Aloha, Tom here!
Lately, on the blog, we’ve been talking about launches, a key part of my M.I.L.K. It Method Strategy for success in online business.
I love launches. They might be one of my favorite parts of online business. Recently, I shared how to win during your first launch, and what the so-called “gurus” won’t tell you about them.
Today, I’ll go over all the little things you should do to ensure maximum profitability in your launches. They say the devil’s in the details, and I’ve found that to be true with product launches. So, I want to share a few miscellaneous tips and tricks we’ve learned over the years to help you win.
If you want to listen to this content in podcast form, simply follow this link.
Why Launches Aren’t About The Money
My business partner Nick and I have been through quite a few launches over the years. We also took the time to deconstruct them after the fact to discover what went well and what didn’t. Through this, we discovered some of the most important things that can make or break your launch success.
When your launches are more successful, you can actually have less of them. You’ll go from living launch to launch, kind of how some people live paycheck to paycheck, to only launching a few times a year. This is because the most successful launches will be more profitable, and open up profit in other areas.
I touched on this last post, but I wanted to elaborate. Launches aren’t about the money they generate. They’re about building relationships with your customers and fellow marketers. A successful launch turns a profit, sure, but more importantly, it expands your base of customers.
By nailing every piece of the puzzle, you’ll bring customers from “somewhere out there, in your market” to “dedicated members of your community.” This builds recurring revenue like none other.
By the way, having multiple streams of income is as important as ever.
Five Tried-And-True Tips For Launch Success
Here are five things we found that could make or break a launch:
- Set A Well-Timed Launch Schedule
When Nick and I started out, we held about five or six launches a year. That’s roughly one every six months. We found out that the timing and frequency of our launches were just as important as the product we sold.
Nowadays, we usually run three launches a year. We schedule them far in advance and map out our processes to match up with our launches. After all, nothing gets done without a deadline. With our schedule, we know how to spend each month, week, and day leading up to our launches. We also know how to optimize communication with our audience.
Additionally, timing matters. We typically have a launch during the beginning of the year, around the start of the summer, and a final one in September or October, before the holiday season really kicks off. We found these times are generally less busy than others for launches, but your results could vary depending on your niche.
- Have Your Product Ready Weeks In Advance
You want to make sure your product is ready to go long before your launch begins. Obviously, this aids user experience, since you aren’t rushing at the last minute to complete your product.
But it also helps you get your product out to affiliates and partners. We found that the advice given to us by affiliates who got a sneak peek at our product was vital for putting on the finishing touches.
Also, when they look at your product and see that it’s good, they feel better about marketing it. You want your affiliates and partners to feel proud and happy to help market your product.
- Make Plenty of Checklists
There are tons of moving parts to any launch. I don’t know about you, but it’s too much to keep track of in my head. Instead, create multiple checklists for each phase of the launch.
Have a pre-launch checklist. This includes things like getting your front-end product ready to go weeks in advance. It also includes making sure your sales funnel is set up, and your JV page is ready. More on that in a moment.
Make a during-launch checklist as well. This includes reminders to check your communications channels to make sure every customer request is seen and responded to.
It also includes things like making sure regular life and business are taken care of. Many of our launches are 24/7 marathons. We make sure that our regular business activities are taken care of, and that we’re getting enough food to eat!
You could even have a post-launch checklist. This could include following up with customers and affiliates. It also involves creating systems, automation, and dreaming about the future.
- Create A JV Page
For those unfamiliar, a JV page explains your launch to potential affiliates and partners. You can find them on launch scheduling sites like Muncheye and jvzoo.
A good JV page will explain who you are and what you specialize in. It will show the time and length of your launch. It will include things like a video explaining the launch and why someone should become your affiliate. It also includes information on contests, giveaways, prizes, etc.
A good JV page could make a difference when it comes to finding partners. The websites mentioned can also help you with your scheduling. In general, don’t schedule launches at the same time as a large incumbent in your niche.
- Reach Out to Potential Partners Now
Finally, make sure you reach out to potential partners now. Building a strong network based on reciprocity will accelerate your business success like none other.
Previously, I’ve discussed creating what Russell Brunson calls a “Dream 100 List,” which is a list of people you’d love to work with. The more ambitious your list is, the better. After ten years in online business, I’m pretty close to completing my original list.
Here’s a simple method for expanding your network: reach out to the people whose products you already use.
When you reach out to someone as a customer rather than a prospective partner, they’re much more likely to give you the time of day. Explain what you appreciate about their product, and ask them if they’d be willing to look at yours. You’d be amazed to see how some of these conversations have ended up for me.
You’ll get ignored or even rejected by some, but not everyone. These conversations often turn into opportunities down the line. At any rate, the best time to start building these relationships is well before your next launch.
I hope these tips can help you make your next launch a smashing success. Here’s to your best product launches yet!
For more secrets the so-called “gurus” won’t tell you about making money online, check out my podcast:
