If it is your first time launching a course, program or membership ever, you are probably wondering how to plan a launch, where to even start. So let’s look together at what a launch plan needs to include.
Firstly, I need to remind you that every launch plan is different, but the steps that I am sharing with you below are going to give you a starting point when you plan your own launch.
Just before we dive into what the steps are, I’d like you to know that, essentially, every launch has three main phases:
- Pre-launch: what happens before you open registration.
- Launch: what happens during the open registration period (also known as the open cart period).
- Post-launch: what happens after you close registration.
My launch blueprint has 6 steps. This is the template that I start from with all my clients, and which I adapt to each client’s needs. The 6 steps of my launch blueprint are:
- Strategy and Planning – in this step you will be deciding your launch goals, launch strategy and lay out the launch plan. This is an ongoing activity.
- Audience Building – in this step you will look to bring new people to your audience, usually email list subscribers, and potentially social media followers. This is where you will create and promote a lead magnet (also known as freebie). I recommend you start doing this at least 60 days before you open registration.
- Audience Warming – when new people join your list or start following you on social media, it is important that you nurture them and ‘warm them up’ so that they are ready to buy when you open registration. Build relationships with your audience!
- Pre-launch – this is the time when you create hype and prepare to open registration. This step is extremely important because what you do before you open registration tends to dictate how the sales will progress during the open registration window. This step can take 7-14 days, sometimes longer.
- Live Launch – time to open registration and see the sales come through. It’s usually an intense phase, and if you have done a good job during the pre-launch period (including creating sales content in advance), then your main job during the launch window is to be fully present with your potential buyers, to answer their questions (even those questions they haven’t voiced yet) and supporting them in making the right decision for themselves. The open cart period generally takes 3-14 days. Of course, it depends on what you are selling and who to.
- Post Launch – this step is often overlooked. This phase is a combination of celebrating the launch, analysing what worked and what didn’t, and practising extra self-care.
Under these activities you will have lots of small tasks that will make your launch happen.
Having a launch plan doesn’t mean anything unless it is implemented!
Hence I recommend that you lay your launch plan out in your project management tool (for example Asana), and add a deadline for each task. And then, of course, make sure to check Asana daily and mark your accomplished tasks as complete.
Hey Ya!