How a Launch Audit Can Help You Have Your Most Successful Launch
Congrats! You’ve got the offer, service, or product that you know is going to drive in new revenue, help build your business, and make it easier for you to make $$$$ doing what you love. Now… it’s time to launch. Or maybe you’ve already attempted a launch and just keep hearing Debbie Downer noises in your head. Wah-wah.
Whether you’re not sure where to start to host a successful launch or you’re ready to dig into what you can do better on your next launch, I’ve got you covered. Let’s dig into launch audits and how they can help you get on the track to launch success.
First things first: Why would you even need a launch audit?
Most of the time, business owners hear “audit” and think of taxes — or an in-depth review of a super complicated process in their business. That can be true, but a launch audit doesn’t have to make you sweat like the IRS just sent you a letter.
A launch audit simply reviews your launch to see where things can be improved, what worked, and what didn’t. You can use a launch audit at any phase of your launch: before, during, or after. You might need a launch audit if:
- You bought a course teaching you how to launch, went through one module, then never finished it. (Because, life)
- You've launched. It was... fine. But you didn't see the magic everyone was talking about.
- You've launched a few times and it’s gone well but you’ve plateaued and need to reassess before taking things to the next level.
Depending on where you’re at in your launch journey, you might need to focus on different elements of a launch audit. But I know you’re wondering WTF a launch audit even is.
So… what is a launch audit?
A launch audit is a comprehensive review of your launch and products. And I mean everything: pricing, social, email, ads, sales page, and more. This is a numbers- and data-focused look at what your minimum goals are (for revenue, traffic, boosted followers, etc.), your plan for the launch, and all of the assets or support you need to make it happen.
But it’s not just about the numbers. A launch audit will actually take a more holistic approach to your launch, including:
- Your online presence before and during the launch
- Engagement before the launch
- Vetted offers and previous purchases
- The copy and content you shared or created before the launch
- And more
While a launch audit can help you out more before a launch, the reality is that most of us have to learn as we go — we can’t plan for all potentials! That’s why a launch audit is pretty much a must in my opinion if you’ve just finished a launch or aren’t happy with the fruits of your labor.
How to do your own launch audit
Ready to do your own launch audit? Groovy. Let’s look at…
People and products
When we have a new offer to launch, it’s easy to think about just the offer. But what about the people you made it for?
- Have you been engaged with your audience before you try to sell to them?
- Do you know who you’re talking to? Is it more than one “ideal client avatar”? If so, do you have a plan for engaging and communicating with them before, during, and after the launch?
- Do you know what kind of transformation your people need from this offer? Are you speaking to that in your communications?
- Does your product or offer really serve these people? Have you asked them if it’s something they want?
Seriously, knowing your audience and how they want to be helped by you will make your launch so much easier. Instead of ripping your hair out, wondering “What do they even want!?” you’ll know.
Pricing
You want to make money on your launch, but you have to put some thought into it, too!
- Is your offer priced in a way that was attainable for your audience?
- Do you showcase the value of your offer (with a value stack)?
- Has someone paid this price for this offer in the past?
- If you’ve recently launched, did anyone ask about the price or discounts?
- Did you set goals for sales? (i.e. “I want to sell $10,000, which means I need to sell 10 seats of my $1,000 course.)
- If you’re in post-launch, how close did you come to your revenue goals? Will you need to change pricing to meet it in the future?
Planning
“Planning” is fairly general, but here are a few questions you can ask yourself:
- Do you have the tech you need to support your offer (a course platform for courses, a membership platform for memberships, an email tool for sequences, etc.)?
- Do you know the exact date of launch?
- Have you built a runway of 2+ weeks to promote your offer?
- Are you talking about the offer/showing behind-the-scenes content as your launch nears?
- Have you planned to be present on social and for questions/calls regarding the launch?
- If you’re in the pre-plan phase, have you researched what kind of expert support you might need (copywriters for copy, tech VAs for automations, etc.)?
- If you’re in the post-launch phase, did you have a plan? What didn’t go as planned and how can you change that on the next go-round?
Content & copy
So often when we think about launching something new, we think about the big-ticket copy items — a sales page and an email sequence. Sometimes, just the sales page (yeah, I see you). To make sure your content and copy are actually supporting your launch, though, think about:
- What other content can you create before the launch that can build interest and your list (with a freebie opt-in or a teaser to get them on your newsletter)?
- Do you have plans for content and copy, such as blogs and webpages, that will be needed during the launch? (i.e. are there old blogs you can update with this new CTA? Do you need to update your homepage to include your new offer?)
- Do you have an email sequence for your kickoff event, inviting people to join your webinar, unveiling, etc?
- Do you have a launch sequence letting people (who may not have attended your kickoff event) about the new offer?
- Do you have a non-purchase sequence to re-engage people?
- If you’re in the post-launch phase, what was your email open rate? Click-through rate? Conversions from emails?
That can sound like a lot of work, but you can easily split up the copy/content work over a couple of weeks. And, of course, we can talk about the sales page next:
- Does your sales page focus on the transformation your audience is getting from this new offer? Or does it focus on the features?
- Do you have “voice of customer” language in your sales page, or are you using language you think they might understand?
- Is your sales page written and designed with a mobile experience in mind? (Most of us browse on our phones now!)
- If you’re in a post-launch phase, what was your overall sales page traffic? Clicks to purchase? Conversions? Look at the percentages: a great conversion rate for sales page is 1-3%.
Organic & paid social
Whether you’re just using your small-but-mighty audience or you’re reaching a wider pool by paying for Facebook or Instagram ads, social media is a must for launches. Cover your bases by:
- Using your email list to create lookalike audiences for ads
- List-building first with ads, before just dumping $$$ into conversion-based ads
- Engaging your social media followers for 3-4 weeks prior to your launch
- Use DMs, comments, tags, and hashtags to reach new people and develop a relationship before you sell to them
- Craft social captions, Reels/Stories, and other forms of social media content that get people excited about your launch
- Use hashtags that grow your reach
- Craft social captions, Reels/Stories, and other forms of social media content that tell people about your launch
- If your launch is time-sensitive, make sure your captions and other content let people know the timeline
- Ask for your followers to share your exciting news
Most importantly: diversify your content and show your face. If you’re a personal brand, influencer, or a really small business (as in basically the only person running the show, like me!), people want to know who they’re buying from. Use Reels, Stories, IGTV, TikTok, YouTube, whatever — just get yourself out there. Practicing before launch can make this easier for you and your audience
Because social media is a really wide spectrum (there are so many platforms and so many ways to measure success!), it’s also important that you consider your launch goals and performance on different platforms. Prior to launch, consider things like:
- Your following/audience size and your goals to grow it before you launch
- Your engagement and best-performing content (each platform has their own insights)
- Your hashtag strategy on Instagram (which hashtags get you the most reach/new followers)
- Your best-performing content mediums in terms of impressions and engagement (video? Stories? Reels? Captions?)
If you’re in the post-launch phase, you should also look at things like:
- Ad click-through-rate
- Ad impressions
- Conversions from ads (sales made from people who clicked your ad and then bought)
- Post reach (how many people saw your post)
- Link clicks from posts
- Engagement (likes, follows, comments, shares, etc.)
- Bio clicks (for Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, etc.)
What got the most engagement? What got people to click through to your offer? What didn’t?
Why you might want outside eyes on your launch
OK, I know all of that ^^ was a lot — but if you’re ready to DIY your launch audit, then that’s basically what you need to know! Of course, just because you can do your launch audit doesn’t mean you have to… or should.
Sometimes, you might want to bring in a launch expert. (Ahem, that’s me!)
So, who needs a more professional launch audit? Generally, these are right for businesses and people who already have teams (even if that’s just a few contractors) and they have a marketer or Facebook ads person that they work with regularly.
However, that person does not necessarily specialize in launches, so it’s hard to know what they don’t know. This isn’t a mark against them — we’re all experts in our own things! These businesses/teams need an infusion of fresh ideas on strategies and ideas, and they need expert eyes on their launch plan and metrics.
Plus, it helps to work with someone who has seen a ton of launches, guided many of them, and who may even know your industry. While not every launch strategist offers audits, it’s important to find one who matches your style and who doesn’t just have a “formula” for your launch.
Repeat after me: Formulas don’t work for every business, every audience, and every launch. Period.
How our launch audits work
Want to know what you need to rock your launch? Need more insights on where things went off the rails on your last launch? Get a launch audit performed by yourself truly and you’ll get:
- A holistic audit of the various elements of YOUR specific launch (no cookie-cutter launch audit here!)
- A presentation deck with my findings and recommendations
- A half-day together to review and strategize next steps.
To get started, you simply need to apply! I'll reach out with any questions before letting you know if you're approved or not. If you're approved, you'll get an agreement and invoice. From there, I send a comprehensive intake doc where you share EVERYTHING: what you've done in past launches, what your goals are, what's worked, what hasn't, where you're stuck, and what you want to learn.
Then, I get to work on your audit. I prepare your report, we meet for 3 hours to go over all of my findings and recommendations, and then we strategize! Our call is part feedback, part strategy session; this is your time to ask me all of your questions! After the call, you have access to me for 1 week over Voxer to answer any questions that come up once you start going through the feedback on your own.
Think of me as your personal Launch BFF for the week. Want that? Apply now! (Application is at the bottom of the page.)
Have more questions about who I am and why I’m qualified to do a launch audit for you? Here you go.