When you come up with an amazing new offer it’s very tempting to dive right in and share it with the world. There are tons of resources out there (and in the AOBM blog😉) that tell you what to do when you want to promote a launch. But like any other business, your offer launch needs to be strategically planned in advance for maximum impact. And for that, you need to have certain things in place BEFORE you launch your offer and start promoting it.

I know you want to tell your family and friends about your offer, blast it across social media, and send it to your entire email list. You may even have plans to do a webinar or perhaps a Facebook ad campaign if you’re feeling adventurous. But before that, we need to make sure that you have all your ducks in a row. 

And to help you with that, here are the 5 things you need to do BEFORE you launch your offer.

1. Validate your product or service before you launch your offer

… and don’t be afraid to reach out

Before you spend the big bucks and ‘officially’ launch your offer, have someone (or many someones) test it out. And the best way to do so is to prioritize making a few initial sales without the bells and whistles. 

If you’re not confident about your offer, you can ALWAYS reach out to your ideal customers and ask them for a review. 

You can also make the first few sales at a reduced price. There are many coaches and service providers who choose to go this route. They start by beta testing their offer with a small group before unleashing it on the world. You can also barter your offer in return for a product or a service of equal value that you think you can benefit from. 

Whatever you decide to do, make sure you offer it only to your ideal customers. And don’t forget to collect your reviews and testimonials along the way! You can use these testimonials to promote your launch later.

This is also a great way to work out the snags and snafus before your offer officially hits the larger market. 

2. Know your customer 

… and know how to reach them

The best way to ensure people buy from you or to follow you is to get to know them. You need to know how they think, what they want, what their problems are, what their likes and dislikes are, The words they use, how they perceive products similar to yours, what brands they like and follow, and more.

And in order to ensure that your launch reaches the maximum number of people, you also need to know where they hang out. You need to figure out where you’ll find your ideal customer when you want to talk about your offer.

• Where do they hang out on social media? Which platforms do they use more?
• Where do they physically hang out? Are there any trade shows or conferences you can meet them at? 
• Where can you find them online? Are there some digital communities they prefer? Or online summits they attend?

Think about how your ideal customer likes to receive their information. Is it by reading or are they more visual in nature? Do they like long informational videos or short snappy ones? 

All this information will help you identify the best places, and the best way, to promote your launch. 

3. Have your branding in place before you launch your offer

… and that includes more than just your logo

Your branding includes more than just your logo. It includes your brand visual, your brand story, your brand voice, and more. 

Develop your brand story. Think about who you are, what makes you special, why should people buy from you and pay attention to you.

Know how to position your offer in a way that resonates with your ideal customer more. Think about what your ideal customer needs and values. Craft your offer around them. 

Think about the personalities of your ideal customers. Do they like short snappy lines and visuals or long informational articles? Maybe they appreciate a good story or just like cold hard facts. Make sure your brand voice and your brand visuals reflect that.

Ensure that your brand voice, brand values, and visuals are uniform across all your marketing materials and reflect what your customers want from you. Both, digital and print. And that includes your social media posts too!

4. Before you launch your offer you need to create buzz 

… and build anticipation around it

Before you launch your offer in the market make sure people are ready for it. Ensure that they know something amazing is coming soon. If you have a launch date make sure you share it multiple times. 

Focus on the audience. Show them how you can improve their life. Win them over. Make them curious. Here are some ways to create a buzz around your offer and build anticipation.

• You can create mini email teasers or social media posts that build excitement and create mystery around your offer. 
• Offer sneak peeks of your product, service, or course. 
• Approach some bloggers or influencers to talk about your offer.
• Encourage your beta testers to share it with their audience. 
• Talk about it on your blog or podcast.

Remember, just release just enough details about your product or service to generate interest, but keep some details to yourself to create the anticipation.

Here’s a helpful hint from Forbes:

Long before it’s time to launch, look at developing relationships with media professionals and local or industry influencers. Identify the people with whom it would be beneficial to connect, and have a strategy for informing them about your new brand.

5. Know what you don’t know

…and hire someone to complement you

There are multiple components to your launch. And only one of them is your amazing product and service. You’ve developed your offer. Now you need to know what you can do and what your strengths are to take it to the next level and launch it. You also need to know what you CAN’T do. You’re human after all, with limited time and resources on hand. 

Before you plan your launch, understand your limitations and hire (or outsource) the skills you need. There are a lot of elements to a launch and you may not be able to handle everything alone. Especially, once the launch takes off and you need to be in multiple places at once. It’s not a good idea to wait until you are short-handed (or until a problem/mistake happens) before you hire someone. 

And it’s always great to have a team on the sidelines cheering you on!

If you need help creating or implementing your 2021 launch strategy and promotion, the team at Amazing OBM would love to connect. You can start by scheduling a FREE 30-minute consultation. We are happy to chat, offer you some valuable tips, and determine if we are a good fit for one another in future endeavors!