The 4 Phases of a Live Launch
There’s no denying that live launches can be stressful and hectic. Sure, it’s an amazing feeling to finally share with the world the offer you’ve been working so hard on. But everything that has to happen behind the scenes leading up to the launch? It’s a lot.
As your Launch BFF, we’re here to make things easier and much less stressful for you. In our world, we break live launches down into four phases:
- Phase 1: Launch runway
- Phase 2: Pre-launch
- Phase 3: On sale
- Phase 4: Post-launch
This way, you can break down all of your tactics and to-dos by phase, ensuring nothing slips through the cracks. And – more importantly – helping you stay on track as you juggle all the moving parts.
Let’s take a big-picture look at each of these live launch phases and what you can expect along the way!
Phase 1: Launch runway
Timing: 3-ish months before your launch
This first phase is where you start priming your audience for your launch. This isn’t an announcement quite yet; you’re just setting the stage for what’s to come.
Typically, your launch runway includes tactics like:
- Opt-ins: This might include creating a freebie, so you can capture email addresses and start your nurturing email sequences.
- Nurturing email sequences: Through these nurturing sequences, you can start to warm your audiences up with your knowledge and expertise. Simply sharing your value – not selling it – can help establish brand trust and loyalty, which will go far for your launch (and for future ones, too!).
- A conversion event: This can include a webinar or a challenge to share your knowledge and expertise while capturing more quality leads. Webinars are great for coaches to give their audience a preview of what to expect from them. Challenges are ideal for hands-on, active programs, and also a great way to kick-start your upcoming offer (like an online program!).
- Showing up: Coming out of the woodwork only when you have something to sell isn’t a good look. Try to show up as much as you can for your audience – go live on Insta, respond to comments and DMs, and create connections so they know who you are, what you’re all about, and how you can help them.
The final piece of advice we always share for this phase? Keep your launch runway simple.
Phase 2: Pre-launch
Timing: The immediate 4 weeks before your launch
During the pre-launch phase, you’ll really start to ramp things up and lay the groundwork for your launch. Think of it as taking your audience along for the ride leading up to the big day. This is where you can start deploying tactics like:
- Dropping launch hints in your emails
- Creating a waitlist to share exclusive information and promos (and capture more leads simultaneously)
- Sharing behind-the-scenes content
- Nurturing attendees from your conversion event
- Asking audiences for input on the yet-to-be-revealed offer (think in terms of design elements, communication preferences, etc.)
This is also the time to build up lots of excitement and anticipation across all your channels. Add a countdown to your website and social profiles, drop bigger hints in the days leading up to the launch, and really prime and reward those on your waitlist for joining!
Phase 3: On sale
Timing: Your go-live date and on-sale period
It’s GO TIME! This is when you finally go live with your big offer and open your cart for purchase. During this phase, you’ll want to keep a close eye on everything to make sure no one runs into any technical difficulties along the way. It might also be helpful to hire a temporary virtual assistant to keep tabs on all the moving parts.
Depending on the type of offer you have, there are other details to keep in mind during this phase:
- Sharing the news across all your platforms
- Ensuring your launch email sequences are sent on time (things like reminder emails and abandon cart sequences)
- If you’re launching an online program and spots are limited, you’ll need to close your cart as soon as you reach capacity
Finally, make sure you set time aside to CELEBRATE! You’ve put in a lot of work to get to this point. And while this is only the beginning, you should acknowledge everything you’ve done to get to this point. This sh*t isn’t for the faint of heart!
Phase 4: Post-launch
Timing: Immediately after your on-sale period ends (or you close your cart)
So, you’ve gotten through your live launch. CONGRATS! But….now what?!
Once you take some time to catch your breath, it’s time to get back to work! This is where you start to put the wheels in motion and deliver on what you sold. Depending on your offer, that delivery may look a little different. But for most business owners, post-launch typically includes:
- Recording sales data: How much did you make? How many digital products did you sell? How many attendees did you secure for your online program? What’s your net revenue?
- Projecting future revenue: How many people paid in full, and how many people are on payment plans? Figuring out this information will help you get a better idea of what revenue to expect in the months ahead.
- Onboarding new customers: No matter what type of offer you launched, what happens next? For digital products, it’s time to deliver. For online programs, it’s time to get everyone onboarded!
- Following up with those who didn’t convert: Not everyone you nurtured is going to convert, and that’s ok! There’s still an opportunity to develop a specific sequence for this audience, letting them know you’re sad you missed them and potentially offering a downsell to better meet their needs!
- A launch audit: What went right during your launch? What went wrong? A launch audit can help identify gaps in your launch plan to help make future offers that much better and more successful!
Gearing up for your own launch? Join Launch 101!
To help you have a successful live launch, we’re hosting an exciting one-week program where you’ll learn all about live launching, including:
- What it is
- Whether it’s right for your business
- A deeper dive into the four phases of a live launch
- How to get started with your own
LAUNCH 101
September 28 through October 4, 2022
You’ll get a private podcast feed, and daily emails with worksheets and guides! But only when you sign up now!