When people start to think about taking their business, blog or hobby to the next level, they often think about how they will launch that idea – how they will make it real. They often ask:
How do I know if something is ready to launch?
What IS a launch?
What type of launch should I do first?
Is it a launch if I don't accept money?
When can I consider my launch a success?
What launch goals should I set?
When is something a launch and when is something just a marketing activity you do to promote and grow your business?
My view of your business, marketing, promotional activities is all the same – when you take on a project and then commit to releasing it to other people.
That is a launch.
The project can be an online product or service, a new blog or relaunch of an existing blog, or a series of posts mean to grow your list.
And you don’t always have to get paid for it – I know you wanna get paid, but this is reality.
When you shift your thinking beyond the very visible guru style launch – you’ll realize (and hopefully embrace) that any concerted and committed effort to get a piece of value out to the world should be called a launch.
If you need other people to see what you're doing, buy it, comment, interact, engage, join, subscribe – call it a launch.
You may not see your new site as a chance to “launch” something.
You may not see a first time launching a program as a trial – it’s a real full fledged program to you.
And you might wonder how you can launch and relaunch something without getting burned out.
All these questions and concerns are totally valid.
So – I made you a little video walking you through the big launch types, answering the question what is a launch… and how to decide which one is right for your business.
What type of launch is right for your business right now?
Don’t forget – to start making that idea a reality – grab the Launch Toolkit which has the resources you need to plan out your first launch (and then some).
If you enjoyed this training – you'll love Fearless Launching – which will teach you how to go through any type of launch for your product, program or online service. This online program-meets-mastermind and kick in the pants will not only help you figure out what type of launch you SHOULD be doing, but keep you grounded in reality about all your launch goals.
Have a great day – and here’s to getting your first (second and third) idea out to the world.
Wow, thanks Anne! This cleared my brain cells in more ways than one…SO helpful. The problem I have, is that I have too many ideas, and I’m never sure which one to put my energy towards, as a priority. This has helped me tremendously. It looks like I am just weening off of the Discovery zone and preparing for Trial launch by Winter 2013, when I lead my first creative coaching mini-retreat in-studio (and then announce new creative coaching services online). I love connecting with people, so my all-time ‘fantasy’ launch would probably be an event…an online summit of some sort, with other creatives or a women’s creative retreat at some obscure exotic location!
So great to hear you liked this – this post was such a test – and you may see a big change to it in a few days as I create a better quality video – who says you have to post and forget it, right??
Don’t lose sight of that fantasy launch. Once you do the trial you may see that you are ready sooner than you think!
Thanks for stopping by.
-Anne
Hey Anne,
Thanks so much for explaining this. It was really helpful. My answers.
1. Ideal date: I think the discovery and trials are relevant to me right now. I’ve been thinking about launching my new revamped weekly blog/newsletter updates. Gonna funk it up a bit:-)
2. Fantasy launch: Wanna do an event launch for my coaching programme online. Think I need to do it in trial first though.
3. Launch walk through: Is this where you have a sequence of content that leads up to a bigger finale? Or could it be the one where the launchers go tell you the strategy they used to launch what they just launched lol?
Bianca, thanks so much for commenting!
Sharing that fantasy is tough – when you don’t feel like you’re ready yet – and I love how you are clear that you want to do the trial and discovery launch first.
The Launch walk-thru is an ecourse – and a test of sorts – so I put it in the beta/trial category. The email course is included with the Fearless Launching program and I know some people don’t have a ton of time or resources to devote to the bigger program. So – I decided to test this out, offer the walk-thru as a standalone program!
Keep in touch and let me know how the blog/newsletter is going!!
Anne – what a great post!! I learned so much.. I’m still in the Discovery/Market Leadership zone. I’d love to be in the Beta zone with my apps but it’s a few months off before I can really do that one.
Thanks again..
So glad you liked this! Thinking about turning this into a fuller training – email me any of your thoughts or anything I should go in depth about!
Fantastic post, as always! Right now I am doing a discovery launch, filling a group for December. I’m determined to fill the group over the next few days. I did a test group in October and got great feedback. For the same program, my goal is to do an event launch in January, that is the big one! and then by May, I would like to be doing an evergreen type of auto launch. Thanks so much for your posts, they are always helpful and inspiring, especially to those of us going thru this for the first time.
I am in Discovery…
What are types of activities included in a Discovery Launch?
My goal is to do a weekly web show/video blog posts each week in 2013. So I am thinking that activities would be, 1. planning content, 2. writing out script, 3. execute. 4. promote it! then rinse and repeat.
Fantasy Launch…
Mine would be to have an Event I get so pumped at events.
Whats the launch walk through?
Hi Stacia – glad to see you here!
I’m going to go in depth on these in workshop early Jan 2013, but Discovery just means actions you take or a project you take on to get attention, grow your list, build your platform, find the right customers. So, all of what you mention is part of that!
The launch walk-thru is an self-paced email course I created to walk you through the whole process of launching! http://www.annesamoilov.com/work-with-me-2 (that’s where to find out more!)