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I've launched 10+ products (and learned a lot through failure.)
Here's how to launch a product in 13 steps:
Here's how to launch a product in 13 steps:
1: Write out the spec of the launch in a detailed memo.
Decide what type of launch this is:
- New feature
- Net new product
- Site and product redesign
- Improvements on existing feature
Answer the who, what, where, when, and why of the launch.
Decide what type of launch this is:
- New feature
- Net new product
- Site and product redesign
- Improvements on existing feature
Answer the who, what, where, when, and why of the launch.
2: Determine if this should be a small, medium, or large launch.
Small - Small milestones and improvements on already existing features.
Medium - A new feature that makes a clear difference in a current tool.
Large - Net new product.
Small - Small milestones and improvements on already existing features.
Medium - A new feature that makes a clear difference in a current tool.
Large - Net new product.
3: Identify what specific group of people this launch is for.
Is this for a subset of your current audience?
Is this for a new audience entirely?
Outline your niche and ideal customer personas.
Is this for a subset of your current audience?
Is this for a new audience entirely?
Outline your niche and ideal customer personas.
4: Compile the exact list of tactics you plan to include for this launch.
This is a long section, so gear up.
Here are all the places you can look to promote your product launch.
This is a long section, so gear up.
Here are all the places you can look to promote your product launch.
Where: Twitter
Tactic: Write a Twitter thread.
Key Tip: Tell the full story of the product, the fun, and the difficult. Share your vision and hopes.
Tactic: Write a Twitter thread.
Key Tip: Tell the full story of the product, the fun, and the difficult. Share your vision and hopes.
Where: Your Blog
Tactic: Write a blog post about your vision.
Key Tip: Repurpose the Twitter thread into a blog post. Share with your existing audience.
Tactic: Write a blog post about your vision.
Key Tip: Repurpose the Twitter thread into a blog post. Share with your existing audience.
Where: YouTube
Tactic: Make a launch video.
Key Tip: Show the product in action. Talk about your story and vision.
Tactic: Make a launch video.
Key Tip: Show the product in action. Talk about your story and vision.
Where: Facebook Groups
Tactic: Post in relevant FB groups about your product launch.
Key Tip: Ask the group owners before posting anything to make sure it's OK.
Tactic: Post in relevant FB groups about your product launch.
Key Tip: Ask the group owners before posting anything to make sure it's OK.
Where: Your Email List
Tactic: Share the Twitter thread to your email subsscribers.
Key Tip: Do this instead of directly promoting the link to the product. This helps generate more traction on Twitter first.
Tactic: Share the Twitter thread to your email subsscribers.
Key Tip: Do this instead of directly promoting the link to the product. This helps generate more traction on Twitter first.
Where: Google, Facebook, YouTube
Tactic: Run paid ads.
Key Tip: Not for everyone. If you have budget for this, try running ads (preferably based on prior targeting so you can re-market.)
Tactic: Run paid ads.
Key Tip: Not for everyone. If you have budget for this, try running ads (preferably based on prior targeting so you can re-market.)
Where: @ProductHunt
Tactic: Get hunted.
Key Tip: Work with a big-time hunter on PH to launch your product at the right moment. Don't rush this.
Tactic: Get hunted.
Key Tip: Work with a big-time hunter on PH to launch your product at the right moment. Don't rush this.
Where: @BetaList
Tactic: Launch before you launch.
Key Tip: Set up a listing on BetaList 30 days before launch. This works a lot like Product Hunt.
Tactic: Launch before you launch.
Key Tip: Set up a listing on BetaList 30 days before launch. This works a lot like Product Hunt.
Where: @IndieHackers
Tactic: Post consistently on IH.
Key Tip: 30 days leading up, post an update daily on your product. This will help capture momentum for launch.
Tactic: Post consistently on IH.
Key Tip: 30 days leading up, post an update daily on your product. This will help capture momentum for launch.
Where: Paid Newsletters
Tactic: Pay for placements in relevant newsletters.
Key Tip: Compile a list of 50-100 ideal newsletters based on their audiences. Reach out for pricing and details on placements.
Tactic: Pay for placements in relevant newsletters.
Key Tip: Compile a list of 50-100 ideal newsletters based on their audiences. Reach out for pricing and details on placements.
Where: Podcasts
Tactic: Go on tour.
Key Tip: 30 days leading up to launch, set up as many podcast guest spots as you can. Talk about what you're building.
Tactic: Go on tour.
Key Tip: 30 days leading up to launch, set up as many podcast guest spots as you can. Talk about what you're building.
Where: Events or Meetups
Tactic: Find events or meetups to promote at.
Key Tip: Make the value of your product super clear. Nobody just wants to be pitched at.
Tactic: Find events or meetups to promote at.
Key Tip: Make the value of your product super clear. Nobody just wants to be pitched at.
Where: Social Media
Tactic: Collab with influencers.
Key Tip: don't just focus on big accounts. Look for relevant accounts to your product that would spread the word for you. Do giveaways!
Tactic: Collab with influencers.
Key Tip: don't just focus on big accounts. Look for relevant accounts to your product that would spread the word for you. Do giveaways!
Where: Live Stream
Tactic: Host a live stream with a valuable guest.
Key Tip: Address topics related to your product that your audience will find helpful. Plug the product here and there.
Tactic: Host a live stream with a valuable guest.
Key Tip: Address topics related to your product that your audience will find helpful. Plug the product here and there.
Where: Affiliates
Tactic: Co-launch with affiliates.
Key Tip: If you already have affiliates for another product, see if they'll be interested in this one as well. Set up a launch plan for them.
Tactic: Co-launch with affiliates.
Key Tip: If you already have affiliates for another product, see if they'll be interested in this one as well. Set up a launch plan for them.
Where: Press Release
Tactic: Write and seek out opps for PR.
Key Tip: This works really well if you already have a reputation from other products.
Tactic: Write and seek out opps for PR.
Key Tip: This works really well if you already have a reputation from other products.
Where: Live Event
Tactic: Host a live launch event.
Key Tip: Channel your inner Apple. Show the product in action on a live stream or in-person event.
Tactic: Host a live launch event.
Key Tip: Channel your inner Apple. Show the product in action on a live stream or in-person event.
5: Write down expected OKRs and metrics to track.
What doesn't get measured doesn't get done.
Know your goals for:
- Revenue
- Web Traffic
- New Customers
- Conversion Rate
What doesn't get measured doesn't get done.
Know your goals for:
- Revenue
- Web Traffic
- New Customers
- Conversion Rate
6: Write all outreach or pitch content needed.
If you're doing events, collaborations, or any type of coordinated content for your launch...write it all out.
Batch this work together for max productivity and continuity of messaging.
If you're doing events, collaborations, or any type of coordinated content for your launch...write it all out.
Batch this work together for max productivity and continuity of messaging.
7: Send outreach to necessary parties and follow up regularly if no response.
Pretty self-explanatory on this one.
Need a guest for a live stream? Email them.
Promoting a Twitter thread? Send it to your audience.
And above all: FOLLOW UP.
Pretty self-explanatory on this one.
Need a guest for a live stream? Email them.
Promoting a Twitter thread? Send it to your audience.
And above all: FOLLOW UP.
8: Write all promo content.
Batch all your writing for a Twitter thread, blog, video script, FB group blast, email broadcast, etc.
Don't procrastinate or this work really adds up.
Batch all your writing for a Twitter thread, blog, video script, FB group blast, email broadcast, etc.
Don't procrastinate or this work really adds up.
9: Attend all meetings, podcasts, webinars, collaborations, events, etc expected.
Show up to your engagements.
Go on tour.
Promote yourself and the product shamelessly.
Show up to your engagements.
Go on tour.
Promote yourself and the product shamelessly.
10: Make the new feature or product widely available.
Push the product live.
Collect feedback ASAP.
Begin planning V2.
Push the product live.
Collect feedback ASAP.
Begin planning V2.
11: Publish all content created when necessary.
Once launched, publish your threads, blogs, videos, and do a live stream to celebrate the launch!
Once launched, publish your threads, blogs, videos, and do a live stream to celebrate the launch!
12: Stand by for reports of bugs and serve customers.
Your job now is customer service.
Listen to issues and concerns.
Resolve problems.
Give your users an amazing first experience with your new product.
Your job now is customer service.
Listen to issues and concerns.
Resolve problems.
Give your users an amazing first experience with your new product.
13: Conduct a Post Mortem.
Report back on metrics for the campaign and make plans for improvements the next go-around.
What didn't work for this launch?
What worked really well?
What 20% of your effort contributed to 80% of the results?
Report back on metrics for the campaign and make plans for improvements the next go-around.
What didn't work for this launch?
What worked really well?
What 20% of your effort contributed to 80% of the results?
That's all folks!
If you enjoyed this, please:
1. Retweet the first tweet
2. Follow me @heyblake for more
P.S. I'm giving away 1 free year of
http://Copy.ai to a random person that retweets this! https://twitter.com/heyblake/status/1391865961255407616?s=20
If you enjoyed this, please:
1. Retweet the first tweet
2. Follow me @heyblake for more
P.S. I'm giving away 1 free year of
http://Copy.ai to a random person that retweets this! https://twitter.com/heyblake/status/1391865961255407616?s=20
