible.
I recommend a minimum of 90 days. The more time you allocate to building relationships with your audience, the easier it will be to sell to them during the open registration period. Remember, what you do before the launch window has a big say in what sales you make during the launch window.
How to plan your launch
We’ve covered the why and the when, now let’s look at the how. For a launch plan we need:
- Launch goals – what do you want to achieve with this launch?
- Launch strategy – will you do a webinar, or a free challenge, or have an email-only launch, or something else? How are you going to attract and engage with the people you are going to present your offer to?
- Launch tasks – what needs to get done in order for the launch goals to be achieved?
- Resources – what and who do you need to make this happen? Do you need specific software? Do you need to hire contractors such as a designer or copywriter?
Bonus Tip 1: Take all these ingredients and put them in a project management tool like Asana, ClickUp or Trello, etc. This is especially important if you have a team. Good ol’ spreadsheets can work too. Or even pen & paper! I like to add the launch goals and the strategy in to the project management tool too so that I can refer back to them whenever I need to remember what we are working towards and how.
Bonus Tip 2: having a launch plan doesn’t mean anything unless it is implemented. It’s pointless to lay your launch plan out in Asana if you don’t look at it ever again. Building a plan that resonates with you is the first step. Implementing it is the next crucial step.
I highly encourage you to get accountability support so that you get to work on those things that make you productive, not just busy. And also to give you guidance and support when hard days come by… because they do come! Mindset is a topic for another day :). Interested in working with me? Book a connection call and let’s see if we’re a magic fit to work together.
Hey Ya!