Everyone has had a lackluster launch (including me) — but you can make sure your next one is a hit, and today I’m showing you how.
If you’re like most business owners, you can think back to at least one launch that didn’t go according to plan. Maybe your sales weren’t as high as you anticipated, or maybe no one bought at all. As much as that stings, it’s not uncommon — and that’s because many people make a lot of mistakes during (and before) they launch.
In this article, I'm sharing 5 tips to help you identify where you may have gone wrong in your previous launches and make improvements in future launches. You’ll walk away with a better understanding of how to fix common launch errors and what it takes to have the highly profitable and successful launch you’re dreaming of.
Tip 1: Start priming your audience early.
Announcing your offer without priming or preparing your audience is a surefire way to lose out on sales.
As a result, it’s crucial to spend time before your launch getting your followers ready to purchase by:
- Getting them excited — create hype by letting them know something special is coming soon
- Explaining why your offer is important and your thought process behind developing it
- Helping them understand why they need it and what makes it such a valuable commodity
People in the entertainment industry regularly prime their audiences because it’s so effective. Before musicians release a new album, for example, they might archive all of their Instagram feed posts and post one thing that foreshadows what’s coming.
The takeaway: If you fail to prime your audience, you will likely have a disappointing launch.
Tip 2: Put the pain in your prime phase.
The prime phase (the first of five launch phases I teach in my Launch Blueprint) is also a golden opportunity to hit on the pain points your offer can help relieve or solve.
Think of it this way:
- What is the reason someone should buy what you’re selling?
- What problem is your ideal client dealing with, and how can your offer fix it?
- How will their life improve once they purchase your product or service?
One of your primary goals in the prime phase is to position your offer as the ultimate solution to a problem that members of your audience are facing — and part of that process is reminding them of the pain they feel without your solution.
Tip 3: View your first launch as a learning experience.
Consider your first launch a “beta” launch that will teach you valuable lessons you can apply in future launches.
I know this from experience because, during my first launch, I only sold to 4 people — but in my second launch, I sold to 9 people because I reviewed the data I collected and learned what worked and what I needed to fix. Each launch got better and better as I optimized my process, and eventually, I sold to 375 people during a launch.
This didn’t happen for me overnight, and it probably won’t for you, either. However, take comfort in the fact that your business’ success does not hinge on your first launch, and as long as you learn and apply your newfound knowledge and expertise to your subsequent launches, you will become more successful.
Remember: You don’t only get one shot at selling your products and services. Mistakes are part of launching. Play the long game.
Tip 4: Pitch more often than you think you should.
You may think your offer is crystal clear and that your audience understand exactly what you’re selling, but that’s probably not the case unless they have seen your pitches 8-10 times.
Because of this fact, you need to pitch often — more than you probably think you should. The reality is your entire audience will not see every pitch you make, so it’s a good idea to continue talking about and promoting your offer. The people who are interested will be thankful you shared and, if you are consistent, they will be more likely to make a purchase.
To ensure you’re not missing other crucial steps of the sales process, listen to episode 70 of my podcast: SOS, I’m Not Selling enough: 10 Questions to Ask Yourself to Fix It. These are questions I ask myself as I prep for and execute launches, and they’ve helped me course-correct many times.
Prefer to read? Check out this article that outlines each of the 10 questions.
Tip 5: Believe that your hard work will pay off.
Finally, as cheesy as it may sound, you have to believe in yourself and trust that your hard work will pay off.
It’s not one single Instagram post that's going to drive your success. It’s not one viral TikTok or one value-packed email to your list of subscribers. It’s not one launch. Instead, it’s the culmination of your efforts over weeks, months, even years — and the belief that you can be successful.
Keep putting one foot in front of the other, and never forget that it’s the small things that add up over time. Every pitch, every social media post, every sales conversation and every lesson learned along the way builds momentum.
Don’t let a not-so-successful launch get you down. Stay focused. If you don’t give up, you will reap the benefits of your efforts.
Need more help with your launches and want to boost your sales? I invite you to join my masterclass on how I made 4 million in revenue in 2 years on the 7th of November. This class will be in English with Dutch subtitles.
I’ll be sharing how I launched in a crisis, the most important behind-the-scenes looks at 6- and 7-figure launches, and all the secrets of a great launch. You can find it at fastforwardamy.com/4millionmasterclass.
Listen to this episode via Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts, and search for episode 155 of The FastForwardAmy Show.
PS: If you want to work with me but aren’t sure where to begin, head to fastforwardamy.com/findyourfit and answer the questions — we’ll point you in the right direction!
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