Before launching your business, it is crucial to invest time and effort into a pre-launch phase. This phase allows you to test and refine your branding, product offers, and marketing strategies, ensuring that you are well-prepared for a successful launch.
In this lesson, we’ll explore the importance of the pre-launch phase and the key steps involved in preparing for a successful launch.
By the end of this lesson, you will have a clear understanding of how to effectively utilize the pre-launch phase to set a solid foundation for your business. Let’s get started!
Preparing for launch
Strategic pre-launch planning is crucial to ensure that your business is fully prepared to grow. The pre-launch phase is the time to conduct small-scale testing of various aspects of your business, including your product or service, branding, website design and functionality, market message, core offer, and other key components.
Gathering feedback from a sample of your target audience several months before the launch gives you the opportunity to make necessary adjustments, address criticisms, and incorporate valuable new ideas. In this section, we will explore how to effectively prepare for launch through feedback collection and optimizing your online presence.
Fun Fact!
Globally, only 55% of all product launches take place on schedule.
Pre-launch checklist
By completing this pre-launch checklist, you can ensure that your business is well-prepared for a successful launch. Paying attention to the details and addressing any necessary adjustments will help you build a solid foundation and maximize the impact of your launch efforts. Remember, proper preparation and testing can significantly contribute to the long-term success of your business.
- Refining Product and Marketing Messages: Complete any necessary tweaks or adjustments to your product or service based on feedback received during the testing phase. Refine your marketing messages to effectively communicate the unique value and benefits of your offering to your target audience.
- Testing Website Performance and Functionality: Thoroughly test how well your website performs and functions on different devices, such as mobile phones, tablets, and laptops. Gather feedback from individuals using various devices to ensure a seamless user experience.
- Gathering Publicity Contacts: Identify relevant magazine editors, bloggers, and social media influencers in your industry or niche. Begin building relationships with them and explore opportunities for collaboration or coverage.
- Finalizing Marketing and Promotion Plan: Develop a comprehensive marketing and promotion plan that outlines your communication strategies and timelines. Determine the key individuals or groups you need to engage with, such as potential customers, industry influencers, or media outlets. Tailor your messaging and marketing materials to resonate with each target audience segment.
- Creating a Launch Day Timeline and Dry Run: Create a detailed timeline leading up to the launch day, outlining the sequence of activities and milestones to be completed. Assign responsibilities to team members and set realistic deadlines. Consider conducting a dry run of any planned launch events or activities to identify and address any potential issues in advance.
Basic test strategy
Once you have developed a product that appeals to your target audience, it is essential to find out where these individuals spend their time online and physically, and gather their opinions. Implementing a comprehensive test strategy will allow you to refine your product and make necessary improvements before the official launch.
Identify target audience locations
Research and identify the online platforms, forums, social media groups, or physical locations where your target audience is likely to be present. These locations will serve as the primary channels for gathering feedback and opinions.
Online surveys and interviews
Utilize websites that sell similar products to yours to approach potential customers and conduct brief online surveys. These surveys can help you gather valuable insights into customer preferences, needs, and expectations. Additionally, consider conducting interviews in shopping centers or organizing focus groups, if feasible within your budget, to obtain more in-depth feedback.
Click-testing and website landing pages
Implement click-testing on a landing page of your website to gauge user interactions and gather feedback. Drive targeted customer traffic to the landing page in small volumes to observe how they navigate the site, what catches their attention, and what improvements can be made. Analyzing user behavior on the landing page can provide valuable insights for enhancing the user experience.
Trial runs in local stores
If applicable to your business, consider running trials in local stores to observe customer interactions and gather feedback. Analyze foot traffic to the store and monitor customer engagement with your product. This real-world testing can provide valuable data on customer preferences and buying behaviors.
Feedback mechanisms
Engage with your network of family, friends, and colleagues to gather their opinions and feedback on your product. Additionally, allocate a budget for brief surveys to target specific customer groups and obtain their input. Consider setting up a section on your website where trial customers can leave reviews and provide feedback on their experience.
Utilize focus groups
Although setting up a focus group can be an investment, it can yield highly effective results. Identify 5-10 participants who match your target customer profile and appoint a mediator or moderator to facilitate the discussion. Design well-thought-out, open-ended questions to gather detailed feedback on your product, pricing, and overall branding.
