Why one size doesn’t fit all when it comes to launching
There are hundreds of coaches and consultants in the online business world who promise to teach you the secret formula to launching successfully.
The real secret? There isn’t one!
In my experience of helping dozens of online businesses to market their events, I’ve seen first-hand how unique each business is. That’s why I believe in working with each client to create a tailored launch plan that works for them.
In this article, I’ve explained why trying to follow a one-size-fits-all launch plan could actually be damaging to your business, and how I help my clients to create a launch plan for their new service that feels good and that works for them.
The pressure of launching
A lot of business owners decide not to do a proper launch for their new course or service because it’s simply too overwhelming. When it comes to launching there is so much to think about: the platforms you should be using, the audience you want to attract, the content you should be creating, to name just a few.
On top of all of this, you’re told you need to get hundreds of people enrolling on your workshop or webinar so that your 2% conversion rate gets you all the sign-ups you need afterwards. You’re expected to be a marketing guru who knows exactly how to grow your audience and attract all those hundreds as soon as you launch your business!
The problem with this isn’t just the amount of pressure it puts on new business owners.
The problem is that there isn’t just one set launching process that will work for every single business.
One size doesn’t fit all
The promise of a magic solution to help you have a successful launch is incredibly misleading, because there is no one-size-fits-all structure. Even if you were to follow a generic launch plan to the letter, you are still likely to have very different results from others who have done the same.
The reason for this is that what works for one person might not have the same results for you. In trying to follow this, you could be ignoring the platforms that your specific audience likes to use so your message might not filter through to the people who really want to hear it. You might end up creating content in a way that doesn’t feel good, for example you might love to do online video, but feel pressured to write blogs instead simply because that worked for someone else.
The consequences of this approach don’t just affect the number of clients you will enrol. You can be pushed to burnout because you’ve had to work at 100 miles per hour trying to keep up with all of the tasks and admin required to keep up with the launch plan.
So what could you do instead?
The more sustainable way to launch
Instead of trying to fit into a high-energy, burnout-inducing launch plan, I believe in taking a more natural, tailored approach. By designing a launch plan that takes your audience, your personality, and your preferences into account, launching becomes a fun, sustainable way to enrol more people on your course or service.
Of course, even a more tailored launch still requires lots of preparation and planning, but most of it can be planned in advance so that it doesn’t require any last-minute changes or additions. It’s a good idea to spend several weeks planning out your messaging, content and sequences (such as email sequences and campaigns) so that when you begin creating all of them, you can hit the ground running. It also means you can think more carefully about what type of content you’d like to create that will appeal to your target audience.
Instead of attempting to get hundreds of people at your workshop or webinar, many of whom will not be your ideal client, take the time to create messaging that will resonate with the exact people you want to be working with. When I do this with my clients, we’re more concerned about making sure the people who do attend are their dream clients. There may only be 20 attendees, but all of them are potential clients.
Finally, while numbers are important to track, make sure you’re tracking the right numbers. For example, is it more important to check that your posts reach a large number of people, or that it gets plenty of engagement from a small number of dream clients? Decide what’s most important to you and focus only on that to avoid feeling overwhelmed by charts and conversion rates.
Ready to plan a launch that’s tailored to your business?
For a regular injection of tips and advice on marketing your next launch connect with me on any of the social networks or join my Launch Inspirations email list.
BONUS: You’ll even get my favourite eGuide for free as you sign up.
Other blogs in this series include...
